If you observe some adverse changes in the appearance and quality of your hair, and you’ve tried several dos and avoided as many don’ts, but it seems like there’s no positive, quantifiable difference, you might need a change in your diet. The best treatment your hair needs apart from scalp stimulation, regular trim, and nonapplication of chemical hair care products is good nutrition from eating healthy foods.
As much as unchangeable factors negatively affect hair, having a healthy diet subtly reduces the harsh effects of these factors. In other words, a balanced diet significantly promotes hair growth, especially if the hair loss condition is a product of poor nutrition. Hence, it is important to be intentional about consuming foods that supply the hair’s best nutrition for growth.
If you don’t know these nutrients, you don’t have to worry because, in this article, we’ll list some of them and their food source, which the hair needs for growth. But, before that, we’ll explain the place of nutrition in hair growth and hair loss.
The Place of Nutrition in Hair Growth and Hair Loss
It’s almost impossible to displace proper nutrition for hair growth. However, the hair is an auxiliary part of the body that receives nutrients after the body has supplied vital organs. However, as little as the residue could be, they are always decent enough to maintain the hair growth cycle and give it the required strength and luster. Now imagine eating adequately such that the body has enough to give vital organs and more to give the hair. Great? Definitely! This shows you how the littlest nutrition is beneficial to hair growth.
Conversely, while poor nutrition isn’t the most threatening cause of hair loss, it can pose a significant threat to your hair health and its general wellbeing. This is because the hair requires some nutrients to keep working desirably. Without these nutrients, you might see some symptoms ranging from discoloration to brittleness, recession, dryness, thinning, and so on. Once you notice any or all of this, that’s the indication you need to change your diet for the better because your hair needs it for its growth.
What are the Best Nutrients the Hair Needs for Growth?
The following are some of the nutrients your hair needs for its growth and optimal performance:
1. B Vitamins
As far as its benefits for hair growth, B vitamins assume a carrier role. It is responsible for transferring oxygen and other nutrients to all cells in our body, especially the ones available in our hair follicles and scalp, which are derived from our red blood cells. Without B vitamins, the hair suffers because the necessary nutrients from the red blood cells are halted, and the cells in the follicles and scalp will starve.
This starvation could lead to consistent shedding, discouraging growth, and eventual breakage. That’s why it has to be avoided by having foods rich in B vitamins. Some of these foods include oatmeal, pork tenderloin, chicken, selected dairy foods, beans, and several other foods with a decent concentration of B vitamins.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
If you observe the ingredients of most hair oil, you’ll realize there’s a significant addition of omega-3 fatty acids in them. This is no fluke, and it indicates how efficient it is in hair growth. But you can’t rely on this product for a decent supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Instead, it would be best to rely on foods that adequately provide it.
These foods include fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc. If you don’t eat fish, you can find this nutrient in plant-based food like soybeans, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, and so on. Consuming a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids prevents dryness because it’ll supply the scalp with needed oil, making it shine and ease hair growth.
3. Protein
If you’ve previously read it somewhere, or you’ve been told your hair is a product of interactions between tough protein and other nutrients, this is the confirmation that it’s legit. The hair is made of a self-produced protein known as keratin. This protein is very effective in the hair growth cycle and forms visible features like color, length, and texture.
A healthy amount of it means the hair gets enough supply for the continuation of this primary function, resulting in high-quality hair and beautiful hair. On the other hand, if there’s a reduction in the supply of protein, it immediately shows in the physical features of the hair. Hence it would help if you had a constant supply of foods like eggs, fish, red meat, Low-fat mozzarella, tofu, cottage cheeses, quinoa, etc.
4. Biotin
Biotin is always available in foods and supplements. While you don’t require a doctor’s prescription to moderately eat and get it from the food supply, you’ll need doctor’s prescriptions before taking its supplements. Whatever the case may be for you, biotin is an important nutrient required for hair growth.
It must interact with other cell enzymes that produce the constantly available protein in the hair. If your diet is low in protein, you can derive a decent amount from walnuts, carrots, cauliflower, almonds, etc. Without biotin nutrients, the chances are high that the hair quality will degenerate to a level inviting for hair loss at the end of the day.
5. Zinc
The effects of zinc nutrients on the hair are enormous. Apart from preventing hair loss, zinc constantly updates the functions of the sebaceous gland in the secretion of wax and oil substances that keeps the scalp moisturized. In addition to this, it also binds available protein for optimal performance.
You can derive zinc from food like clams, heavily available in oysters, shellfish, crabs, mussels, lobsters, and other food with a decent zinc concentration.
Final Thoughts
If you notice some changes in your hair, you can always consult your doctor for the perfect advice on what to do. If your condition pertains to poor nutrition, your only solution is to improve your diet in a way that’s beneficial to your whole body, especially your hair.
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