We all want luscious hair, but sometimes, our genes, bad hair care habits, age, and unhealthy diets will not allow us to enjoy a beautiful, full, shiny, and healthy hair. That’s very understandable. You have little or no control over your age and gene, but you can at least try to develop healthy hair care habits and eat healthy foods to make your hair look great.
Here are the top 10 foods you should eat all the time if you want your hair to grow fast and healthy.
1. Water
First of all, stay hydrated. It will help your hair, skin, and general health. Moisture goes a long way to make the hair strong and healthy in more ways than we can imagine.
2. Berries
Vitamin C is one of the most important components of healthy hair. Eating a lot of berries will ensure you have a constant supply of vitamin C which will help in the production of “collagen” for the benefit of your skin and hair. The collagen produced in the body strengthens the capillaries that supply the hair shaft with nutrients.
Also, berries contain antioxidants and vitamins that are known to promote healthy hair growth.
3. Eggs
It has been said over and over again that eggs contain a little bit of almost every nutrient there is. This implies that they contain some hair-friendly nutrients too. You may already know that eggs are probably rich in protein than any other nutrients, which is also very beneficial for your hair.
You can choose to eat your eggs or you can make a hair mask with it. Eating eggs work on your hair from the inside, while the hair mask works on your hair from outside to make sure they have enough protein. If you lack protein, you’re going to experience very serious health issues; so serious that a dry, brittle hair on a flaky scalp will be the least of your worries. So, eat a lot of protein.
4. Avocados
If you’re struggling with hair issues like thinning, shedding, breakage, slow growth, etc, then this one is for you. Take a lot of avocados and your hair problems will disappear. Avocado is not the only food that can help your hair problems go away, but taking it very often can make a whole lot of difference.
You can either take it as a food or mash it and apply to your hair as a hair mask; either way, your hair will love it and respond favorably. The active compound in avocado that makes it so hair-friendly is vitamin E; a very effective compound that heals and repairs the cells of the hair.
5. Nuts
Do you know that pistachio, a type of nut, has been linked to treating male pattern baldness? Walnuts too are said to contain oils that are very effective in keeping the hair supple and stops it from breaking by boosting elastin production. There are many other nuts with their own unique benefits for the hair. You should make them a part of your diet if you want your hair to grow well.
Nuts also contain vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and other nutrients that are very crucial for hair growth.
6. Oats
You’ve probably eaten oatmeal for breakfast more than you can ever count, and that’s a good thing. It’s a good meal with a lot of health benefits, including hair growth. If you’ve been taking oatmeal all these while and you still suffer hair problems, the question you should ask yourself is “how often do I eat oatmeal?” If you can eat it at least 3 to 4 times a week, your hair will definitely grow healthy.
Oat contains vitamin B, zinc, copper, and other important nutrients that promote healthy hair growth. They also have omega-3 fatty acids which are also an excellent hair growth stimulator.
7. Carrots
If you know beta-carotene, then you’ll know that it is good for the hair. It promotes hair growth, reduces hair shedding and thinning, and promotes greater hair density. So, if you want your hair to enjoy all of these benefits, then you should better eat a lot of carrots because it is so rich in beta-carotene.
Beta-carotene compound, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, also helps stimulates the glands in the scalp to produce sebum which is also beneficial for your hair to grow fast and healthy.
8. Fatty Fish
Two things; fatty fishes are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. These two compounds are not just good for your hair, they are also good for your general health. Taking foods that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids results to fast hair growth, increased hair density, and a reduced rate of hair loss.
If you have been struggling with thinning hair with regards to age, ill health, or childbirth, you can benefit a lot from taking fatty fish. You’re going to want to take them in moderate quantity though. There are side effects associated with taking too much omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
9. Sweet Potatoes
Vitamin A is good for the hair and sweet potatoes are loaded with plenty of it. The beta-carotene content of sweet potatoes, when ingested, is converted into vitamin A in large quantities. A single medium sweet potato of about 114 g contain enough beta-carotene that can provide more than 4 times your daily need of vitamin A.
On a more specific note, vitamin A benefits the hair by producing a compound that helps to keep the hair healthy – sebum. It also speeds up the rate of hair growth, reduces the rate of shedding, and encourages the growth of thicker hair follicles.
10. Spinach
Spinach contains a lot of iron; a very necessary nutrient for maintaining a healthy hair. A healthy hair thrives on nutrient-rich blood supply. The lack of iron causes anemia (amidst other things) which disrupts the supply of nutrients to the hair. In the short run, lack of iron will cause hair loss, and in the long run, it will reduce your hair cycle drastically.
Making spinach (or any other good source of iron) part of your daily meal will ensure that oxygenated blood is circulated properly to all parts of the body to fuel your metabolism and aid the growth and repair of your hair cells.
Again, try to combine a healthy diet with a healthy hair care regimen and exercise; generally, a healthy lifestyle will help your hair to grow faster, longer, fuller, and healthier.
