Nails reflect the health of the body. A well-balanced diet reflects itself in healthy, smooth, strong nails that grow from a pale pink nail bed. Made of keratin, which is a form of protein, nails need nourishment from vitamins and minerals to stay in top form. A lack of vitamins can lead to problems such as breakage and disease, preventing nails from growing at a natural and healthful rate. According to the Nutritional Supplement Education Centre, nutritional deficiencies are easily visible in nails deprived of adequate vitamins.
Biotin
One of the B complex vitamins and also known as B7 and vitamin H, biotin is water soluble and considered to be essential in helping to strengthen nails, which furthers their growth. Because of biotin's ability to improve the firmness and thickness of nails, they are also less likely to break. According to an article in the online journal of the U.S. Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, patients consuming extra biotin had a 25 percent increase in nail thickness over those who took a placebo. Biotin is found in legumes such as soybeans, nuts, egg yolks and organ meats.
Vitamin A
A powerful antioxidant with the power to reduce free radical damage, vitamin A contains the important ingredient, retinol. A deficiency in retinal can cause nails to become fragile, with a tendency to soften, peel, or becomes brittle and sport hangnails. Vitamin A helps to increase blood circulation in all areas of the body, which in turn assists in stimulating nail growth. Vitamin A is best absorbed when it is taken with fats. Some foods containing this essential nutrient are green leafy vegetables, carrots, red peppers, apricots, cantaloupe, papaya, mango, oatmeal, cod liver oil, eggs and dairy.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and helps the body absorb calcium, which prevents nails from becoming dry and brittle, thus promoting nail growth. The body manufactures its own vitamin D through normal exposure to sunlight. Because of the possibilities of skin damage and cancerous growths, it is advisable to seek out vitamin D from foods such as milk, beef liver, salmon, tuna, sprouts and fish liver oils.
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