Best food for healthier hair

Load up on protein, bananas, and dark green veggies. Your locks will thank you.
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The pursuit of beautiful, shiny locks starts with fish, beans, bananas, and lentils. A healthy diet is as good for the 150,000 hair follicles on your head as it is for your body. Having a balanced diet, while putting extra emphasis on things like protein and iron gives your hair a boost.
Protein is the building block of hair. If you don’t get enough your hair will grow more slowly and strands will be weaker. Include a small dose at each meal and your hair follicles will stay strong. Safe bets include poultry, lean beef, fish, beans and nuts. If you start a healthy hair diet today, you will likely see improvements within six months to a year, depending on how fast your hair grows.

Try these ten foods to help your hair:
Lean red meat
Too little iron can cause baldness. Treating iron deficiency can help hair grow. Other iron reach foods include turkey, egg yolks, whole grains, dried fruit, and beans.

Eggs
Eggs are full of biotin, a B vitamin that promotes hair growth and overall scalp health. A deficiency can cause brittle hair. Other high biotin foods include peanuts, almonds, wheat bran, salmon, low-fat cheese and avocados.

Bananas, beer, oats, and raisins
These contain the mineral silica, which is thought to improve hair thickness. Emphasizing on foods rich with this miner helps make hair stronger and more durable.

Dark green vegetables
Load up on spinach, broccoli, and Swiss chard. They are packed with vitamins A and C, which help produce sebum, a scalp oil that works as a natural hair conditioner.

Oysters
Opt for these to get plenty of zinc, a mineral that helps regulate the production of androgens. These are hormones that, in low levels, are associated with hair loss. Other zinc-rich choices include crab, clams, liver, lean beef and wheat germ.

Sweet potatoes
These are packed with beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, a nourishing agent for your hair and skin. Vitamin A protects against dull hair and dry skin, a leading cause of dandruff. Other choices include carrots, kale, butternut squash, asparagus, and pumpkin.

Beans
Legumes like kidney beans and lentils are great sources of iron-rich protein. Lentils, in particular, play a role in hair maintenance and support.

Fruits and veggies
They’re full of vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron. Getting too little vitamin C makes hair dry and week. Try broccoli, leafy greens, green peppers, citrus, and strawberries as your best sources.

Omega-3 fatty acids
They support scalp health and a deficiency can lead to dry scalp and dull hair. Good sources include salmon, sardines, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Vegetable oil
If your diet is too low in fat you can get dry, lackluster hair. Healthy oils like olive, peanut, safflower, and sunflower can restore the shine. About a teaspoon a day will do the trick.

Keep your hair healthy with a good diet, regular trips to the hair salon and good hair products that will keep your hair clean and healthy. For the best in hair care, visit Legends Salon of Hillsborough and let us help keep your hair happy.