Top 10 Power Foods for Healthy Long Natural Hair

Aside from the amount and quality of hair products and techniques we use on our hair, another important aspect of having healthy hair is in the types of foods we eat. The quality of the foods we put in our body will be reflective in the rate at which the hair grows, as well as the look and feel of the hair. If you’ve ever heard of the popular phrase “you are what you eat”, you will also know that your hair is what you eat. So, if you’re convinced that products do not help the hair grow and you’re looking for ways to improve the overall health of your hair through natural means, all you need to do is to pay a visit to your local market or supermarket to stock up on quality food items such as the ones listed below.

Please note that you don’t have to eat every single one of the food items listed here in one day, as the most important thing is for you to include a variety of these food items in your daily food intake and in an appropriate amount. A majority of these food items are affordable and can be included in most diets.

1.     Beans: Packed with protein, zinc, iron and biotin, beans and other legumes provides the hair with protein which the hair needs to stay strong. If you’re not into taking hair pills such as biotin pills, beans also provides an adequate amount of biotin which help stimulate hair growth without the side effects which the pill often produces.  

2.     Beef: They contain an abundant amount of protein which the hair needs for optimal hair growth. If you’re on a low fat diet, you can opt for lean beef or substitute beef for other protein packed foods such as beans, fish or chicken.  

3.     Poultry: Like beans, poultry products such as chicken and eggs are also packed with protein, and biotin. Protein deficiency in one’s diet can result in weak brittle hair and a loss of hair color. Vegetarians can eat whole eggs instead of chicken.

4.     Salmon: Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and iron, salmon ensures the scalp produces an adequate amount of oils which will help prevent against dry itchy scalp. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our diet because our body doesn’t produce them and so they must be consumed.

5.     Oats: They provide the body with an abundant of vitamins and minerals which prevents against hair loss and promotes hair growth. They also contain a good amount of B vitamins, zinc, protein, copper, potassium, and iron which all work hand in hand to ensure an optimal hair growth and an overall healthy body. For a supercharged breakfast, you can mix 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds, and some walnuts in your bowl of oatmeal in the morning.

6.     Carrots: They contain an excellent source of beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes a healthy sebum production, an important oil on the scalp which ensures a shiny head of hair. The best way to get the most out of your carrots is to eat it raw, either as a snack or in a salad, you can also juice or blend it with other fruits.

7.     Sweet Potatoes: like many orange colored foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes also contains vitamin A which helps the scalp to produce the oily substance that keeps the hair from drying out and breaking off. Vitamin A also fights free radicals that can weigh the hair down and it promotes the growth of healthy cells and tissues which aids in healthy hair growth.

8.     Nuts: such as walnuts contains omega-3 fatty acids which are known to condition the hair through the oils produced in the hair follicles. Walnuts, along with cashews, pecans and almonds also contains a good amount of zinc which helps to reduce shedding and promote hair growth.

9.     Seeds: such as flax seeds contains plant based omega-3 fatty acids which helps to ensure a healthy and conditioned scalp by ensuring that the follicles in our scalp produces an adequate amount of sebum, which ultimately increasing hair elasticity, strength and thickness. 

10.  Spinach and other Dark Green Veggies are packed with vitamins A and C, which our body needs to produce sebum, a natural hair conditioner which is secreted by our hair follicles. A deficiency of these vitamins can result in dry brittle hair which can lose its luster. Spinach also contains a high percentage of water which will keep the hair hydrated.

As you might have noticed, many of these foods contains nutrients which helps regulate the production of sebum, an essential oil which keeps our coils in its best state as it grows out of the scalp. An adequate amount of sebum can help to reduce the amount of hair products applied to the hair and scalp, while a deficiency will have you reaching for your scalp oil, leave-in and deep conditioner more often than necessary. Eating right will not keep your body in its best state, it will also help you stay on your hair budget by reducing the amount of products used. It will also help you curb your product junkiness appetite and help those recovering by staying on track. 

The key is to have a diet that contains lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. So the next time you find yourself experiencing any hair issue such as growth, breakage, dry itchy scalp, or dullness, you should assess your diet to see if it contains a majority of these power foods. And if it doesn't, then you better get cooking.