Food For Healthy Hair- Diet and Mask

Hair is a reflection of your overall well-being, and healthy hair shows a healthy you. Lather, rinse and repeat is not the only factor in maintaining your hair. It involves much more than that. Whatever your body consumes, it not only affects the organs but your hair also! So if you are eating leafy green vegetables or chicken, then it is surely going to show its effect on your hair health. Also, with a little extra attention to your daily diet, it can keep your hair away from adverse conditions like hair frizz, breakage, and damage! Taking care of your hair is as important as taking care of your skin as your hair is vulnerable to the pollutants in the air.

Neat and well-groomed hair begins with proper nutrition. The best nutrients for hair growth and maintenance include lean proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, B-complex vitamins, and iron. There are a plethora of food products out there, but not all are beneficial for your hair. A stick of candy cannot provide you with the nutrients that a bowl of salad can. There are many foods out there that can ruin your hair health. Check out this list of foods that can damage your hair. This blog will help you come across the best foods for your hair that can boost your hair health, prevent hair loss, and make masks to apply to your hair!

You may be vegan or non-vegetarian, or a fruit lover, but it is important to consume the right nutrients for your hair health. Some foods comprise the same nutrients, so here is a long list of the foods you can eat for your hair health:

Non-Vegetarian Foods for Your Hair

1. Salmon for Strong Hair  

Salmon is high-protein and rich in omega-3-fatty acids, which helps keep your tresses strong and intact. Omega-3 is important for the health of hair follicles and blood circulation in the scalp. You may witness a dramatic effect on your hair health if there is a lack of omega-3. In addition, foods containing omega-3 like salmon can also help lighten up your skin to be more hydrated, healthy, and youthful. Apart from the nutrient point of view, salmon fish is a good source of selenium, protein, vitamin D3, and other nutrients that play an important role in hair growth.

If you are not a fan of eating fish, you can go for fish oil. The focus here is on how you can consume omega-3. Fish oil can be taken in various forms, including fish oil supplements, fish liver oil supplements, like cod liver oil, shellfish, and whole fish. Fatty or oily fish, like salmon, sardines, mackerel, cod, herring, trout, and canned tuna, have the highest levels of omega-3. These fishes have a variety of vitamins and minerals that may not be available in supplements. However, supplements cannot replace the food totally. Dieticians recommend eating whole fish to reap the benefits of fish oil.

2. Eggs for Thicker Hair

Eggs are a superfood for healthy hair as they are densely packed with nutrients and proteins like biotin and vitamin D. They are the go-to food if you want healthy and shiny hair. Your hair is 80% protein, and because eggs are protein-rich, they replenish your hair, making them stronger and healthier. The yolk in the egg is filled with healthy fats that help keep your hair thick, healthy, and moisturized.

Eggs aren't just good for the hair shaft; they’re also good for your scalp. Applying eggs directly to the roots provides much-needed vitamins and minerals to the hair follicles. It boosts hair growth and makes it less susceptible to breakage and shedding as the scalp is nourished. However, you may not be able to see this change overnight. To see the results of applying egg yolk on your hair, it may take several weeks of continuous application and hair care. It is a low-cost and simple treatment that's worth a shot.

3. Oysters for Hair Repair

If you are looking for solutions to your damaged hair, then look no further than oysters. They are one of the best sources of zinc in your diet. Zinc is beneficial for hair growth and hair repair. Its deficiency can lead to hair loss. According to hair experts, hair loss caused by zinc deficiency may be reversed by taking a zinc supplement. But this doesn’t mean you take it in whichever quantity you like. Taking too much zinc, on the contrary, can result in hair loss.

Zinc is a powerful antioxidant, and so it helps repair damaged hair. Since oysters contain zinc in small yet safe amounts, consume them in a balanced quantity.

Other top benefits of oysters are that they are a rich source of a copper component that helps enrich your hair and iron that boosts hair growth. Oysters also comprise vitamin B12 necessary for the upkeep of hair.

Oysters are one of the most significant foods for achieving lustrous, healthy hair. Oysters are mollusks with major health benefits for the entire body, especially the hair. Science shows that oysters are a healthy source of various minerals and other nutrients for the human body.

4. Shrimp for Hair Growth

Rich in nutrients like vitamin B, zinc, iron, and vitamin D, shrimps are a power source for hair growth. They also contain a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for your health. Shrimps are common shellfish that are high in nutrients that can help with hair development. It is great for dull and flat hair.

Shrimp protein promotes healthy skin and hair and nail development. Make sure you eat shrimp based on how much your body requires the nutrients it contains, as eating an excess of it may show a reverse effect. Shrimps contain zinc, which helps to strengthen hair cells and nourish hair roots. They can also help to keep your skin youthful by preventing premature aging.

Hair loss can be stopped or prevented if you include zinc in your diet. Zinc not only revives your dull and damaged hair but also helps in maintaining healthy hair.

5. Bacon for Healthy Hair

Bacon is usually known as a source of fat and an avoidable food if you are aiming for weight loss. But little do you know that it is an amazing food for your hair health! It comprises many nutrients that promote healthy hair, like vitamin B, protein, and zinc. Take small amounts of bacon so that your hair health improves and you do not gain weight at the same time.

6. Chicken for Lustrous Hair

Your hair and nails are made up of proteins. Adding protein-rich chicken and meat to your diet helps promote hair growth, prevents hair loss, hair damage, and breakage, and gives you shiny hair! Chicken is rich in vitamin B groups, like biotin and B12, which promote stronger hair.

7. Meat

Many people's diets include meat, which is high in nutrients that can help with hair development. Meat is rich in protein, which is an important component of healthy hair. After all, the hair is made up of proteins, so there is no doubt that meat impacts hair growth.

Meat protein promotes hair development by repairing and strengthening hair follicles.

Red meat is a rich source of iron, which helps red blood cells supply oxygen across your body and hair follicles. Iron is important for preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth. Include meat in your diet for hair growth.

8. Turkey for Low Calories & Strong Hair

Non-vegetarian food can become a problem for you if it is promoting healthy hair but harming your body. In such cases, you need to shift to lean options that can replace these foods in terms of nutrients. Having meat can be a fatty affair, and so shifting to turkey is a better option. However, if your body is lean, you can go for beef.

Vegetarian Foods for Your Hair

1. Sweet Potatoes for Hair Sheen

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of beta-carotene, which gets converted to vitamin A when consumed. Vitamin A prevents your hair from becoming dull and revives its sheen by promoting a proper supply of oxygen to the hair follicles.

2. Peanuts and Peanut Butter to Protect Your Scalp

Did you know that peanuts and peanut butter do not only taste good but can also benefit hair? Biotin, a B vitamin needed for healthy hair and scalp, is found in peanuts. They also contain vitamin E, which nourishes and shields the skin from harmful UV rays. Alpha-tocopherol, which is also a type of vitamin E that strengthens hair follicles, is found in peanuts and is known for deep-conditioning your hair.

While you treat your taste buds with peanut butter, you can also treat your hair with it, and you will be surprised by the result it yields. Peanut butter contains palm oil that is not only important for hair but also nails and skin. It is also excellent for treating bleached hair. Most hair masks are expensive, and if you aren't careful, they can burn a hole in your wallet.

3. Beans

Beans are a great source of plant-based protein, which is vital for your hair health. Beans, like seafood, are high in zinc, which helps with hair growth and fixing damaged hair. They also contain iron, biotin, and folate, all of which are beneficial to hair. Beans are highly prevalent and cheap, making them an excellent choice for you.

Keratin is a form of protein that keeps your hair intact. This protein is found in beans and lentils, which helps hair grow steadily by improving the overall structure of the strands.

4. Carrots for a Healthy Scalp

You must have heard it from your ancestors that carrots help sharpen your vision, but did you know that they are great for your scalp and hair? Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which is responsible for the production of sebum oil in your scalp. If you have a dry scalp, then carrots are the best for you!

A dry scalp can mean dandruff, brittle hair, and hair loss. Sebum oil helps keep your scalp and hair moisturized, and so, including carrots in your diet can help keep dry scalp and hair away.

5. Lentils

Lentils contain a high amount of protein. While protein is good for your body development and repair, it is also an important part of hair care, as it nourishes your hair and improves its quality. Lentils are also rich in iron, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen to your hair follicles. Proper oxygen supply leads to cell renewal in your scalp, resulting in hair growth.

6. Spinach for Healthy Hair Roots

All you must have witnessed in the case of this green leafy vegetable is when the cartoon character Popeye the sailor man ate a whole can of it to pump up his muscles and gain abs. But did you know that he missed spinach’s benefits on the hair part? Folate and iron are the main players here. While folate is a B vitamin that helps red blood cells form oxygen, iron helps them transport it. The high antioxidant content of spinach protects your hair and improves your scalp condition by increasing oxygen supply to the hair follicles.

7. Cottage Cheese for Lively Hair

When you hear the word cheese, your mouth definitely becomes watery over it. Cottage cheese is a low-fat version of cheese, which you can include in your diet, taking care of the taste buds and body. But this is not the end of it. Cottage cheese is also beneficial when it comes to your hair. A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, copper, and biotin, it helps shield your scalp and hair from the harmful UV rays of the sun.

Cottage cheese is also rich in protein and calcium that provide you lustrous hair retaining its natural color! Along with this, it also prevents hair loss.

8. Bell Peppers for Hair Growth

Red, yellow, and green bell peppers, also known as sweet peppers and capsicum, are a colorful and tasty source of vitamin C, which is essential for hair health for various reasons. Vitamin C helps form collagen, a structural fiber that helps your body ensure that red blood cells contain enough iron to transport oxygen to hair follicles.

Sweet pepper contains a lot of natural silicon, which can aid hair health. Bell peppers improve the potency of other herbs by enhancing blood circulation. Red bell pepper is a hair growth stimulator that can help you prevent hair loss. Be it hair follicles, blood vessels, or your skin, they all need collagen to remain healthy and develop properly. A lack of vitamin C makes hair vulnerable to hair breakage and splits.

Now that the vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods are covered, there is another option for you to work on your hair health through diet. If you are a fruit fan, there are fruits that work amazingly well on your hair! Read on to find out.

Fruits for Your Hair

1. Papaya for Thicker Hair

Rich in vitamin C and A, this summer fruit helps remove dead skin cells and promotes healthy and well-nourished hair shafts reducing further hair thinning. Papaya might be the answer to your call if you're witnessing a lot of dandruff or dead skin cells on your head. Papaya is rich in folic acid and Vitamin C that help in increasing blood circulation in your body, including the scalp. Sebum nourishes, conditions, and protects the scalp, allowing the hair to develop in a healthy environment.

2. Apples for Strong and Shiny Hair

There is a well-known phrase, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ as it is one of the healthiest fruits. This phrase is very much valid when it comes to your hair. Apples help boost keratin in your hair that is responsible for strengthening them. This results in stronger, shiny, and lustrous hair.

3. Strawberries for Voluminous Hair

While strawberries are known as an amazing medicine for your skin, it is not a well-known fact that they are equally good for your hair. They are a rich source of vitamin B5 that helps in preventing hair loss. This nutrient helps in repairing and rebuilding hair. Strawberries are also rich in vitamin C that helps protect your hair against oxidative stress.

4. Avocado for Quality Hair

Avocado is a powerhouse high in healthy fats and vitamins for your body; it is a strong antioxidant that promotes hair development. Avocado comprises vitamin E that is vital for your body and hair health. Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin from oxidative stress and injury, like the scalp. Damaged scalp skin can lead to bad hair quality and weaken the hair follicles.

Avocados are rich in fatty acids as well. The body cannot produce these fats, but they are necessary building blocks for your body. The deficiency is directly linked to hair loss. So, including avocados in your diet can help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.

5. Grapes for Hair Loss Prevention

Black grape seeds have antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Along with this, they also help prevent hair fall! These properties help in stimulating hair follicles’ growth resulting in hair growth.

6. Pineapple for Nourished Hair

Pineapple is a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin B, and calcium. While vitamin C promotes hair growth and strength, vitamin B and calcium help in regulating proper oxygen supply to your hair follicles leading to the formation of new cells and nourished hair!

7. Kiwi for Prevention of Early Greying of Hair

Kiwis are filled with a richness of nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, potassium, and vitamin E. If you have a dry scalp, dandruff, and hair fall, including kiwis in your diet can help prevent them.

If you are struggling with premature greying of your hair, including kiwis in your diet can help prevent it further.

8. Plum for a Healthy Scalp

Plums are a win-win food for you. While they are low-calorie fruit, they are nutrient-rich. A balance of hormones is necessary to maintain your hair and body health. Plums reverse adrenal gland fatigue and prevent hair loss. They also promote hair growth by promoting the formation of new cells.

Hair Masks for Healthy Hair

1. Papaya Hair Mask

Applying a papaya hair mask nourishes your hair from roots to the ends. Here is how you can prepare a hair mask at home.

To prepare a papaya hair mask, you’ll need:

• Half ripe papaya
• Olive Oil
• Honey

Take half-ripe papaya. Blend it until it becomes a paste. Now, add about half a cup of olive oil and 1-2 tablespoons of honey to the paste. Blend the ingredients well. Apply the resultant paste on your hair and keep it on for 35-45 minutes. Shampoo and condition your hair to wash away the paste.

2. Bell Pepper Hair Mask

Bell peppers help in the proper supply of oxygen to your hair follicles and promote hair growth, as mentioned above. You can also make a bell pepper hair mask to achieve better hair quality. If you use this hair mask regularly, you will be able to notice hair growth also!

To prepare a bell pepper hair mask, you need:

• 1 dry red bell peppers

Boil a few slices of dry red bell pepper for 5 to 6 minutes in water. After it has cooled, rub it into your scalp and keep it on for 25 to 30 minutes. Rinse it out of your hair using a mild shampoo. For the best results, apply it twice a week. Bell pepper's spiciness promotes hair growth and hygiene.

3. Avocado Hair Mask

Here is a simple and quick tip on making an avocado hair mask. Without requiring much ingredients, money, and effort, you can make this hair mask anytime, anywhere!

To prepare an avocado hair mask, you need:

• 1 avocado
• Coconut oil

Mash one avocado In a mixing bowl with a fork. Add two tablespoons of coconut oil to it. Coconut oil has been shown to penetrate the hair and readily protect it from breakage. Add more coconut oil if your hair mask is thick. Apply the hair mask way up to the scalp from the tips of your hair.

4. Spinach Hair Mask

Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that is very beneficial for both body and hair. While the iron in it promotes proper oxygen supply to the hair follicles for stronger hair, the vitamin A present in it helps in producing sebum, a substance that keeps your scalp moisturized and healthy!

To prepare a spinach hair mask, you need:

• 1 cup of spinach leaves
• Honey
• Olive/Coconut oil

Mix all of the above-mentioned ingredients in a blender, and blend them until a paste is formed. Apply the paste to your scalp and work it into your hair from root to tip. Leave the paste on for 30 minutes to 1 hour until your hair and scalp are both coated. Rinse off the hair mask with cool/lukewarm water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.

5. Strawberry Hair Mask

If you are struggling with fungal infections on your scalp, then you have strawberries to your rescue. These fungal infections prevent the essential oils from reaching the roots of your hair, resulting in dry and damaged hair. This may also lead to hair loss. A rich source of manganese, copper, and magnesium, strawberries fight these fungal infections and make healthy scalp and hair.

To prepare a strawberry hair mask, you need:

• 6-7 strawberries (depending on the length of your hair)
• Mayonnaise

Mash the above-mentioned quantity of strawberries to form a thick paste. Now add a tablespoon of mayonnaise to it. Apply evenly to your hair. Leave the paste on for about 30 minutes. Rinse it off with cold water and a mild shampoo. For best results, apply this mask once a month.

6. Orange Hair Mask

Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C that helps in the proper supply of oxygen to your body, including the scalp, boosting hair growth. They are easily available in the market and are not costly at all.

To prepare an orange hair mask, you need:

• 1-2 oranges (depending on the length of your hair)

Take 1 or 2 big or small oranges according to the length of your hair. Blend them along with their skin until a paste is formed. Apply the paste on your scalp and hair thoroughly. Keep the hair mask on for 2-3 hours. Rinse it off using a mild shampoo. To get the best results, apply this hair mask once a month.

7. Apple Hair Mask  

Apple is a rich source of vitamins, antioxidants, and soluble fibers, which makes it the best food for hair growth. Applying an apple hair mask not only promotes hair growth but also maintains the pH levels of your scalp.

To prepare an apple hair mask, you need:

• 1 apple

Extract the juice from 1 apple with its skin intact. Now, apply the juice to your hair thoroughly. Keep the hair mask on for another 20-30 minutes. Wash it off with a mild shampoo. For best results, apply the hair mask 1-2 times a week.

8. Carrot Onion Hair Mask

Carrots keep your vision sharp and your hair shiny and soft. Rich in vitamin A and E, carrots help make your hair roots stronger. Adding onion to it only makes your hair healthier. Onions contain sulfur, which promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss.

To prepare a carrot onion hair mask, you need:

• 1 Carrot
• 1 Onion
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice

Chop a carrot and onion into small pieces. Blend them to form a paste. Add two tablespoons of lemon juice and olive oil to the paste. Now apply the hair mask to your hair and keep it on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse it away using a mild shampoo.

Conclusion

Food is something that is flexible when it comes to consuming it. You can take certain foods in solid or liquid form, or you can just apply them to your hair! Using hair products for boosting hair growth, preventing hair loss/hair fall, repairing damaged hair, etc., can further damage your hair due to the chemicals present in them. Using these foods for hair care is the best way, as you are able to reject chemical-based products.

Good eating habits help your hair remain strong, lustrous, and damage-free. What you eat affects your hair visibly. If you are not consuming sufficient nutrients, you can witness the adverse effects as time passes. So, go ahead and get yourself these extra beneficial foods that will take care of both body and hair. You can always add a tinge of essential oils to the hair masks you make or use these organic oils to maintain your hair health if you have a busy lifestyle. Visit Indique hair to find the best possible hair care products for your hair health. Make every day a good hair day!