Friday, March 22, 2013

Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair

What to do for a healthy hair growth?

So, you have done everything that you could to get a healthy hair growth. Somebody said, "Exercise", so you began hitting the gym seven days a week. Someone else said, "Massage your hair with oil", and you did that too. Well, exercising and massaging are believed to increase blood supply to your scalp, which may help you get beautiful and shiny hair. However, if you are not eating the right foods, exercising and massaging are not going to be much useful for you.

So, the idea is to eat a healthy and balanced diet. So, what are the nutrients and foods that can give you beautiful and lustrous hair?

Fish

Two of the most important nutrients for healthy hair are iron and protein. You can easily get these nutrients by consuming fishes of the oily variety. Fishes of the oily variety, include salmon and mackerel. These fishes are also packed with omega-3 essential fatty acids which are necessary for a healthy scalp. These fatty acids will provide shine and luster to your hair, giving it a healthy appearance. Fishes are also rich sources of vitamin B12, another important nutrient for beautiful hair.



Dairy Products

You may be avoiding dairy products because you don't want to put on those extra pounds. However, if you want shiny hair, you should include the low-fat varieties in your diet. Low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese and skimmed milk provide you with two high-quality proteins. These are whey and casein. Dairy products are also rich sources of calcium, an important mineral for good hair.



Whole Grains

Whole grain foods are healthy for our bodies. We have read this statement many times. Here is another reason to feast on these. Whole grain foods are good for your hair as well. Whole-wheat breads and fortified breakfast cereals are rich sources of iron and the B vitamins. These foods are also rich sources of zinc, a mineral that may affect the levels of hormones associated with hair loss.

                                                               

Oysters

A potent aphrodisiac, oysters are the richest sources of zinc. As already mentioned, zinc is a mineral that helps regulate the level of hormones that control the thickness and growth of your hair. Of course, you can get zinc from whole grain foods. Some of the best zinc-rich foods for healthy hair also include beef and lamb.

                                                               

Leafy Green Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach are excellent sources of vitamins A and C. Both these vitamins are necessary for the production of adequate amounts of sebum, so these nutrients will keep your hair soft and lustrous. Vitamin C is also necessary for the absorption of iron, so your leafy green vegetables will also provide strength to your weak hair. Broccoli and other dark green vegetables are also rich sources of Vitamin C.



Nuts

Nuts such as cashews, walnuts and pecans are rich sources of the mineral zinc. So, these will help reduce hair loss. Walnuts are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. Brazil nuts and walnuts are also rich sources of the mineral called selenium. This nutrient is important to maintain a healthy scalp and may also prevent dryness and dandruff. So, make sure to include a handful of nuts in your daily diet for healthy hair.

                                                           


Eggs


One of the richest sources of protein, eggs also provides your hair with biotin and vitamin B12. Keep in mind that your hair is made of protein, so if you are not consuming enough of this nutrient on a daily basis, your hair will suffer. So, include different foods that are rich sources of protein in your daily diet.




Flaxseed

If you don't like fish, you can get your supply of omega-3 essential fatty acids from flaxseed. This is especially useful for vegetarians. Besides being a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed is also a rich source of a nutrient called lignans. This compound has been found to be particularly useful in slowing down hair loss. However, if you want lignan, make sure to buy ground whole flaxseeds since the compound is present in the shell of this food.

                                                 

Chicken

Turkey and chicken meat are also rich sources of protein. These foods also provide ample amounts of iron, so you are sure to see an improvement in the strength of your hair with the regular consumption of these foods.



Legumes

Whether you like them or not, you have got to include these in your diet if you want a healthy scalp and beautiful hair. Just by including foods such as kidney beans and lentils in your diet, you are sure to get your daily supply of nutrients for healthy hair. These include iron, zinc and protein. Legumes are also rich sources of a B vitamin known as biotin. Lack of this vitamin can lead to brittle hair prone to breakage. So, make sure to include a cup of cooked beans or lentils in your diet at least three times a week.

                                                             

So, make sure to include these foods for healthy hair in your diet. Keep in mind that iron, protein, calcium, B vitamins, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and selenium are wonderful nutrients to promote healthy hair growth. If you are including these nutrients in your food, you are doing the best thing for your hair. Certain home remedies for hair loss may also help in strengthening the hair and scalp and give you thick and lustrous hair. If you think you are not getting enough of these nutrients, consider taking a daily hair growth supplement.

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© Copyright Roohi Khan, 2013