Foods That Promote Healthy Hair Growth and Nails
A nutritious diet can offer numerous advantages, such as improved immune function, weight loss, energy and more. Furthermore, it may strengthen skin, hair and nail health.
It’s essential to ensure your diet contains all essential nutrients, especially those which promote hair growth and strength such as protein, iron and B vitamins.
1. Eggs
Eggs are an incredibly nutrient-rich food that has numerous advantages for hair, skin and nails. Their protein and fats help replenish moisture in your strands, giving them a sleek and glossy appearance. Furthermore, eggs contain keratin – essential for strong, healthy hair growth – making them the perfect go-to beauty food choice!
Biotin, another nutrient found in eggs, helps promote healthy hair and nails. It strengthens follicles to make them stronger and less likely to break, making your strands stronger and resistant to split ends.
Eggs contain biotin, which helps combat dandruff and itching on the scalp. Furthermore, this vitamin may prevent hair loss while stimulating thick, beautiful locks.
Eggs also contain lutein and folate, two essential nutrients for healthy hair. Lutein acts as an antioxidant by helping to hydrate and strengthen skin while folate supports healthy hair growth.
Make an egg mask and apply it on your hair regularly to improve its elasticity. This mask contains lutein and other vitamins which hydrate tresses while improving their texture.
Eggs also contain selenium, an essential mineral that supports healthy hair growth. As the body cannot produce this vitamin on its own, food sources like eggs must provide it for our bodies to keep us nourished.
A single egg offers approximately 20 micrograms of selenium, the same amount you’d get from a serving of nuts or some avocado slices.
The yolk of an egg is packed with essential fatty acids that nourish dry hair and make it look glossy. Plus, it contains keratin–a protein which helps bind damaged strands together and repair damage–to nourish and repair itself.
These fatty acids are beneficial for the skin, helping lighten acne scars and wrinkles as well as remove blackheads and whiteheads.
When poaching or frying eggs, quality is key. Fresh eggs tend to have thicker whites with fewer cracks, providing greater stability when poached or fried.
2. Dairy Products
Dairy foods are an excellent source of essential nutrients for hair, skin and nails. Not only that, but they also have numerous other health benefits to offer you!
Dairy products contain high amounts of protein, essential fatty acids (EFAs) and calcium that are essential for healthy hair growth and nails. EFAs help moisturize the nail bed as well as strengthen weak or brittle nails with EFAs.
Milk’s proteins, such as casein and whey, have been shown to be beneficial for hair health. Furthermore, these milk products contain glutamine – an amino acid which has been scientifically proven to stimulate hair follicle growth.
By increasing your intake of milk, cheese, yogurt and soymilk in your diet, you are guaranteed to meet the daily recommended amount of these nutrient-rich foods. Furthermore, adding more calcium into your meals helps ensure that you meet your daily requirement for strong bones and teeth.
However, it’s essential to note that many people do not get enough dairy in their diets. This could be due to lactose intolerance or other reasons.
To maximize the nutritional benefits of dairy, opt for pasteurized milk and products to avoid harmful bacteria. Pregnant women, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems should not consume unpasteurised dairy items.
Many people enjoy dairy products, but may not realize there are plenty of lactose-free and soymilk alternatives. Furthermore, if you have difficulty digesting these foods, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) offers further assistance.
Dairy also contains high amounts of potassium, an essential nutrient for controlling heart rate. This mineral may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by helping protect against these disorders.
In addition to its potassium content, milk is an excellent source of protein and vitamin D. These essential nutrients support strong bones and teeth.
That is why it’s essential to get enough of these nutrient-rich foods. They also contain essential minerals like vitamin A, choline and omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Beans
Your hair, skin and nails depend on the quality and quantity of protein you consume. Proteins help form the structure of follicles as well as other parts of your body.
Protein can help your scalp produce sebum, a natural lubricant that keeps hair and scalp healthy. Furthermore, eating more protein encourages cell turnover – increasing hair growth rate and decreasing breakage.
Beans are an excellent way to incorporate protein into your meals, particularly if you’re vegan or vegetarian. Your local grocery store likely carries many varieties of beans such as edamame (young soybeans still inside their pod), black and red kidney beans, plus chickpeas.
Beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, which your body uses to build muscle and other tissues. Furthermore, they’re high in fiber which can help you feel satiated and maintain a healthy weight.
Beans also possess essential fatty acids, which promote nail growth and strength. Studies have even discovered that these compounds may reduce brittleness in nails while strengthening them.
Furthermore, they contain zinc which helps keep nails strong and brittle. Zinc also acts as an antioxidant that keeps the nail bed smooth and strong, keeping your nails supple and less likely to break easily.
Vitamins B, C and biotin can all help your nails stay healthy. Iron, vitamin B and biotin in particular have the power to restructure keratin–the protein responsible for nails and hair–by restructuring its structure. Furthermore, these vitamins protect against environmental stresses which might cause dry, brittle nails with breakage.
To promote nail growth, it’s beneficial to eat foods that are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Greens such as kale, spinach, broccoli and collard greens are especially beneficial since they provide your body with necessary amounts of iron and Vitamin C needed for strong nails. Furthermore, these vegetables help regulate blood sugar levels and support overall wellbeing too!
4. Vegetables
Eating a diet rich in vegetables is an important way to ensure that your body gets enough essential nutrients. Vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that support healthy skin, hair and nails.
Vegetables are typically classified by their edible parts, such as leaves (lettuce), stems (celery), roots (carrot), tubers (potato) and bulbs (onion). Fruits like tomatoes and seeds like peas can also be included in this category.
Vegetable and fruit are often confused, leading to some confusion when it comes to their botanical definitions. For instance, tomatoes technically belong in the fruit category but are commonly classified as vegetables due to not having produced seeds yet.
Vegetables can be divided into groups based on their nutrient content, with each having unique benefits for your health. For instance, vegetables that are high in fiber are beneficial to digestive health and provide an excellent source of antioxidants.
Vegetables are also an excellent source of iron and zinc, two essential vitamins for strong, thick hair and nails. These minerals aid in the production of keratin – the protein responsible for strengthening hair and nails.
You can get essential nutrients from lean meats, beans and nuts. These sources of protein make a great choice for vegans and vegetarians alike.
Finally, veggies are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A helps create sebum, a conditioning substance for your scalp that moisturizes and softens hair. Furthermore, vitamin C strengthens and enhances hair’s shine.
Foods that promote healthy hair growth and nails may not be easy to come by, but it’s worth the extra effort to incorporate them into your diet. A balanced diet that incorporates these 4 foods is one of the best ways to keep your locks shiny, strong, and beautiful. Plus, these foods also offer numerous other important health benefits like decreased risk of disease or increased energy levels.