Overview:
Diets play a crucial role in healthy hair growth. Including certain foods in your diet can significantly contribute to healthy and thick hair growth.
Hair is continuously growing and being replaced, and the follicles are constantly creating new hairs from nutrients in the body.
Many people suffer from common hair problems like hair fall, dull hair, hair breakage, and less hair.
Your hair health depends on many factors, including age, genetics, environmental exposure, medications, overall health, and diet.
Although you can’t change some of these factors, you likely have more control over your diet.
Table of Contents
Foods for healthy and thick hair growth:
Here is a list of some foods that help you get healthy and thick hair growth.
1. Green Leafy Vegetables:
Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamins A, C, carotene, folate, and potassium and also provide keratin that helps in strengthening hair follicles. Green leafy vegetables are also a rich source of iron which is an essential mineral that carries oxygen and nutrients in the body.
When your body is running low on iron, your hair follicles do not get enough oxygen and nutrients which inhibits hair growth and weakens hair strands.
Iron also helps in producing sebum that keeps the scalp healthy and hydrated.
2. Vitamin C-Rich Citrus Fruits:
Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and berries are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts collagen production, the most abundant protein in the body that constitutes 30% percent of the total protein.
These foods include vitamin C, which contains strong antioxidant properties that help to protect hair follicles from oxidative damage of free radicals.
Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from the diet and hence improves scalp blood circulation and hair growth.
3. Seeds and Nuts:
Nuts, including almonds, walnut seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds contain a high amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, which increase the thickness of hair by keeping it hydrated and making it strong.
Since your body cannot produce these healthy fats, you need to derive them from your diet. Nuts and seeds also contain zinc which helps increase cell production and immunity thus promoting hair health.
Nuts and seeds also contain other beneficial nutrients for hair including phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and copper that improve overall hair health.
4. Carrots:
The hair contains the fastest-growing tissues in the body and vitamin A is required for the growth of every cell. Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A which is essential for the growth of body cells, including hair.
Carrots also improve blood circulation in the head and prevent premature greying of hair. It also helps the scalp to produce the natural sebum oil which keeps the scalp hydrated and healthy.
5. Soybeans:
Soybeans are a rich source of vitamin B2, magnesium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids and also contain manganese and vitamins, making dry and damaged hair healthy, shiny, and strong.
Soybeans also inhibit the synthesis of dihydrotestosterone, which is known to cause damage to the hair. A recent study shows that compounds in soybeans may promote hair growth. One of these compounds is spermidine, which is abundant in soybeans.
6. Avocado:
Avocados are delicious, nutritious, and a great source of healthy fats. Avocados contain a high amount of Vitamin E that protects the hair follicles from oxidative damage.
One medium avocado (about 200 grams) provides 28% of your daily vitamin E needs.
Apart from Vitamin E, avocados also contain potassium, Vitamin B, and folic acid, which helps in improving hair growth and thickness.
Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can result in poor hair quality and fewer hair follicles.
7. Whole Grain:
Whole grains are rich in biotin, iron, zinc, and vitamin B. Biotin is an essential part of the amino acid and plays a crucial role in amino acid production. Amino acids(protein) are the building blocks of the body. Thus, biotin promotes healthy and thick hair growth.
8. Cinnamon:
Cinnamon contains polyphenols that are natural antioxidants and have antimicrobial properties that protect the scalp from infections and dandruff.
It promotes hair growth and improves the texture and appearance of hair. However, sometimes, highly concentrated cinnamon oil can cause allergies, so it is advisable to do a patch test before using cinnamon.
9. Sweet Potatoes:
Sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene. The body converts this compound into vitamin A, which promotes hair health.
Research has shown that vitamin A can affect the production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to hair loss.
However, too much vitamin A can also cause hair loss. Aim to meet your vitamin A needs with foods like sweet potatoes and avoid much supplementation.
10. Beans:
Beans like kidney beans, chickpeas, and peas are a great plant-based source of protein, which is essential to hair growth. Beans also contain zinc which promotes healthy hair growth and repair cycle.
Conclusion:
The natural aging process and genetics play a major role in hair loss. However, the quality and quantity of hair are closely linked to the diet.
Diets rich in Vitamins A, C, D, E, B2, iron, zinc, folate, biotin, protein, and essential fatty acids promote healthy and thick hair growth.
By prioritizing a balanced diet that includes these hair-friendly nutrients, you can support your hair follicles, minimize breakage, and enhance the natural shine and thickness of your hair.
FAQs:
What foods should you eat to get thick hair?
Green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, carrots, avocado, beans, vitamin C-rich citrus foods, and soybeans are some foods that promote healthy and thick hair.
Which oils are best for thick hair growth?
Coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, olive oil, rosemary oil, and avocado oil are some best oils for thick hair growth.