Your hair needs some essential nutrients to thrive. It can lead to damaged hair, hair loss, and hair-related issues when it does not have these building blocks alongside certain genetic influences and environmental factors.
If you want strong, healthy hair, diet is everything. You can’t overcome everything relating to age, genetics, and health with diet. However, these foods help make your hair grow. They give you a better chance of revitalizing your appearance at the hair salon.
Here are eleven types of foods that make your hair grow:
1. Eggs
Eggs are one of the best foods that make your hair grow. They are packed with protein, a nutrient that’s very important to hair growth. Hair follicles themselves are mostly made from protein. A lack of protein in one’s diet is associated with less growth and hair loss.
Eggs also have biotin, a nutrient essential in producing keratin, an important hair protein. This food also has other helpful ingredients, including zinc and selenium.
2. Lean Poultry
Ensuring you are getting enough protein, sticking with lean poultry and lean cuts of meat are recommended. Lean protein can work wonders are helping keep your hair strong, preventing loss, and motivating hair growth.
If you are a vegetarian or vegan, several high-protein alternatives can be consumed that are just as healthy protein-wise.
3. Salmon
Salmon – like sardines and mackerel – is a fish packed with healthy fatty acids loaded with benefits for our hair and bodies.
The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon can help hair grow, stay fuller, and maintain the shine that many of us are going for. Many supplements focusing on hair growth include omega-3 fatty acids as well.
4. Berries
Berries – including strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries – have many antioxidants that can help protect hair follicles and fulfill various vitamin needs.
For example, a single cup of strawberries has 141% of one’s daily vitamin C requirements. This vitamin is very important as it helps produce collagen, strengthen hair, and prevent breaking.
5. Guava
Guava is a tropical fruit that is also packed with vitamin C. A single cup of guava has 377mg of vitamin C, more than four times the minimum daily amount.
If you haven’t had guava before, this may be a food to add to your breakfast or lunch to try and reap these benefits, as an alternative to strawberries or berries, interchanging them as you prefer.
6. Avocado
Delicious and healthy, avocados contain vitamin E, directly promoting hair growth. This vitamin is another antioxidant, protecting the scalp from oxidative stress and damage.
A study analyzing vitamin E supplement use found that, after eight months, people with hair loss saw 34.5% more hair growth with such a supplement. Avocados are an excellent whole food source.
7. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt has lots of protein, which is a major benefit and contains vitamin B5 and pantothenic acid. This vitamin helps with blood flow to the scalp, aiding hair growth.
It also may protect against hair thinning, according to some studies. Pantothenic acid is also found in several hair supplements and hair care products.
8. Sweet Potatoes
Beta-carotene converts into vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are loaded with enough beta-carotene to produce more than four times the body’s amount of vitamin A.
This vitamin is believed to increase hair growth, grow thicker hair overall, and prevent hair follicles from regressing. An excellent alternative to non-sweet potatoes, this food can help keep your hair healthy.
9. Spinach
Spinach is packed with folate, iron, and vitamins A and C. These help facilitate hair growth. Vitamin A helps the skin glands produce sebum to keep the scalp healthy.
Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, helping fuel growth and hair repair. Spinach is a very healthy green vegetable that you don’t necessarily need to eat a lot to get the benefits.
10. Iron-Containing Foods
Studies have shown that people with an iron deficiency are more likely to experience hair loss. Iron can be found in lots of dishes. Fortified cereals, grains, and pasta are the most common sources.
Iron is also high in soybeans and lentils. Dark leafy greens, shellfish, beef and organ meats such as liver are all excellent sources of iron.
11. Almonds & Other Nuts
Nuts are an amazing and easy addition to the list of foods that make you grow. An ounce of almonds has 37% of your daily vitamin E needs. They also contain high amounts of B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acids.
All of these minimize the likelihood of nutrient deficiencies tied to hair loss. Nuts are an excellent addition to the diet and one of the best snacks you can have relating specifically to hair growth.
