A healthy diet plan is important for healthy hair. A vein connecting the hair roots and follicles feeds them with the required nutrients. An unhealthy body is unable to pass on the nutrients to the hair roots and follicles, resulting in hair fall, damaged hair, and more.
Nutrition And Hair Health
- A diet rich in iron, protein, vitamins, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and more helps in hair growth & keeps it healthy.
- Vitamin B5 strengthens the hair and provides it with a bounce.
- Vitamin B5 also prevents graying and hair loss.
- Vitamin B6 prevents dandruff, and Vitamin B12 strengthens hair & prevents drying of the scalp.
- Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron which is important for hair growth.
- Vitamin E nourishes damaged hair and prevents breakage.
- Protein deficiency leads to brittle hair and essential fatty acids are significant for the proper functioning of the body, as well as, healthy hair.
Nutritional deficiency is an important reason behind slow hair growth. Hence, a balanced diet is significant for a healthy scalp and hair. Intake of the right quantity of water is also important. Water keeps the body hydrated and helps in keeping the hair healthy.
Excessive intake of caffeine & alcohol, and too much smoking, affect the overall health of the body including the health of the hair. Crash diets lead to nutrient deficiency leading to hair fall. Any sort of nutritional deficiency affects hair growth because the body caters to the nutrient needs of the vital organs first and as a result, the hair roots & follicles remain undernourished.
Top 10 Foods For Healthy Hair
Hair loss is a sign of nutritional deficiency. Intake of the right food leads to beautiful, lustrous, and healthy hair. The top ten foods that help in keeping hair healthy include:
- Fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, trout, and mackerel are rich in protein, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. They help in maintaining a healthy scalp and restoring luster to the hair strands.
- Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, biotin, and vitamin E. These help to prevent hair loss and aid in faster growth.
- Seeds, such as sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds help in keeping hair healthy. Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E and flax seeds & pumpkin seeds are rich in essential fatty acids.
- Vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach are important to keep hair healthy. Carrots with their vitamin A content helps to keep the scalp moisturized. Sweet potatoes with antioxidant beta-carotene and spinach enriched with iron, vitamin C, folate, & beta-carotene help in hair growth. A number of other nutritious vegetables aid in hair growth and prevent hair fall.
- Fruits, such as avocado, kiwis, figs, blueberries, tomatoes, strawberries, and citrus fruits are highly nutritious and help in hair growth. Avocados contain essential fatty acids, and kiwis, figs, blueberries, tomatoes, strawberries & citrus fruits contain vitamin C.
- Lentils, enriched with folic acid are great foods for healthy hair.
- Eggs and chicken are both rich in protein which leads to hair growth and prevents hair loss & damage.
- Brown Rice, rich in Biotin, a type of vitamin B complex, aids in improving hair and scalp health.
- Oats are also rich in Biotin and help in improving hair growth & give the required nutrition to the scalp.
- Beef and Oysters contain a good measure of zinc, which curbs hair loss and graying of hair.
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