Beauty From The Inside Out: Foods That Benefit Your Hair
You’ve probably heard the saying that beauty is skin deep, which is true, especially when it comes to the foods that you’re eating. While many of us are pretty aware of healthy vs unhealthy foods, many of us don’t really know how those healthy foods affect us, particularly when it comes to our hair. In this blog post, we will dive deeper to see how foods truly affect our hair and how we can eat to help promote healthy hair! Keep reading to learn more!
Quality Protein
Keratin is largely what our hair is made out of, which is a protein. Since it’s one of the main components of our hair, it’s important that you consume enough protein to keep your hair healthy and strong. If you’ve noticed that your hair seems to be weak and brittle and is breaking, you may want to look at your diet and see how much protein you are consuming. Chances are it’s not enough.
You may also need to consume more protein if you’re finding that your hair is dry. Protein is one of the most important macronutrients, and if you’re not consuming enough you may find that your low protein diet results in hair loss. You can find quality protein in a variety of places, such as lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils. There are also plenty of ways to consume protein no matter what your diet is like. Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or on a special diet like keto or whole 30, you can always find foods that are high in protein!
Iron
Iron is a prime mineral when it comes to your hair health. Our hair follicles and roots receive their blood supply through tiny blood vessels located in our scalps. If your diet is low in iron, oxygen and nutrients that are carried through the blood may not be delivered to the hair, preventing optimal health and growth. Low iron can also lead to hair loss, especially if you’ve noticed that your hair seems to be shedding more than usual. For women, getting enough iron during their menstrual cycles is also important not only for your hair but for your entire body. You can find iron in many leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, whole grains, oats, meats, and fish.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron in food, making it the perfect pair for iron rich foods. One easy way to combine these is to squeeze lemon juice over some fresh spinach. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that is essential for collagen synthesis which can help strengthen capillaries that supply the hair with all those nutrients. It can even aid in forming the hair protein itself. Vitamin C can be found in blueberries, broccoli, kale, kiwis, oranges, papayas, strawberries, and sweet potatoes.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants help to strengthen the tiny capillaries near the surface of our skin. This then helps the scalp receive all the nutrients that it requires in order to keep the hair “fed” and healthy. Antioxidants can be found in every type of fruit and vegetable, and are specifically high in blueberries, cherries, sweet potatoes, and acai.
B Vitamins
Vitamin B helps boost the elasticity of the hair and promotes strong growth. B Vitamins are also found in biotin, and not getting enough of this can be linked to hair loss. B vitamins can be found in egg yolks, whole grains, mushrooms, beans, and lentils.
Fatty Acids
If you’ve noticed that your hair has been feeling extra dry and brittle, you may want to include some more fatty acids into your diet. These fatty acids help balance sebum production which helps the overall health of your hair. Fatty acids can be found in many types of fish like salmon or mackerel, chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds.
Another way to help make sure that your hair is healthy is to remember to visit your friendly hair salon, specifically Angelo David Salon. As one of the best hair salons in New York City, we specialize in solutions for fine and thinning hair. Not only are all of our stylists here to help give you the hair of your dreams but we also offer hair extensions, wigs, and other forms of couture hair. Connect with us today to set up an appointment!