How to grow long hair? 10 Foods For Healthy Hair
Hair is something of a life’s obsession for many ladies. And why shouldn’t it be? Our mane is a major part of our identity, and when our hair isn’t quite right, our personality invariably suffers. We get frustrated, shout at the mirror, scream at the cat and literally tear our hair out.
But taking care of your hair means caring about your diet. You might not realise it, but diet is intrinsically linked to the health of every single part of your body – including your hair. For healthier, stronger hair, it’s time to amend your diet. So let’s take a look at 10 foods to eat for longer, stronger hair.
1. Rice or Pea Protein
Your hair relies on protein for keratin production, which is basically the proteins that keeps hair strong. If you don’t get enough protein, your hair becomes dormant, with the result being that you lose chunks of hair. Scary.
To help keep up your protein intake, you could add a dollop of rice or pea protein (make sure pea protein is not GMO) to your breakfast smoothie. This is an easy way of getting your protein kick without really noticing it (it doesn’t taste great). It can be especially beneficial for you if you are vegetarian, vegan or lactose intolerant.
2. Red Meat
There is a rumour that red meat is what makes men manly, but red meat also makes your hair manly too.
I mean, womanly.
See, without enough red meat, you could have an iron-deficiency, unless you get your iron from leafy greens. Iron-deficiency is very bad, because it is related to thin hair. Worse still, it can also cause nail disease.
But you may also have heard that too much red meat can cause cancer, heart disease and type-2 diabetes. For this reason, we suggest that you eat a piece of red meat once or twice a week for a balanced diet.
3. Oysters
The French love oysters, and they’re the chicest women on the planet. Hair is everything to them. Oysters are rich in zinc, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps to fight the rogue free radicals that are damaging your hair, causing split ends, this is why they are one of the greatest foods for healthy hair.
But zing also promotes hair growth, and it ensures that the oil glands found at the scalp are kept nice and healthy. If you don’t have enough zinc, you could well experience some extreme hair loss. Not cool at all.
4. Eggs
Okay, this is one for ladies who dare to do. See, raw eggs can be applied directly onto your hair. I know, gross right? But raw eggs rubbed into your hair can really help strengthen and condition your locks.
If, however, you get a little bit queazy at the idea of rubbing raw eggs into your beautiful scalp, you could eat them instead. You know, like normal people. Eggs are rich in protein and biotin, with the latter being a vitamin B that promotes hair growth and an overall healthy scalp.
5. Carrots
Carrots are also included in our list of best foods for healthy hair, and they are really cool. They’re super convenient, and you can either chomp on a raw carrot at lunch, make carrot juice or you can include chopped carrots in your salad or a wealth of dishes for your dinner. And as well as helping with your eyesight, carrots can also ensure that you have longer, stronger hair today.
Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, and it is these carrots that help to give your hair a glowing, shiny look. In short, they make it look healthy and well-conditioned, and they work by preserving your hair’s natural oils and maintaining a healthy scalp. We love carrots.
6. Wholemeal Oats
Porridge is an often overlooked breakfast meal for many people during the summer, primarily because you have to heat it up. In this way, it seems more ideal for those cold winter months. But wholemeal porridge should be eaten all year round, especially, if you’re struggling for longer, stronger hair.
The carbohydrates found in porridge are valuable nutrients for your hair. Particularly if you work out a lot, your carbs content can easily be depleted, which can cause hair loss. A zero-carb diet is indeed very bad for the health of your hair, so to get your fix easily, why not pour yourself a bowl of porridge? Goldie-Locks loved it, and look at her hair!
7. Spinach and Kale
Spinach and kale are also a part of our list of best foods for healthy hair. We’ve lumped spinach and kale in together, because they’re both dark, leafy, green vegetables that look similar, and which both have high iron content, which is exactly what you need for a lustrous mane.
Iron is key for healthy hair. Without enough iron in your diet, you could experience anaemia, which can result in hair loss. Moreover, a heavy period also puts you at risk of anaemia, so to fight the good fight, we suggest eating the queen of greens, kale. Or, if kale isn’t really your thing, try spinach. Both have high iron content, as well as good levels of vitamin A.
8. Avocados
Avocados are probably one of the best foods for healthy hair, and it is one of the world’s best kept secrets, when it comes to maintaining your natural beauty. Folk have incorporated them into their diet for years to preserve their glowing, healthy hair, and it’s now time for you to put a few on your plate.
Avocados are rich in essential fatty acids that our skin cells need to keep them smooth and supple. When you apply them to your hair and scalp, they stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, and they nourish and strengthen your hair. It’s really easy to apply: simply mix together with sour cream or plain yogurt, before rubbing directly onto your hair and scalp, leave for ten minutes. Then, wash it off.
9. Almonds
Your hair quite literally goes nuts for almonds! High in biotin, a cup a day of almonds is basically rocket fuel for your hair. Almonds basically causes your locks to grow faster as well as stronger, and you should see results after just one month of introducing them to your diet.
10. Beans
Legumes should be a staple of your diet if you’re looking for healthier, longer and stronger hair. Kidney beans, black beans, butter beans, lentils … you know them, they’re all good for you. They’re rich in protein, iron, biotin and zinc, which are all the essential nutrients we have covered so far. This basically basically makes the humble bean one of the best pathways to a better you today.
What are best foods for healthy hair? What are your tips?
Stay beautiful!