Eating For Your Hair Health - How To Feed Your Hair For Maximum Growth

Contents

• Water
• Protein Foods
• Fruits And Vegetables
• Grains And Nuts
• Dairy

If you are on a hair growth journey then you have probably heard that hair growth is a scientific process and is directly related to the food you eat and your lifestyle.

If you periodically watch youtube videos on hair growth from your favorite gurus who may produce content on their personal hair growth stories you will hear them mention changes to their diet that really propelled their journey and helped them to meet their goals

In this post, we want to take a comprehensive look at the food groups and what foods you should be eating to encourage maximum hair growth and healthy hair.

Hair grows in cycles and each hair strand is at its own stage of development at any one time. Once the cycle completes the hair sheds and a new cycle begins. Typically hair grows half an inch per month and the food we eat keeps that cycle going. The five food groups Include fruits and vegetables, grains and nuts, protein foods, and dairy but first, let’s talk about water.

Water

If you are looking at food charts or official written documents on food groups you will notice that water is not included or maybe it is lumped into a paragraph under beverages. The importance of water for our overall health and the health of our hair is so critical it deserves its own category.

Water hydrates the body and helps to regulate our circulatory system which is what feeds our hair follicles causing hair growth. We often talk about hydrating the hair strands by spraying them with water and other water-based products but the best way to maintain moisture in our hair is by drinking lots of water daily.

Water hydrates the roots of the hair below the scalp starting the process of healthy moisturized strands even before we start our regimens.

The typical recommendation of water is 8 glasses per day but if you want to get even more accurate you should be drinking according to how much exercise you do and your lifestyle with 8 glasses as a base measurement.

How dehydration affects hair growth

Naturally, the lack of water causes dehydration and dehydration has a direct impact on hair growth because water maintains cell health and cell reproduction. In the simplest terms, cell reproduction is what causes hair growth and without water, the natural growth cycle of every strand will stop and your hair will literally wither away and fall out.

It is very important to be mindful of how much water you are losing on a daily basis and make a concious effort to replace it to avoid dehydration.

Aside from hair growth drinking water can get rid of scalp issues such as dandruff and can help you avoid thinning hair.

Protein Foods

It is no myth that a diet low in protein can cause poor hair health because the strand itself is made up primarily of protein.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology

If you do not get enough protein in your diet, your body will begin rationing the protein it does have available, potentially reducing hair growth. That means hair will become older and more tired and brittle over time.

If you have continued low-protein intake, for upward of two to three months, you will start seeing signs of hair loss. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that you eat between 5 and 6 1/2 ounce equivalents of protein foods each day, averaging between 46 and 56 grams of protein.

Ounce equivalents are serving sizes for different protein foods. For example, 1 ounce of meat, 1/4 cup of cooked beans and 1/2 ounce of nuts are all considered a single serving of protein food.

Seafood

The USDA recommends you eat at least 8 ounces of seafood each week as part of a protein rich diet. Fatty seafood like shrimp, salmon, and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that hydrate your hair and keep it strong.

Oysters may be a special occasion type of food but they are the richest source of zinc* and a great source of selenium all very important for healthy hair growth

Iron*-Rich Red meat and poultry

Protein foods from animal and plant sources are rich sources of iron*. Iron* is essential to hair growth and hair loss prevention because they help with the regeneration of red blood cells. Iron-rich foods include legumes, red meat, dark meat poultry and some seafood.

Other animal products to consider include eggs which are a huge source of biotin* which will be discussed in later sections.

Plant proteins – Beans and lentils

All beans and lentils are rich sources of iron* and protein which is essential for hair growth and hair health but lentils in particular are great because they contain folic acid and zinc* essential for cell building.

Fruits And Vegetables

We have to admit we have a bit of bias when it comes to this category of foods because most of us around here are vegan and have been exploring fruits and vegetables as a main food source for many years.

According to every scientific food journal ever made a balanced diet that is rich in essential nutrients especially from plant sources, will lead to strong, healthy hair.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends eating 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day for a balanced, healthy diet. You can provide a further boost to your hair health by choosing fruits and vegetables that contain vitamins* that will help with hair growth.

Foods Rich in Vitamin A

Vitamin A* is a natural antioxidant and it helps your hair to produce sebum wich is the oily secretion found on your scalp.

Sebum is your hair’s all-natural conditioner and it is the foundation for healthy hair growth. According to multiple scientific sources, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin A* is 700 to 1,300 micrograms per day for women and 900 micrograms per day for men.

Great sources of vitamin A include carrots, spinach, cantaloupe, kale, broccoli and sweet potato. Getting a healthy dose of all these foods weekly can help your hair to greatly improve the way it looks, how moisturized it is and of course encourage hair growth.

Foods Rich in Biotin

We cannot talk about hair growth without talking about Biotin! Foods rich in biotin can prevent hair loss and can lead to healthy strong hair.

Biotin is part of the B-complex group of vitamins* and all of them lead to healthy growth and development. Biotin can be found in animal products but plant sources include raspberries, raw cauliflower, and avocado.

Foods Rich in Vitamin E*

Vitamin E is another essential vitamin needed for hair health and in the hair care industry it is often used in products or by itself added topically to your hair.

Like vitamin A it is also a natural antioxidant and can protect your hair from becoming damaged from the sun and protect the hair from toxins. A great source of Vitamin E* is avocado, as well as spinach and carrots.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C*

If your mom is anything like my mom then you probably get asked about taking your vitamin C every single week. Vitamin C* is also a natural antioxidant and it helps to build your immune system. It also produces collagen which is necessary for hair production.

Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, kiwis, strawberries and other foods including, tomatoes, red peppers, spinach, and broccoli.

Grains And Nuts

Another food group favorite grains and nuts are a great source of nutrients that feed your hair. For healthy hair, you need to eat a variety of whole grains including brown rice, quinoa, and oats that are rich in B Vitamins including biotin. They prevent alopecia and brittle hair and some raw oats are a great source of silica which reduces breakage.

Nuts are high in protein, zinc, and packed with omega-3 fatty acids that promote really healthy shiny hair and awesome growth.

Great sources of healthy nuts include Brazil nuts that are high in selenium which prevents hair loss, walnuts, and almonds.

Seeds

Like nuts, seeds are great for our health and can be a great source of biotin and zinc. Sunflower seeds are a great source of biotin, pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc and flax seeds are a great source of omega-3 oils.

As with nuts, all seeds are good for our health, yet different seed varieties also have their own individual properties for healthy hair. Sunflower seeds are a great source of biotin, pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, and flax seeds are a great vegetarian source of omega-3 oils all of which can help promote a healthy scalp and healthy hair.

Dairy

Many of us like to skip dairy in our diets but according to Hair Growth Remedies Now dairy can be very helpful when trying to stimulate hair growth.

Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources. Add a cup of yogurt or cottage cheese to your snack list and to help prevent hair loss, stir in a few tablespoons of flax-seed or walnuts for your required dose of omega 3 fatty acids and zinc.

Final thoughts

Now that we have covered the basics of what we have to eat to keep our healthy and growing it is important to reiterate that along with supplementation a healthy lifestyle should be the ultimate priority for those of you on a hair growth journey.

It is not enough to just focus on hair regimens and products when what we eat and how healthy we are is what determines hair growth.

If you plan to incorporate a healthy lifestyle and change your diet, we implore you to work with your medical practitioner to determine the best diet for you. If you are suffering from hair loss or excessive shedding see a doctor first and then change your diet to see if it improves your hair.

With that said comment below and let us know how you have been changing your lifestyle to improve your hair’s health and encourage hair growth.