You might be struggling with growing your hair for multiple reasons, even if you regularly trim your ends with haircutting shears. Although human hair grows on average around 15 cm per year, factors like your age, genetics, and diet can significantly affect it. Moreover, stress or hair products that you use can also play a vital role in hair growth.
One of the best steps you can take to ensure your hair grows strong and healthy is eating the right foods. By maintaining a balanced diet, you can prevent hair loss and enjoy a head full of hair in no time. If you would like to nourish your hair correctly, take a look at this list of nutrients that you should eat:
Vitamin B12
B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is required for many bodily functions. This essential nutrient helps to create red blood cells and prevent anemia. Although it may be found in animal-based foods, you can also find B12 in plant sources like spirulina, seaweed, and legumes.
Vitamin B12 promotes healthy circulation and cell division. So it’s not surprising that a lack of B12 leads to hair loss and follicle damage. In fact, B12 deficiency causes the hair follicles to become thinner, and the hair becomes dull and brittle.
Iron
Iron is another important mineral that is required for healthy hair growth. It works by delivering oxygen from the bloodstream to the hair follicles. This provides energy to the cells and encourages them to grow longer.
If you have low levels of iron in your body, your hair will show signs of thinning or even fall out. Iron deficiency also makes hair dry and brittle. The best sources of iron are red meat, lentils, leafy greens, beans, and fish.
Vitamin C
As you might know, vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals, which can damage the DNA of cells. It’s responsible for immune system function, as well as collagen production, and is good for skin, bones, teeth, and more. Vitamin C is also present in fruits and veggies like oranges, kale, broccoli, peppers, strawberries, and tomatoes. The human body cannot store and produce vitamin C, so it’s recommended to consume enough daily.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is also a powerful antioxidant that protects the body against free radical damage. Unfortunately, most people don’t consume enough vitamin E in their diet. To increase your nutrient intake, eat foods like almonds, peanuts, mango, avocados, spinach, asparagus, pumpkin, red bell pepper, and sunflower seeds.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that can be found in oily fish like mackerel or sardines. They are also found in flaxseed oil and walnuts. Omega-3 helps reduce inflammation to boost cell growth which affects hair growth.
While omega-3 is important for overall health, it’s especially beneficial for your scalp. Omega-3 helps with scalp health and improves blood circulation to your hair follicles, resulting in fuller locks in no time! Omega-3 fatty acids also help reduce dandruff and psoriasis when used on a regular basis.
Folate and Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a coenzyme in enzymes that process nutrients in our body. It’s essential for a number of bodily functions like breaking down food into energy or producing fat cells. Biotin also encourages healthy cell growth, which affects hair growth. You can find biotin in egg yolks, legumes, nuts, seeds, liver, mushrooms, bananas, and avocados. Some people may need a supplement to get enough biotin in their diet.
Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that is essential for many bodily functions. It supports cellular growth, metabolism, and DNA synthesis. Folate can be found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, peas, spinach, chickpeas, and liver.
If you feel that you aren’t getting enough biotin and folate in your diet, you can take supplements.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral that is necessary for a number of bodily functions, and it also promotes healthy hair growth. Zinc is found in meat and seafood, seeds, legumes, nuts, dairy products, whole grains, and dark chocolate.
If you feel that you aren’t getting enough zinc in your diet, you can take a zinc supplement. It will help maintain healthy hair and stimulate hair growth.
Acidic Foods for Hair Growth
In addition to the above nutrients that are good for hair growth, there are also some acidic foods that you should consider adding to your diet:
- Citric acid: found in lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, and pineapples.
- Malic acid: found in apples, raisins, pears, peaches, apricots, and plums.
- Sour taste: found in most fruits such as cherries and cranberries.
A diet high in acidic foods and low in processed foods is the best way to ensure your hair continues to grow.
The Bottom Line
You can invest in many hair products with the most nutritious ingredients; however, if your diet is bad – your hair will suffer from it greatly. You should analyze your diet and incorporate healthy eating habits as soon as possible. By providing your body with the nutrients it needs, you can prevent hair fall and enjoy a full head of hair!