Top 8 Hair Healthy Foods
Ok, so, you've filled your shower with an assortment of shampoos and conditioners in the pursuit of perfect hair. But you may be surprised to learn that what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on your hair.
Your hair is a reflection of your overall health. If you eat a healthy diet, it shows. So if its silky, shiny locks you crave, maybe it's time to step out of the shower and into the grocery store.
Here's your shopping list for amazingly healthy hair:
Hair Healthy Food # 1: Water
We don't always think of water as a food, but staying well-hydrated is the most essential component of any healthy lifestyle. Water not only hydrates your body - the moisture also makes hair supple and helps keep your hair silky and shiny.
Hair Healthy Food # 2: Eggs
The key here is high-quality protein. Almost 90% of our hair is made of protein, so it is the basic building block of healthy hair, helping to keep the hair shaft strong, reduce damage and prevent dullness and color loss. Eggs also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.
Hair Healthy Food # 3: Salmon
Like eggs, salmon is an excellent source of protein, but it also contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which condition hair from the inside out. Salmon also delivers iron, which is necessary to help carry oxygen to the hair. Without enough iron, hair gets starved for oxygen.
Hair Healthy Food # 4: Leafy Greens
With all the spinach he ate, Popeye probably had a head of thick, lustrous hair under that old sailor's cap. That's because it contains vitamins A and C, which support production of the body's natural hair conditioner, sebum. Other good sources include broccoli, carrots, oranges, kale and cauliflower.
Hair Healthy Food # 5: Legumes
Legumes is just a fancy word for beans, which are one of the most well- balanced, nutrient-rich foods you can eat. Almost any old beans will do - kidney beans, lentils, black beans, garbanzos. They provide all sorts of things that are good for your hair, from protein to promote hair growth, to iron, zinc and biotin for strong hair.
Hair Healthy Food # 6: Nuts
You've probably heard that eating nuts can help to keep your skin smooth and soft. Well, your hair is made of the same basic building blocks as your skin, so what's good for your skin tends to be good for your hair. For example, cashews, pecans and almonds all provide a mega-dose of zinc to help prevent hair shedding, while Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium and walnuts deliver omega-3 fatty acid, both of which support scalp health.
Hair Healthy Food # 7: Whole Grains
If you're beginning to see more products labeled "whole grain" on your grocery store shelves, there's good reason. Whole grain foods are higher in things that support hair health like zinc, iron, and B vitamins. Whole grains also are high in fiber, which helps to flush toxins from the body. Go for granolas, cereals and whole wheat bread.
Hair Healthy Food # 8: Dairy Products
When you were a kid, your mom told you to drink your milk so you could grow up big and strong, right? Well, milk and other dairy products don't only promote strong teeth and bones - the calcium and protein in foods like milk, cheese and yogurt also is important for hair growth.
