Like any other part of the body, your hair needs vitamins and minerals to grow. A person’s age and genetics play major roles in hair growth, but hormones, environmental exposures, stress, and diet do, too. The good news is, increasing specific foods in your diet will not only improve your overall health they’ll also boost hair growth, which leads to a healthier head of hair.
When your diet lacks certain vitamins and minerals, it often shows in the texture, health, and growth rate of your hair. Because hair is made of protein, your diet needs adequate amounts of protein-rich foods. Just as important is biotin, a nutrient that defends against hair loss and loss of color and supports hair growth. Other essential vitamins for hair growth include:
Eating eggs augments protein and biotin levels. A single egg has six grams of high-quality protein, and in each yolk, there are around 10 micrograms of biotin. Eggs also provide about 10% of the recommended daily value (DV) of vitamin D, which is especially important because the body doesn’t produce it naturally. Eating two large eggs each day will also supply your body with about 46% of the DV for vitamin B12 and 39% of vitamin B2, which your hair will love.
Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids increase hair density and reduce hair loss. And a 2015 study found that women who took a fish oil supplement experienced significantly increased hair growth. Fatty fish like herring, lake trout, wild salmon, sardines, albacore tuna, and mackerel have high levels of these “good fat” fatty acids. Unlike saturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial for the heart, brain, circulatory system, and lungs. Eating fatty fish at least twice each week will give your hair the boost it needs.
Protein-rich Greek yogurt is a healthy way to fuel hair growth. A single serving size of 5.3 ounces of low-fat, plain Greek yogurt contains 11 to 14 grams of protein, plus 15% of the calcium DV. Throw in some berries for an added boost of vitamin C. Greek yogurt is different from traditional yogurt. It’s strained three times following fermentation, leaving behind less water in the final product and a higher amount of protein.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that produces collagen, an important protein supporting hair structure. It also plays a crucial role in the intestinal absorption of iron. Bell peppers, which some people call a sweet pepper, have a high concentration of vitamin C, about five times more than an orange. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database, a three-ounce yellow bell pepper contains 184 milligrams of vitamin C. One green bell pepper contains about 80 milligrams. A one-half cup serving will also provide vitamin A, selenium, zinc, iron, and folate.
One of the essential minerals that aids hair growth is zinc. The problem is, the body cannot produce zinc on its own. So, it’s important to add these foods to your daily diet. A small, three-ounce serving of cooked, breaded, or fried oysters contains 74 milligrams of zinc or 673% of the DV. Oysters also provide a healthy dose of iron — about seven milligrams per three-ounce serving. Nutritionists warn against consuming too much zinc, however. Eating oysters or taking zinc supplements daily can lead to hair loss.
Vitamin A is essential for hair and cell growth. It helps the skin glands produce sebum, a complex mixture of lipids. This oily, waxy substance reduces water loss from the skin’s surface, and helps moisturize the scalp and keep the hair healthy. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of vitamin A, providing about six times the recommended DV. They also provide B6, which studies show improves hair condition and reduces hair loss.
Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids promote hair growth, and almonds, walnuts, and other nuts are chock-full of them. They also provide healthy doses of vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, fatty acids and serve as natural emollients for the skin and hair follicles. Another great source of omega-3 fatty acids is flaxseeds. Just one ounce provides nearly 6400 mg, more than you get from a half-fillet of salmon. Add an ounce of sunflower seeds to your daily diet to add an array of B vitamins and about 50% of your vitamin E DV.
How does grass-fed beef get you a thicker, healthier head of hair? Not only does it contain a higher amount of omega-3s, but grass-fed beef is also rich in iron. Just four ounces gets you 23 grams of protein and three milligrams of iron. Plus, it’s better for you. Grass-fed beef has less total fat than beef from corn-raised cattle.
Vegans can get hair-essential nutrients like iron, biotin, and protein from beans, plus zinc, selenium, and folate. White beans, black beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas are all hair-pleasers. Soybeans, according to studies, may also promote hair growth. They contain a compound called spermidine, which researchers found had a significant impact on hair shaft growth and increased anagen, the active phase of the hair growth cycle.
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Kama sehemu nyingine yoyote ya mwili, nywele zinahitaji vitamini na madini ili zikue. Umri wa mtu na chembe za urithi huchangia sana ukuzi wa nywele, lakini vilevile homoni, mazingira, mkazo, na lishe. Habari njema ni kwamba kuongeza vyakula maalum katika mlo wako sio tu kuboresha afya yako ya jumla, lakini pia kuongeza ukuaji wa nywele, ambayo inaongoza kwa kichwa cha nywele afya. Wakati chakula chako kinakosa vitamini na madini fulani, mara nyingi huonekana katika umbo, afya, na kiwango cha ukuzi wa nywele zako. Kwa kuwa nywele hufanyizwa kwa protini, chakula chako kinahitaji kiasi cha kutosha cha vyakula vyenye protini nyingi. Biotin ni muhimu sana kwa ajili ya kuzuia kupoteza nywele na kuongeza ukuaji wa nywele. Vitamini nyingine muhimu kwa ukuaji wa nywele ni pamoja na: Kula mayai huongeza viwango vya protini na biotin. Ndani ya yai moja, kuna gramu sita za protini ya hali ya juu, na katika kila yai, kuna karibu micrograms 10 za biotin. Mayai pia hutoa karibu 10% ya thamani ya kila siku iliyopendekezwa ya vitamini D, ambayo ni muhimu sana kwa sababu mwili hauizalishi kwa asili. Kula mayai mawili ya kawaida kila siku pia itatoa mwili wako na karibu 46% ya DV ya vitamini B12 na 39% ya vitamini B2, ambayo nywele zako zitapenda. Uchunguzi unaonyesha kwamba asidi za mafuta za omega-3 huongeza unene wa nywele na kupunguza upungufu wa nywele. Utafiti wa mwaka 2015 uligundua kuwa wanawake waliotumia mafuta ya samaki walipata ukuaji wa nywele. Samaki wenye mafuta kama vile herring, trout ya ziwa, samaki wa mwituni, sardini, tuna wa albacore, na makelele wana viwango vya juu vya asidi hizi za mafuta "nzuri". Tofauti na mafuta yaliyojaa, asidi za mafuta za omega-3 pia zina faida kwa moyo, ubongo, mfumo wa mzunguko wa damu, na mapafu. Kula samaki wenye mafuta angalau mara mbili kwa juma kutakuwezesha kuimarisha nywele zako. Yogati ya Kigiriki yenye protini nyingi ni njia nzuri ya kukuza nywele. Kwa mfano, kwa kawaida, kwa kawaida ya ziada ya 5.3 ounces ya yoghurt ya Kigiriki ya kawaida, ambayo ni ya chini ya mafuta, ina gramu 11 hadi 14 za protini, pamoja na 15% ya DV ya kalsiamu. Kwa kuongezea, unaweza kuongeza vitamini C kwenye mboga yako ya kienyeji, ambayo ni tofauti na yogati ya kawaida. Ni strained mara tatu baada ya uchemchemi, kuacha nyuma maji kidogo katika bidhaa ya mwisho na kiasi cha juu cha protini. Vitamini C ni antioxidant yenye nguvu ambayo hutokeza collagen, protini muhimu inayounga mkono muundo wa nywele. Pia huchangia sana kutiwa ndani kwa chuma katika matumbo. "Kichwa cha mchele, ambacho watu wengi huita ""chungu tamu,"" kina kiasi kikubwa cha vitamini C, karibu mara tano zaidi ya machungwa." Kulingana na Utafiti wa Vifaa vya Chakula wa Idara ya Kilimo ya Marekani, pilipili ya rangi ya manjano yenye uzito wa gramu moja ina miligramu 184 za vitamini C. Kikombe kimoja na nusu pia kitatoa vitamini A, seleniamu, zinki, chuma, na folati. Zinc ni mojawapo ya madini muhimu yanayochangia ukuzi wa nywele. Tatizo ni kwamba mwili hauwezi kutokeza zinki peke yake. Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu kuongeza vyakula hivi katika mlo wako wa kila siku. Kiasi kidogo cha oysters zilizopikwa, zilizopikwa, au zilizokaangwa, zina miligramu 74 za zinki, au 673% ya DV. Pia, oyster hutoa kiasi kizuri cha chuma - karibu miligram saba kwa kila porsheni ya gramu tatu. Hata hivyo, wataalamu wa lishe huonya dhidi ya kula zinki nyingi kupita kiasi. Kula oyster au kuchukua virutubisho vya zinki kila siku kunaweza kusababisha kupoteza nywele. Vitamini A ni muhimu kwa ajili ya nywele na ukuzi wa chembe. Husaidia tezi za ngozi kutokeza sebum, mchanganyiko tata wa lipidi. Dutu hii ya mafuta, ya nta hupunguza upotezaji wa maji kutoka kwenye uso wa ngozi, na husaidia kunyoosha ngozi ya kichwa na kuweka nywele zenye afya. Vitunguu ni chanzo kikubwa cha vitamini A, na hutoa karibu mara sita ya kiwango cha kawaida cha vitamini A. Pia hutoa B6, ambayo utafiti unaonyesha inaboresha hali ya nywele na kupunguza kupoteza nywele. Asidi muhimu za mafuta za omega-3 na omega-6 huchochea ukuaji wa nywele, na almond, walnuts, na karanga nyingine zina mengi ya hayo. Pia hutoa vitamini E, vitamini B, zinki, asidi za mafuta na hutumika kama emollients ya asili kwa ngozi na follicles nywele. Chanzo kingine cha asidi ya mafuta ya omega-3 ni mbegu za kitani. Inatoa karibu 6400 mg, zaidi ya kile unachopata kutoka kwa nusu fileti ya samaki. Kuongeza gramu ya mbegu ya jua kwa mlo wako wa kila siku kuongeza safu ya vitamini B na karibu 50% ya vitamini E DV yako. Jinsi gani nyama ya ng'ombe inayokula nyasi inakufanya uwe na nywele nzito na zenye afya? Kwa sababu ya kuwa na kiasi kikubwa cha omega-3 katika nyama, nyama ya ng'ombe iliyolishwa kwa nyasi pia ina madini mengi ya chuma. Kwa kutumia gramu 4 za mafuta, unaweza kupata gramu 23 za protini na miligramu 3 za chuma. Kwa kuongezea, ni bora kwako. Nyama ya ng'ombe inayolishwa kwa nyasi ina mafuta machache kuliko nyama ya ng'ombe inayolishwa kwa mahindi. Vegan wanaweza kupata virutubisho muhimu kwa nywele kama vile chuma, biotin, na protini kutoka kwa maharagwe, pamoja na zinki, seleniamu, na folati. Mbegu nyeupe, mbegu nyeusi, maharagwe, ndizi, na maharagwe ni vitu vinavyopendeza nywele. Kulingana na uchunguzi, maharagwe ya soya yanaweza pia kuchochea ukuzi wa nywele. Spermidine ni kemikali ya kipekee ambayo ina athari kubwa kwa ukuaji wa nywele na kuongeza anagen, awamu ya kazi ya mzunguko wa ukuaji wa nywele. Tovuti hii inatoa habari iliyoundwa kwa madhumuni ya elimu tu. Habari kwenye tovuti hii haikusudiwa kuwa kamili, wala haifanyi ushauri au mapendekezo yetu kwa njia yoyote. Sisi kujaribu kuhakikisha kwamba maudhui ni sasa na sahihi, lakini hatuwezi kuhakikisha fedha yake na usahihi. Unapaswa kufanya utafiti wako mwenyewe na au kutafuta ushauri wako mwenyewe kabla ya kutenda au kutegemea habari yoyote kwenye tovuti hii.