Healthy and lustrous hair is every woman’s desire and to achieve that we often end up spending a hefty amount in the salons for various treatments, but how effective are those quick fixes in the long run?
Interestingly, your hair grows around 0.5 inches (1.25 cm) per month and 6 inches (15 cm) per year. However, the growth of hair depends on a lot of things such as diet, hair care and also your genetics.
You can’t alter factors like age and genetics, but tweaking your diet can help a lot in improving the condition of your hair. As per experts, consuming a healthy and balanced diet is the key to hair growth and less hair loss.
No hair treatments can give you hair growth results if your diet is not balanced with an appropriate amount of nutrients. Here’s why adding these 8 foods to your daily diet can give you those long lustrous hair:
1. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein and biotin, which helps in improving the condition of your hair and promote hair growth. Hair follicles are made of mostly protein. And a lack of protein in the diet can result in hair loss. Biotin is vital for the production of a hair protein called keratin, which is why biotin supplements are often marketed for hair growth. Research has proved that consuming biotin surely promotes hair growth.
2. Spinach
Spinach is the most healthy form of green vegetables. It is loaded with beneficial nutrients like folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, all of which may promote hair growth. Vitamin A in spinach helps the glands produce sebum, which helps the scalp maintain healthy oils and reduce dryness or itchiness. A cup (30 grams) of spinach provides 50% of your daily vitamin A.
3. Fatty fish
Fatty fish like salmon, herring and mackerel have nutrients that promote hair growth. They are also rich in phosphorus and zinc, which are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, studies have proven that omega 3 rich foods promote hair growth. A study in 120 women found that taking a supplement containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as antioxidants reduced hair fall and increased hair bonds.
4. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene. A medium sweet potato (about 114 grams) contains enough beta-carotene to provide more than four times your daily vitamin A needs. It also helps in maintaining the ideal hair texture and reduces hair fall.
5. Avocados
Avocados are delicious, nutritious and a great example of healthy fats. They are also an excellent source of vitamin E, which promotes hair growth. One medium avocado has about 200 grams and provides around 21% of your daily vitamin E requirements. Moreover, vitamin E neutralizes free radicals and helps in better hair growth.
6. Seeds
Seeds deliver massive amount of nutrients with relatively few calories. They have natural oils, which are beneficial for the scalp and help in maintaining the right amount of Ph level. They contain vitamin E, zinc and selenium. An ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds provides nearly 50% of your daily vitamin E needs. Flax seeds and chia seeds are also very beneficial, if consumed on a daily basis, say 1 teaspoon every day.
7. Oysters
Oysters are one of the best sources of zinc and it helps in improving the condition of hair, promotes hair growth and accelerates the process of hair repair. Lack of zinc in the diet may promote telogen effluvium, a common but reversible form of hair loss, usually caused by the lack of a balanced diet.
8. Beans
Beans are a great plant-based source of protein, which is also essential for hair growth. Beans are a great source of zinc too, which aids the hair growth and repair cycle. A (100-gram) serving of black beans provides up to 7% of your daily zinc requirements.
