by Aireen
It takes more than a great team-up between your shampoo and conditioner to maintain the health of your hair. What you eat matters a lot, too. The health of our hair relies greatly on essential nutrients such as protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, biotin, iron, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and D. Eating right for healthy skin has been gaining a lot of press lately, but doing the same for hair health is still a bit of a sidelined topic. Nevertheless, it would be good to know what foods to keep in mind when it comes to keeping your crowning glory in excellent health.
Spinach
Dark, leafy greens such as spinach are rich in vitamin A, iron, calcium, vitamin C, omega-3 acids, magnesium, and potassium. It also contains sebum, which acts as a natural conditioner for the hair.
Sweet Potato
Oh, these sweet little things always make the healthy lists, don’t they? Packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium, sweet potatoes and yams can make good side dishes or snacks on their own. They also contain beta carotene, which stimulates the glands on your scalp to make an oily fluid called sebum.
Salmon
Our favorite fish contains something that our body cannot make: omega 3 fatty acids. Aside from other benefits such as keeping you fit and disease-free, they can also help you grow your hair shiny and full. Herring, sardines, and trout are also rich in omega-3s.
Guava
Vitamin C helps in preventing breakage and brittleness in hair, and guava is packed with it. In fact, it has four to fives times of oranges’ vitamin C content. Aside from this, guava also boosts the immune system, helps lower blood sugar levels, and aids weight loss, among many other benefits.
Eggs
Biotin, a form of Vitamin B, aids hair growth and strength. Eggs are packed with it. Other good sources of Biotin are almonds, avocados, and salmon.
Nuts and Seeds
Cashews have biotin, too, while pistachios have been found to help with male pattern baldness. Walnuts, on the other hand, contain oils that can increase the amount of elastin in your hair. Elastin keeps your hair supple and stronger.
Milk and Dairy
Dairy products are packed with calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Choose low-fat varieties to keep your diet balanced. Greek yogurt is a great example of healthy dairy as it is also packed with vitamin B5, which helps with hair growth and blood flow to your scalp.
Clams and Oysters
Clams and oysters help promote hair growth. Clams are good sources of iron, which aids blood flow to the roots of the hair, while oysters are packed with zinc, which keeps the oil glands around the hair shaft working well. A deficiency in zinc can lead to dandruff, slow growth, and hair loss.
Bell Peppers
Also packed with Vitamin C, bell peppers promote healthy hair in two ways. First, they aid the absorption of non-heme iron found in plant-based foods like beans and spinach. Second, the body uses vitamin C to form collagen, which is required for optimal hair growth.
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