Top 5 Foods for Hair Growth

Diet plays a vital role in maintaining the health of the skin and hair. People's diets have an impact on their hair's growth, strength, and volume. Hair grows from roots, so the health of the scalp and follicles is really important.

Here are some of the best foods and nutrients to promote hair growth.

How Does Diet Impact Hair Growth?

Hair follicles are constantly creating new hairs from nutrients in the body, as hair is continuously growing and being replaced. Hair grows and quality depends on the food people eat, for strong and healthy hair certain proteins, vitamins, fats, and minerals are important.

A varied nutritious diet usually boosts nail and skin health, if someone had vitamin and nutrient deficiencies previously can easily see the noticeable difference, even so, seeing positive benefits in terms of hair growth may take some time.

Usually, people lose 50-100 hairs each day. New hairs regrow from the same follicles shortly afterward. Hair on the head grows about 6 inches every year on average.

Key nutrients for hair growth and which foods contain them.

Eggs:

Biotin is rich in eggs; this mineral helps to boost hair growth.

Biotin deficiency may cause thinning of hair and loss of body hair, some other symptoms can cause rashes around the face and anus, brittle nails, and skin infection. The rare deficiencies cause by biotin.

Some other foods contain biotin:

• Meat including fish

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Some vegetables such as sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli

• L-lysine, vitamin D, and certain minerals are included in eggs these boost hair growth.

Brazil Nuts:

Selenium is present in Brazil nuts, a mineral that may help boost hair growth.

They claim that after getting trace elements from the blood, newly formed hair absorbs selenium.

A higher level of selenium can cause nausea, skin rashes, and nervous system problems and cause brittle hair and hair loss as well.

People have to limit their intake to around four Brazil nuts per day, as one Brazil nut offers 68-91 msg because Brazil nuts are very rich in selenium. The recommended upper limit for selenium in adults is 400 micrograms (msg).

Selenium levels in plant-based diets vary depending on geographic location and soil composition.

Some other foods that contain selenium include:

• Milk and other dairy products

• Eggs

• Bread and cereals

• Meat, including liver and fish

Fatty Fish:

Fatty fishes contain omega-3 fatty acids which are good for the heart as well as the eyes, skin, and hair.

Fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, both of which are beneficial to hair health.

Furthermore, people who eat fish have a lower risk of developing a variety of chronic conditions, and eating fatty fish helps to maintain the heart-healthy, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Hair growth increases by taking certain proteins in the body, so the fish oil contains docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.

Hair loss can be reduced by taking omega-3 supplements along with marine proteins but according to some research it did not specifically promote hair growth.

Omega-3 Fatty acid containing fish are:

• Tuna

• Sardines

• Salmon

• Herring

• Mackerel

Following are the rich source of omega-3s in plant-based sources:

• Flaxseed oil, soyabean oil, and canola oil

• Fortified foods

• Walnuts

• Algae, such as spirulina

• Seeds such as flaxseeds and chia seeds

Foods Fortified with Vitamin D:

Vitamin D helps to improve hair growth according to some research. Muscles, nerves, and immune system functions can be improved by using Vitamin D. Some of the fortified foods having Vitamin D are as follows:

• Yogurt

• Soy drinks

• Orange juice

• Breakfast cereals

• Margarine

Vitamin D can be present in some of the following foods:

• Cheese

• Beef liver

• Mushrooms

• Fatty fish

L-lysine sources:

L-lysine is one of the amino acids found in protein-rich diets that may aid hair development. L-lysine is responsible for the shape and volume of hair as it is also present in hair roots. The regular intake of this amino acid can prevent hair loss and promote regular hair growth because the deficiency of l-lysine can cause hair loss.

Following are the foods which include L-lysine in decent quantity:

• Lentils

• Spirulina

• Eggs

• Nuts

• Meat

• Beans

Other Nutrients:

Some of the restoring levels of the following nutrients and minerals may boost hair growth, as certain deficiencies can cause hair loss. Here is some info on all of those food sources which can provide additional nutrients:

• Zinc: possible hair loss with dry hair can be caused by insufficiency of zinc.

• Protein: Protein deficiency can cause hair to become brittle and lifeless.

• Iron: Hair loss can occur even in moderate cases of iron deficiency anemia.

According to some research, the following nutrients can boost hair growth:

• Vitamin A, to protect hair follicles

• Niacin, to support healthy hair follicles

• Vitamin C, an antioxidant: to prevent hair damage and support collagen levels

• Folic acid, to promote new hair growth

Herbal supplements are used by some people to increase hair growth, although there is no scientific evidence that they function. The herbal supplement, such as Ginkgo biloba, is associated with boosting memory and encouraging hair growth. It is also said to increase the delivery of nutrients to the scalp.

What Factors Affect Hair Growth?

Hair does not grow the way they grow before as people age and also hair becomes thin, as because some hair follicles may stop producing new hairs, leading to hair thinning or loss. With age hair shaft becomes finer and also hair color starts losing, this result from a combination of genetics and the natural aging process.

Thyroid conditions, health issues, stress, and childbirth called alopecia can cause more sudden loss of hair. Eating an invigorating count of calories, indeed one planned to back hair development, may not address hereditary or systemic issues.

Malnutrition, illness, genetics, and aging are one of the most common causes of hair loss. By continuing a healthy and well-balanced diet people can maintain typical levels of hair growth and replacement. By having proper nutritious some of these signs of unhealthy or damaged hair:

• Visible dandruff

• A tendency to break easily

• A brittle texture

• Dryness

• A dull appearance