Diet for hair

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Diet for hair

A healthy diet can help your hair stay strong and shiny. What you eat can also keep you from losing your locks. If you’re not getting certain nutrients from food, you might see the effects on your hair.

Essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s, play a key role in the health of your skin, hair, and nails.

You should eat some of these foods, which are rich in omega-3, every day:

• Salmon, tuna, mackerel, and other fatty fish
• Flaxseed oil, Flaxseeds, chia seeds, canola oil
• Walnuts 
• Soybeans, tofu, and cruciferous
• Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)

Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid are also important to your hair. Vegetarians and vegans often don't get enough of them.

Foods with B6 include bananas, potatoes (both white and sweet), and spinach. Major sources of B12 include meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.

You can get folic acid with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits and tomatoes. Whole-grain and fortified-grain products, beans, and lentils also have it.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is needed by the body to make sebum. Sebum is an oily substance created by our hair's sebaceous glands and provides a natural conditioner for a healthy scalp. Without sebum, we may experience an itchy scalp and dry hair. Include animal products and orange/yellow coloured vegetables which are high in beta-carotene (which makes vitamin A) such as carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.

Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are important fats our body cannot make themselves, and therefore must be obtained through our diet. Omega-3s are found in the cells that line the scalp and also provide the oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated. Include oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, trout, and mackerel and plant sources like avocado, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.

Iron

Iron is an especially important mineral for hair and too little iron is a major cause of hair loss. The hair follicle and root are fed by a nutrient-rich blood supply. When iron levels (serum ferritin) fall below a certain point, you may experience anemia. This disrupts the nutrient supply to the follicle, affecting the hair growth cycle and may result in shedding. Animal products such as red meat, chicken, and fish provide iron with a high bioavailability, meaning the iron is readily available to the body. Vegetarians can raise their iron stores by including lentils, spinach and other leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and salad greens.

Protein is also critical for keeping your hair healthy, but many people don't get enough. Lean meats like fish and chicken, eggs, and soy products are good sources. Eat one serving every day.

Because trace minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc, and biotin also affect hair, it's a good idea to take a daily multivitamin.

As hair is made of protein, ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is crucial for making hair strong and healthy. If you are not consuming enough protein in your diet, your hair is likely to become dry, brittle and weak. Extremely low protein diets may result in restricted hair growth and even hair loss. Choose chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products and eggs as excellent sources of protein along with vegetarian sources such as legumes and nuts.