13 Foods for Awesome Hair Growth
These foods not only help reduce or repair hair loss but they are foods that are designed for awesome hair and vibrant health in general. Because of our fast, stressful lifestyles, we eat so many things we shouldn’t for convenience and or pleasure. Here are our top tips for healthy whole foods that will improve your hair and your overall health!
avocado
One of the most important foods you can consume to help combat hair loss. Avocados have natural ingredients that help block the binding of Testosterone and 5 alpha reductase to create DHT which is a toxin that inhibits nutrition to the hair follicle.
key nutrients
Essential Fatty Acids / Vitamin E
almonds
Almonds are an excellent source of fiber as well as vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and fatty acids. These can reduce inflammation and are excellent for your heart. Studies show that imbalances of these nutrients could promote hair loss or stop your hair from being its most awesome.
key nutrients
Fiber / Vitamin E / B Vitamins / Zinc
beans
When you combine beans with rice, the amino acids that are missing from beans are found in rice so you create the entire protein structure this way. So beans give you protein but also fiber which is extremely important in health and toxin removal.
key nutrients
Fiber / Amino Acids / Biotin / Folate
broccoli
Where do I even start with the health benefits of broccoli? A cruciferous vegetable, broccoli depletes estrogens which help reduce breast and uterus cancer. It’s fiber content binds to bile acids in the digestive tract which makes it extremely efficient at eliminating cholesterol. Add its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits that fight heart disease and arthritis, to the benefits for awesome hair, and it’s a no-brainer to add broccoli to your daily diet.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Calcium / Vitamin K / Magnesium / Zinc
eggs
Eggs are an excellent source of zinc and selenium and these are both essential to prevent hair loss. There is quite a lot of research on zinc and how it helps combat hair loss. And don’t be scared of the yolk. The yolk is filled with many wonderful nutrients so don’t ignore this part of the egg. If you have high cholesterol then consult with your doctor but if you don’t, eat the yolk once in a while and enjoy the benefits.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Protein / Biotin / Zinc / Selenium
kale
I know what you’re thinking, this is just some hipster trend, but this time they got it right. Other than seaweed this is the most nutrient-rich plant there is. A single cup contains vitamin A, C and K exceeding the daily requirements, especially K with almost 700%. Vitamin C increases your body’s ability to produce collagen so to enjoy good skin and hair, you can’t eat this early enough and it should be done daily.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Vitamin C / Vitamin A / Vitamin K / B Complex
oats
Oats are absolutely jam packed with nutrients, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc, folate, thiamin, pantothenic acid, calcium, pyridoxine, potassium and niacin. With carbs, protein and fiber this is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. Oats increase blood circulation and help to reduce and remove toxins from your body – all factors that will affect the health of your hair.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Protein / Fiber / Zinc / Folate
oysters
Oysters are not my favorite food, basically I never eat them, but I have to include them in this series because they’re one of the best sources of zinc. Zinc is an important mineral because it helps hair growth and repair. If someone has a zinc deficiency, hair loss can be a side effect so supplementation with zinc can be helpful to maximize healthy hair production.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Zinc
raspberries
The medical benefits of raspberries are included in this series not because they directly prevent hair loss but because they can prevent hair loss through disease. Red raspberries contain significant vitamin C which helps your body absorb iron which prevents hair loss because iron deficiency has been linked to that. More importantly raspberries contain quercetin (a flavanol), gallic and ellagic acids, a phenolic compound, which dramatically reduce inflammation and oxidative stress and free radical carcinogens.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Vitamin C
salmon
Salmon will provide a healthy protein and omega-3 fatty acids. These will help provide nutrients to build healthy hair, lubricate the scalp and reduce inflammation.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Protein / Omega-3 Fatty Acids
spinach
Spinach isn’t just for Popeye to get super strength. This leafy green provides essential nutrients such as folate, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin C is important as the precursor to your entire immune system as well as aids in building and maintaining collagen which is a protein used in the structure of your hair. Folate also helps with red blood cell production and is a B vitamin that helps with cell division which is important when forming new hair. Vitamin A helps your body produce sebum which helps to moisturize the scalp. Iron helps produce red blood cells which are essential to circulate oxygen throughout your body which would be used to feed your hair as well as increase your metabolism which is also essential to hair growth.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Folate / Iron / Vitamin A / Vitamin C
sweet potatoes
The many beneficial nutrients in sweet potatoes include iron, calcium, selenium, B vitamins and vitamin C. One of the greatest ingredients is beta carotene which your body converts to vitamin A. Add a drizzle of olive oil before consuming to increase your body’s absorption of beta-carotene. This is a strong antioxidant and also helps your hair by increasing sebum production. It can increase the overall health of the hair along with its anagen stage which is the growing stage and help stop hairs from shedding as quickly.
KEY NUTRIENTS:
Iron / Calcium / Vitamin B / Vitamin C
water
Drinking water approximately every hour to two hours is such a great thing. It allows the distribution of nutrients throughout your body and it fills your cells with a hydration they need. Your body needs specific ingredients every day to do its job. For example, if you are a hair stylist and you do not have your color or your shears or your blow-dryer you cannot complete your job so your body is the same way and needs its tools each and every day.
Water is also necessary for removing toxins from your body so without it everything is getting messed up. So I wanted to end this series with water because without it everything previous I mentioned is irrelevant.