When it comes to beautiful hair, styling products can only do so much. Since beauty does come from within, the same applies to your hair. Nourish your locks from the inside out by eating nutrient-packed foods that promote strength and shine.
Chick peas
In addition to providing zinc and folate (nutrients that promote hair health), chick peas are a great vegetarian source of iron-rich protein, an important combination for hair growth and repair. Because hair gets its structure from hardened proteins called keratin, people who don’t have enough protein in their diet experience slower growth and weaker strands. To increase the absorption of iron from chickpeas, couple them with a vitamin C rich food such as tomatoes, bell peppers, or citrus fruit.
Chicken
Skinless chicken breast is another healthy source of protein, and it’s rich in B vitamins – folate, B6, and B12 – that maintain healthy hair. These vitamins play an important role in the creation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to all body cells, including those of the scalp and hair follicles. When the body is deprived of B vitamins, the cells can starve, causing shedding, slow growth or weak strands that are prone to breaking.
Lentils
Lentils are especially high in both folate and iron, two powerful nutrients that nourish your mane. Folate is a B vitamin that aids the creation of red blood cells; iron helps those blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to all body cells. With iron deficiency, a condition known as anemia, cells can’t get enough oxygen to function properly. The result can be devastating to the whole body, causing weakness, fatigue, and maybe even hair loss. So load up on iron-rich lentils for sturdy tresses — and if you’re a premenopausal woman, consider taking a multivitamin that contains iron to replace iron lost during menstruation.
Strawberries
Oranges often get the credit as the best vitamin C packed fruit, but did you know that just eight strawberries deliver 100 percent of your daily value? Strawberries are a juicy, delicious source of vitamin C, which is largely responsible for the health of collagen. Hair follicles require collagen, a structural fibre, for optimal growth. Even minor vitamin C deficiencies can lead to dry, splitting hair that breaks easily, so eating vitamin C rich foods like strawberries can help you grow stronger, more resilient strands.
Peanuts
Biotin is a B vitamin essential for hair growth and overall scalp health, but our bodies make their own biotin in the intestines, and it’s also found in many common foods. A biotin deficiency is therefore very rare, so supplements are usually unnecessary if you’re eating a balanced diet that includes some high-biotin foods. Peanuts are a great choice, as they’re also high in B vitamins and folate, which contribute to healthy hair.
Kale
Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A, which is necessary for all cell growth and turnover. Skimping on beta carotene can lead to dull, lifeless hair and dandruff, which is really just dry skin. Regularly eating kale, a leafy green vegetable, is one of the best ways to pack beta carotene into your diet for healthier locks. You can sauté a bunch or two with a little olive oil and garlic, or try my delicious recipe for crispy kale chips: Cut or tear fresh kale into pieces, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, mist with oil spray and bake at 400 degrees for about ten minutes.
