Hair loss is something that almost everybody on Earth probably has gone through at some point in their lives. When we talk of hair care, shampoo, conditioners, and an array of products come to mind. But hair care is not limited to this. Often, we forget the most important part of hair care – diet.
What you eat is what you are made of, and it shows on the surface – on your skin, eyes, nails, and hair.
A good diet can always help you to either promote hair growth or prevent hair loss.
Here is a list of the 25 best foods to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. Check how many of them are present in your diet menu.
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Leafy Greens
You just can’t escape them! Whether you are a kid, teenager, or adult, you ought to have your portion of leafy greens. Here, we are particularly interested in talking about spinach. It is rich in iron, calcium, potassium, omega-3 acids, and sebum, which acts as a natural conditioner for hair.
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Beetroots
After green comes red! This bright red root is rich in nitrates, which, when broken down in the body, improves blood circulation. Good blood flow is one of the essentials for your hair roots to thrive.
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Red Bell Pepper
Another red vegetable to consume is the red bell pepper. It is rich in vitamin C. One big orange gives you enough vitamin c for the day, but just half of the medium-sized red bell pepper is enough in this case! You can prepare many savory recipes with bell peppers.
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Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are loaded with vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, which helps to increase blood circulation in the scalp. This encourages hair growth. Having just an ounce of these seeds can give you 20 percent of your daily value of the vitamin.
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Oatmeal
A breakfast of oatmeal could be a good thing for your hair. They contain beta-glucans, which is a type of soluble fiber. Its high fiber content helps to enhance the insulin sensitivity of the body. Did you know that male and female pattern baldness is often linked to insulin resistance?
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Lentils
If you wish to have a head full of lush hair, you just can’t forget to have lentils, which are packed with proteins, biotin, iron, and zinc. All these elements are essential for hair health. In fact, hair is made of protein. Lentils also have folic acid, which is needed to keep red blood cells healthy. They provide oxygen and nutrients to the scalp.
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Barley
If you love your hair, eat barley, which is a good source of tocotrienols, which are various types of vitamin E. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant needed for healthy skin and hair. It absorbs harmful UV radiation and safeguards skin cells. It protects scalp skin and helps to produce a favorable environment for hair to grow.
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Nuts
You must go nuts over nuts! They are packed with oils that help to keep your hair elastic and lustrous so that they do not snap off easily and are strong. Eat a handful of walnuts and almonds daily or every alternate day. Pistachios contain beta-sitosterol, which helps to fight male or female pattern baldness.
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Bok choy or Chinese cabbage
You may be eating foods rich in iron, but is that iron readily getting absorbed in your body? This is important. The level of ferritin in your blood can tell you this. If you eat bok choy regularly, you need not be worried about ferritin levels because bok choy is super rich in iron. Did you know iron deficiency causes hair loss?
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Greek Yogurt
Selenium and iodine are two trace minerals that play an important role in hair growth. These minerals are essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. And it is proven that thyroid disorder can cause hair loss. So, if you wish to prevent hair loss, ensure that your diet gives you the daily dose of these trace minerals. Why not have a cup of Greek yogurt daily? Just one cup can easily give you half of your iodine dose for the day and 34 percent of the daily value of selenium. Don’t forget to throw in some berries and nuts for an extra health punch!
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Eggs
Eggs are full of protein, calcium, iron, and biotin, which are essential for hair growth. Other sources of biotin are almonds, salmon, and avocados. You can also get biotin-enriched shampoos in the market now. Biotin is crucial to prevent hair loss and promote lush hair growth.
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Carrots
You know carrots are good for the eyes due to their rich beta-carotene content that gets converted into vitamin A. But did you know that eating carrots can prevent hair loss? Eat one carrot daily for 3-4 weeks or have a glass of fresh carrot juice. You will notice dramatic results in hair texture and growth. This is not all. Carrots add to hair thickness, strengthen the hair, prevent hair breakage, protect hair from external damaging sources like pollution, increase the shine of hair, and prevent hair loss. Phew!
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Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, just like carrots. Did you know vitamin A deficiency can make your scalp itchy and irritable and encourage dandruff? Sweet potatoes help in the balanced production of oil on the scalp for healthy hair growth.
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Salmon
Salmon gives you a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important to keep you healthy and your hair shiny and beautiful. However, the body cannot produce these fatty acids. You must supply your body with Omega. Fish is not only heart-friendly but also hair-friendly.
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Chicken
As per the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, chicken is rich in Arachidonic Acid (AA). Which is a type of polyunsaturated fatty acids called omega-6 fatty acid. AA can encourage hair growth and make your hair grow thick and healthy. One cup serving of roasted chicken has 154 milligrams of AA. And do we need to tell you that chicken is full of protein? Time to roast some chicken!
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Oysters
Love it or not, but it is rich in zinc, which is an essential mineral for healthy hair. Zinc stimulates follicles to do their job properly. Do you know zinc deficiency not only leads to hair loss but also makes your eyelashes fall? Well, if you are not a fan of oysters, have some crab or lobster.
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Bananas
A banana a day can keep hair loss at bay! This berry (yes, technically, bananas are berries!) is rich in iron, phosphorus, and potassium, plus several vitamins. Banana smoothie poses as a wonderful pre-or post-workout food.
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Mangoes
We eat mangoes because we love them. Now, we must eat them for one more reason – we love our hair! Mangoes are filled with silicon minerals, which are proven to stimulate hair growth tremendously. You can also find silica in bamboo tea and cucumber.
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Kiwi
The tangy taste of kiwi is enough to tantalize your tastebuds. But did you know kiwi is a rich source of vitamin C? Eating kiwi regularly can help to combat hair loss effectively and also prevent hair loss, besides strengthening your immunity.
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Halibut
How much do you eat this fish? It has lots of magnesium, which is proven to be responsible for glossy hair. Deficiency of magnesium results in higher calcium levels in the body. This, in turn, can increase your body’s insulin levels. According to dermatologists, higher insulin is one of the triggers of hair loss.
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Beans and Peas
Eat lots of beans and peas in your regular diet to flaunt beautiful hair. Beans and peas are great sources of protein and hair are made up of protein.
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Curry Leaves
Indians use curry leaves as tempering in various dishes. But did you know the curry leaves you use to add flavor and aroma to the food are packed with proteins, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamin C? Curry leaves help to prevent not only hair loss but also premature greying of hair.
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Onions
Onions have catalase, which is an enzyme that prevents premature greying of hair and hair loss. They also contain a high amount of Sulphur, a chief ingredient of melanin. According to trichologists, taking onion juice or applying onion juice on the scalp is beneficial. Eat them as salads, along with food. It is the best way to take in the benefits of this bulbous vegetable.
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Avocados
Avocados are great for skin and hair. They produce an anti-aging effect and provide a good supply of vitamins B and E, which protect and strengthen your tresses by working at the cellular level. Vitamin B promotes hair growth. Vitamin E helps to repair hair damage.
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Rice and lentils
This food combo is great for hair and for overall health. It packs enough amount of carbs, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals needed for healthy follicles. A bowl of soupy lentils garnished with fresh coriander leaves combined with steamed rice is the comfort food you need after a long, tiring day.
Include the above-mentioned foods in your diet and watch the difference in your hair health and quality with time. An added benefit: you will have a yummy variety in your diet.
