Food for Hair Growth: Have Healthy Hair and Prevent Hair Loss

Whenever we start losing hair, the first thing that comes to our mind is to change our shampoo and buy more expensive conditioners. However, using the right nutrients and food for hair growth and healthy hair is a factor we often overlook.

The connections between food and hair growth, hair health, scalp health, and hair loss prevention are undeniable. Therefore, we need to be more careful about our food choices to improve the overall condition of our hair.

That is why, in this article, we will simply discuss food nutrients for hair growth and foods to prevent hair loss. At the end, we will answer some of the most common questions about the importance of food for hair.

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Change Your Food for Hair Growth and Hair Repair

For both men and women, lack of essential nutrients for healthy hair and better hair growth in diet will show itself in the appearance and condition of the hair.

If you notice the problems below, it’s time to think more carefully about your dietary choices.

• Hair loss and hair thinning: Excessive hair shedding can be a consequence of disruption in the hair growth cycle. This usually happens when the hair does not receive essential nutrients, such as protein. As a result, your hair will lose volume and get thinner and thinner over time.
• Dull hair: Minerals, vitamins, and fats are necessary for your hair to look shiny, vibrant, and strong.
• Brittle hair: Dry and brittle hair can be the result of insufficient intake of some fatty acids, like Omega-3, that nourish the hair shaft and keep it hydrated.
• Unhealthy scalp: Scalp issues, like dandruff, dryness, or itchiness, can impact the overall condition of your hair. (Read Scalp Issues and Effective Scalp Health Habits.)
• Slow hair growth: An inadequate amount of necessary nutrients for your hair growth in your diet will slow down the process.
• Damaged hair: The hair’s appearance says a lot about its health. Keep an eye open for excessive split ends, dryness, breakage, lack of shine, and tangles.

However, although lack of food for hair growth causes the problems mentioned above, other factors, like genetics and lifestyle, impact your hair condition as well. For example, smoking or inactivity usually leads to hair loss.

So, following a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are key to having lustrous healthy hair.

Now, let’s discuss some eatables for hair growth.

What Are the Essential Food and Supplements for Hair Growth?

A balanced diet is essential not only for the structure and strength of the strands, but also for the delivery of these nutrients to the follicles, maintaining the hair and scalp in good condition, and providing protection against environmental factors.

We can categorize the necessary nutrients for hair as below.

Best Vitamin for Hair

• Biotin or Vitamin B7

It makes for strong hair shafts that prevent breakage and fragility. Besides, it speeds up the hair growth process.

In addition, it contributes to the manufacturing of sebum, the natural oil that keeps the scalp and hair moisturized.

Food rich in biotin includes eggs, seeds, whole grains, nuts, and some vegetables like sweet potatoes.

• Vitamin C

Another food for hair growth. Vitamin C plays an essential role in absorbing iron, which, in turn, is necessary for hair growth. Additionally, vitamin C is required for collagen production, which is vital for the structure of our hair.

Also, like biotin, it contributes to sebum production. Plus, vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects the hair follicles from environmental factors and free radicals (oxidative stress).

The best sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell peppers, kiwi, etc.

• Vitamin E

Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the hair follicles from oxidative stress, contributes to the production of sebum, and enhances blood circulation, which causes better nutrition delivery to the scalp and faster hair growth.

You can absorb the necessary amount of vitamin E for your body by eating almonds, spinach, avocados, sunflower seeds, etc.

• Vitamin A

This vitamin is necessary for the production of sebum. So, its main effect on scalp and hair is keeping them moisturized.

Liver, carrots, sweet potato, and spinach are considered good sources of vitamin A.

• Vitamin D

It enhances the activation of hair growth and a healthy hair follicle cycle. You can get vitamin D from sunlight, egg yolks, salmon, and mackerel.

• Vitamin B-Complex

Except for biotin, other B vitamins are important for delivering oxygen and necessary nutrients to hair follicles. So, they play a significant role in healthy and speedy hair growth.

Foods like meat, eggs, whole grains, fish, leafy greens, and poultry are great sources of B vitamins.

Overall, vitamins are needed for a healthy scalp, hair, and follicles. You can provide the necessary vitamins for your body either by intake of food rich in vitamins or dietary supplement for hair growth.

Protein for Healthy Hair

The hair strands are made of proteins, particularly keratin. Generally, proteins are considered as the building blocks of hair, therefore, we cannot expect strong healthy hair without providing enough protein for hair growth in our body.

Except for keratin, collagen is another protein that improves hair strength, growth, and overall health.

The best sources of protein are different kinds of meat, fish, poultry, nuts, eggs, soy, legumes, and dairy products. These foods provide the amino acids required for making new hair cells and strengthening the existing ones.

By taking a keratin food supplement or incorporating enough protein in your diet, you can ensure your body has the necessary keratin and collagen for hair growth and strength.

Fatty Acids and Minerals for Hair and Scalp

Our diet for healthy hair has to include minerals and fatty acids, besides vitamins and proteins. Below, you can find some of the most important minerals and fatty acids for healthy scalp and hair.

• Iron: As you might have heard, iron deficiency leads to excessive hair loss and hair thinning. This is because iron plays a significant role in the manufacturing of red blood cells and carrying oxygen to the scalp and follicles. Some iron-rich foods include spinach, lean meat, seafood, lentils, and beans.
• Zinc: It is an essential mineral for maintaining scalp health by keeping it moisturized and helping with the proper function of the oil glands around hair follicles. In addition, it enhances hair repair and growth. Zinc is found in pumpkin seeds, beef, poultry, oysters, and lentils.
• Magnesium: This mineral is required in protein synthesis and scalp health maintenance. Get the necessary magnesium from leafy greens, nuts, whole grains, and seeds.
• Selenium: Like vitamins C and E, this mineral helps to protect hair follicles from oxidative stress. Seafood, eggs, whole grains, and some nuts contain selenium.
• Omega-3: Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, chia seeds, walnuts, olive oil, and flaxseeds. They are important for a healthy scalp and hair growth.

In all, whether you suffer from hair shedding or just want to have healthier and thicker hair, you should pay more attention to your diet to increase hair growth and strength. The best diet and food for hair growth must contain not only proteins and vitamins but also healthy fats and minerals.

In addition, you should keep your body hydrated, exercise, protect your hair from UV and air pollution, quit smoking, and use standard and suitable hair products.

Check out our best hair care products here.

Common FAQs about Supplements and Food for Hair Growth

If you are experiencing sudden and excessive hair shedding, we do recommend you visit a specialist. But as far as diet is concerned, we have gathered some of your most common questions about hair loss and the best food for hair growth to help you improve your scalp and hair health.

What Happens If I Don’t Get Enough Biotin?

Biotin is needed for producing keratin and, therefore, is essential for the structure of the hair. So, biotin deficiency makes your hair brittle and causes hair loss.

How Can I Incorporate More Foods That Stimulate Hair Growth in My Diet?

To ensure your diet contains enough foods that increase hair growth, pay attention to the following tips.

• Get an adequate amount of protein every day. This amount depends on your weight. Normally, for each kilo, you need 0.75 g of protein a day. So, for example, if you are 60 kg, you should consume 45 g of protein daily. Particularly vegetarians must pay more attention to their adequate intake of protein.
• Eat various vegetables and fruits with different colors.
• Don’t underestimate the importance of whole grains as they contain B vitamins and minerals that are necessary for both hair and health in general.
• Get enough omega-3 fatty acids. The recommended daily amount for adults is 1.6 g for men and 1.1 g for women.
• Eat foods that contain iron.
• Include foods high in biotin, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
• Consider taking dietary supplements for hair loss.

What Food Supplement for Hair Growth Should I Take?

Based on your diet, consider taking

• Biotin supplements,
• Omega-3 supplements,
• and multivitamin supplements that specifically contain hair, skin, and nail vitamins.

Can Crash Diets and Rapid Weigh Loss Cause Hair Loss?

Yes. Very low-calorie diets and losing weight rapidly can lead to telogen effluvium. This is a condition during which the hair follicles are pushed into the resting phase because your body is not getting enough energy from food and has to prioritize other necessary functions over hair growth. Consequently, you will experience excessive hair loss.

Are There Any Food and Nutrients Recommended for Hair Growth after Chemotherapy?

All the nutrients and food for hair growth mentioned above are also necessary for chemo patients to improve their overall health and hair growth. Staying hydrated is also key to maintaining scalp health. (Read Foods That Prevent Cancer and Cancer Fighting Foods for more information.)

Do Vegetarian or Vegan Diets Cause Hair Shedding?

No. As we have seen, you can get all the essential foods for hair growth from both plant-based and animal-based sources. Just followers of plant-based diets should ensure their daily food contains adequate amounts of protein and healthy fats.

How Can Our Hair Loss Centers in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange Help You?

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