The Best Food You Must Use For Your Hair

Black Beans

Lysine is an essential amino acid that may play a role in iron and zinc uptake, so, given what we’ve already told you about hair and those key nutrients, it’s not surprising that lysine has been shown to encourage the growth and development of healthy hair. In fact, a 2002 study printed in the journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology showed that the addition of lysine to iron supplementation significantly helped some women with chronic thinning hair and hair loss who failed to respond to iron supplementation alone. Black beans, which are packed with protein, are also loaded with lysine. A half-cup serving of the legumes contains an impressive 523 milligrams of the essential amino acid.

Mushrooms

Munch on some mushrooms on your next night out! Fungi are a solid source of vitamin D they will make your hair strong and shiny. According to a study that was published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, the vitamin can help create new hair follicles: little pores where new hair can grow. This, in turn, may improve the thickness of your hair or reduce the amount of hair you lose as you age.

Fatty Fish

Another way to boost your intake of follicle-stimulating vitamin D is to eat fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna, which also happen to be loaded with superstar omega-3 fatty acids. Per a study printed in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vitamin D may also help stimulate hair follicles that have become dormant. In other words, there’s evidence to suggest the nutrient may help prevent thinning hair and even bald spots. Still not convinced fish is worth your while? 

Spinach

Spinach is packed with hair-healthy nutrients such as iron and vitamin E, so it should come as no surprise that chowing down on the rich green veggie is a great way to strengthen your locks. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic explain that low iron stores contribute to hair loss, so if you’re looking to keep your hair strong and luscious, especially as you age, incorporating more spinach into your diet is a great way to go.

Walnuts

According to a review published in a journal called Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, deficiency of the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) can cause hair changes including loss of scalp hair and eyebrows, as well as lightening of hair. To prevent any of that from happening to you or your hair, eat foods packed with linolenic and alpha-linolenic acids, such as walnuts.

Blueberries

Oxidative stress has been linked to hair loss and unhealthy scalps, so to keep your scalp and hair happy it’s important to load up on antioxidants, which counteract oxidative stress. Thanks to their abundance of vitamin B and proanthocyanidins, antioxidant-rich blueberries are also especially beneficial for hair; an animal study printed in The Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that proanthocyanidins stimulate hair growth.

Tangerines

These tiny fruits pack a punch in the vitamin C department, which means they’ll help your mane stay long and strong. Vitamin C is necessary for the growth and development of hair and beyond, and since the body can’t produce it organically, eating foods packed full of the nutrient, like tangerines, is the number one way to get your fix and strengthen your hair. What’s more? When a tangerine’s vitamin C syncs up with the dietary iron from something like spinach, the result is that your body can absorb the iron much more easily, which will make your mane even tougher. Furthermore, the vitamin B12 in tangerines has been shown to promote hair growth, reduce hair loss, and slow down the graying process.

Wheat Germ Oil

One tablespoon of wheat germ oil contains a whopping 20.2 milligrams 101 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin E, which has long been lauded for its ability to improve both your hair and skin health. According to scientists, vitamin E is able to work its magic on your mane because it contains potent antioxidants called tocotrienols, which contribute to a healthier scalp. Need proof? Researchers found that using tocotrienol supplements improved the hair health of people with alopecia and also helped prevent hair loss in a 2011 study printed in the journal Tropical Life Sciences Research.

Oysters

If you find your hair thinning or falling out completely, it could be because you’re not getting enough zinc in your diet. Thankfully, research has shown that hair loss related to zinc deficiency can be reversed simply by eating more of the all-important nutrient. In a study printed in the journal Dermatologic Therapy, researchers gave zinc supplements to five patients with zinc deficiency-related alopecia and discovered that hair loss was cured or improved in all of the patients after a short time. One way to boost your zinc intake is to load up on oysters. Just six of the shelled seafood will give you 30 milligrams of zinc, which is double the daily value (DV) of the nutrient!

Brazil Nuts

Another nutrient needed for strong, healthy strands is selenium: an essential trace element that plays a role in protection from oxidative damage and the creation of hair follicles. A study printed in the journal Endocrinology found that rats deficient in selenium displayed sparse hair growth. Similarly, another study that appeared in the journal PLoS One found that mice lacking specific selenoproteins exhibited progressive hair loss after birth. To ensure your own hair stays strong and plentiful, eat foods rich in selenium, such as Brazil nuts. Believe it or not, just seven nuts will give you over 100 percent DV of selenium

Sweet Potatoes

Vitamin A has been shown to activate hair follicle stem cells, according to a 2015 animal study published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine. In fact, if you want your hair follicles to function at their optimal level, scientists have discovered that retinoic acid a component of vitamin A is necessary. To load up on the hair-helping nutrient, snack on a baked sweet potato (with the skin) which, per the National Institutes of Health contains a whopping amount of vitamin A (561 percent DV, to be exact). Just don’t overdo it, because too much vitamin A has actually been linked to hair loss.