Expert Advice | Natural Foods for Healthy Hair
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The power of healthy eating can never be compared or replaced by other practices. We are spoilt for choice when it comes to hair care and growth products. They can fasten the process of getting locks but for them to be healthy from the inside, you need to consume naturally produced foods. FITPASS nutritionist Shalini says, “A diet replete with lean proteins, fat-soluble and B-complex vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and iron is essential to get the nutrients required for not only healthy hair but skin and nails as well. Include foods like eggs, nuts, fish, beans, green leafy vegetables, and berries for good hair health.”.
Include fiber-rich produce, healthy fats, and 100% whole grains to get these nutrients. A plant-based diet can also do the trick. However, your diet can also be a cause of dull hair or hair loss. Packaged foods full of calories, bereft of essential nutrients should be replaced with whole and natural foods. The problems with packaged food products are the needless artificial ingredients and additives along with the digestion problems they cause. There’s another major factor that contributes in hair loss – genetics. You can’t always help it but you can see specialist doctors at high-tech hair fall solution studios like Advanced Hair Studio where several prominent personalities have sought treatment for their hair problems.
7 Foods for Dense and Shiny Hair
This fish type is one of the best sources of mega-3 fatty acids that are causally linked to hair density. Several studies have proved that eating foods rich in Omega-3 increases hair density and reduces hair fall. Moreover, salmon contains vitamins B and D3, biotin, and selenium – all known to promote shiny hair. Salmon is a great source of protein as well, which is what the hair strands are primarily made of. Eating salmon also reduces inflammation and is good for the nervous system.
Chicken eggs, readily available, are packed with biotin and protein. Hair strands are essentially made up of keratin – a structural protein. Therefore, a lack of protein in the diet can possibly cause hair loss. Amino acids are the building blocks of your hair that are created with the help of biotin in the eggs that break down proteins. They are also a good source of Vitamins A, D, choline and zinc, both good for the hair. Make sure to eat the yolk to get most of these nutrients. Last but not the least, eggs are easy to make and can be prepared in many ways.
Popeye was not a fan of spinach without reason. It is a good source of vitamin A that creates an essential oil on your scalp – sebum. Sebum is the difference between oily or dry and a healthy scalp, which can be maintained by consuming spinach regularly. Iron, found in spinach along with Vitamins C and E, is an essential mineral that supplies the hair follicles with oxygen. Note that zinc deficiencies are often related to baldness. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are nutrient-dense foods that protect the cell membranes if the hair follicles and promote thick, shiny hair.
Flax seeds have burst on the diet scene because they are packed with polyunsaturated fats that prevent dryness on the scalp. To avoid dry hair, add flax seeds to your oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie.
Chia seeds are the salmon of the vegetarian world. Not only are they loaded with omega-3 fatty acids but antioxidants and fiber as well. They are complete proteins, much more effective in building lush hair than soybeans. They can be added to smoothies, puddings, and cereal.
It should be clear by now that Vitamin A is indispensable for hair growth and strength. Eating a cup of pumpkin can supply you with enough beta-carotene and iron, the precursor of Vitamin A. Also, it only consists of a little over just 150 calories and less than 2 grams of fat. Vitamins C and E are the repairers of the damaged cells, which are also found abundantly in pumpkins. This vegetable improves blood circulation in the scalp with the help of folate and thus promotes hair growth. They are also known to prevent scalp infections.
Yogurt is one of the leading food sources of probiotics – good bacteria for the stomach – that help absorb nutrients. It is also rich in protein and vitamin B5 that prevent hair thinning. Better go for unsweetened yogurt for the best results. Yogurt can be used to make several breakfast options such as parfaits, smoothies, dips, etc.
The hair structure contains an important protein – collagen – the production of which is stimulated by Vitamin C. And blueberries are loaded with it. Moreover, most berries are packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals that are formed when your body is exposed to stress, pollution, smoke etc. They can cause damage, which can be prevented or repaired by consuming blueberries. Fresh berries are better sources than dried variants.
