One of the first things we notice about another person is their hair. And while people spend fortunes at the salon trying to make their hair look good, there are steps you can take at home.
Healthy hair starts with a healthy body and that means eating the right nutritious foods for better hair. To get you started, the team at spermidineLIFE® has the information you need on what you can eat to get healthy hair started at the root.
What Foods Increase Hair Density?
There are many factors that cause hair to weaken and appear dull. From environmental pollution to poor eating habits and the stress in our daily lives, it can all take its toll on our locks (1). But fortunately, we can eat a balanced diet that is full of nutrients to help our hair volume and density.
Here are some of the best foods to add to your diet to increase hair density:
Eggs
Chocked full of protein, eggs can help promote hair growth. Protein is also important because it is the building block of hair follicles.
Spinach
This leafy green is full of iron. Being deficient in iron may lead to hair loss because iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. This fuels metabolism and aids in growth and repair. If our body is low on those nutrients, hair follicles don’t have what they need to grow and stay strong.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits, like limes and oranges, are full of vitamin C, which helps iron absorption. Vitamin C also helps in collagen production. Collagen is a protein that can help strengthen hair, preventing it from being brittle and breaking.
Nuts And Seeds
These small powerhouses are full of omega-3 fatty acids which can nourish and thicken hair. So add some almonds, walnuts or flaxseeds to your daily diet.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are rich in biotin, which is essential for the production of keratin. It can also help improve hair growth.
Carrots
This vegetable is full of vitamin A, which promotes sebum production. This helps to keep hair healthy. Vitamin A also helps cell growth and can promote faster hair growth.
Avocado
Avocados are full of vitamin E, which improves blood circulation. This helps hair follicles to promote growth.
What Foods Increase Hair Volume?
A mane full of volume is pretty desirable, but oftentimes falls flat for many people. Diet is the first thing to look at to make sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals you need for hair growth and thickness (2). Make sure to add these specific foods to your diet:
Soybeans
Foods that come from soy like soybeans and tempeh may inhibit the formation of a hormone that causes an imbalance in the body that can lead to hair loss. Soybeans are also rich in iron, omega-3 fatty acids as well as B2.
Eggs
This makes the list again for hair health. The protein in eggs boosts collagen production leading to stronger hair.
Mangos
A tropical fruit full of silica, a mineral that helps to strengthen hair and promote hair growth.
Figs
This fruit surprisingly is full of iron, which is essential for healthy hair growth. Figs can also help hair to stay shiny.
Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t toss the seeds after carving. Pumpkin seeds are full of protein and provide zinc, which helps cellular reproduction and a stronger immunity. This helps hair growth.
Berries
Full of vitamin C, berries can help boost scalp circulation while the antioxidants help protect follicles from free-radical damage.
Which Vegetarian Food Is Good For Your Hair?
A main concern for those on vegetarian diets is making sure they get enough nutrients. For hair health, that revolves around two crucial nutrients: protein and iron. Both are found abundantly in animal products, but there are plenty of vegetarian foods that are good for hair growth.
Vegetarian Protein Options
To add more protein to your vegetarian diet, include these foods:
- Quinoa
- Tofu
- Soy products
- Chickpeas
- Nuts and seeds
- Lentils
- Beans
Vegetarian Iron Options
Iron doesn’t have to just come from animal-based products. Make sure to add these vegetarian iron-rich foods:
- Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale
- Beets
- Watercress
- Soybeans
- Almonds
What Food Causes Hair Loss?
There are plenty of foods to eat for hair health, but there are also foods to avoid that can cause hair loss. It’s important to make sure you are eating a balanced diet to get a variety of nutrition, but if you want hair to grow and be strong, avoid these foods.
Simple Carbohydrates
The refined carbohydrates found in white flour and in many different types of cakes, biscuits and ice cream are high in sugar. For the body to use refined carbohydrates, the body produces insulin, which has a negative effect on hair and can lead to hair loss.
Sugary Cereals
Foods high on the glycemic list can cause blood sugar levels to spike leading to thinning hair.
Sugar-Free Foods
On the other end of the spectrum, some sugar-free foods contain aspartame, which is an artificial sweetener. Aspartame can cause thinning hair and hair loss.
Greasy Foods
Not only can greasy foods clog arteries, they can also lead to miniaturization of hair follicles, which can restrict blood flow and clogged sweat pores. This can further lead to hormone issues that can trigger hair loss.
Dairy Products
Dairy products can have a high acidic nature and many people have allergies to it. This allergy can lead to an immune response that causes the body to destroy cells and tissues such as hair follicles.
What Foods Are High In Biotin?
Biotin is a B vitamin that helps improve hair growth and helps with inflammation. And there are a variety of foods that naturally contain it. Being that it is in so many different types of foods, it is rare for a person to be deficient in it.
To make sure you get enough of this essential vitamin, include the following foods to your diet:
- Organ meats like beef liver
- Eggs
- Salmon
- Sunflower seeds
- Sweet potatoes
- Almonds
- Spinach
- Bananas
What Foods Make Hair Roots Stronger?
How fast our hair grows depends on factors like age, health, genetics and diet. While we cannot change our age and genetics, we can control our diet, which in turn affects our overall health. And healthy hair starts from the inside out so for hair to be strong, it’s important to eat a healthy and varied diet.
We know that eggs, berries, spinach, avocados and nuts and seeds should be included, but here are some other foods to eat for strong hair.
Fatty Fish
Including salmon, herring and mackerel are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help promote hair growth. They are also a good source of protein and other nutrients that promote strong and healthy hair.
Sweet Potatoes
Full of beta-carotene which promotes sebum that can speed up the rate of hair growth and encourage thicker hair.
Sweet Peppers
Full of vitamin C, which can aid hair growth
Oysters
Oysters are full of zinc, which helps to support hair growth and repair.
Supplements Can Help
We know that healthy hair starts from the inside, which is why it’s important to make sure you are eating a variety of nutritious foods to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. In addition, it is important to provide the body with the supplements it needs to encourage optimal health.
One such supplement is spermidine, which supports cellular health. Spermidine can activate the body’s cellular renewal process known as autophagy that can help the body to get rid of dysfunctional cellular components. This in turn allows cells to regenerate. Healthy cells lead to healthy hair.
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