A head of thick, shiny hair can give you an overall healthy appearance, but because your body relies on certain nutrients to produce hair, special shampoos and expensive salon treatments won't help much if you're not eating right. Adjusting your diet to include more hair-supporting nutrients can go a long way toward helping you grow strong, healthy hair. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet, or for particular recommendations for your hair.
Vitamins and Minerals
To keep hair healthy, eat plenty of foods rich in B-complex vitamins and in the mineral iron, recommend University of Maryland Medical Center experts. Among the B-complex vitamins, biotin, or vitamin H, is particularly important for hair health. Foods high in B vitamins include whole-grain products like oats, whole-grain bread, brown rice, liver and cooked egg yolks. For more biotin, eat nuts, cooked eggs and brewer's yeast. Good sources of iron are oats, lentils, liver and oysters. Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins E, D and A as well as the minerals zinc and chromium, may also help.
Amino Acids and Fatty Acids
Proteins and fats help keep hair strong and shiny. To build proteins, the body requires amino acids. The amino acid L-lysine is among the most important for hair health, suggest UMMC experts. Good sources include most meats, Parmesan cheese, legumes like lentils and peas, nuts and cooked eggs. Omega-3 fatty acids may also support hair health. The oil of cold-water fish like salmon and herring is the richest source of these fatty acids.
Herbs
Including certain herbal teas in your diet may help you get more hair-strengthening nutrients. The herb horsetail is rich in the mineral silica, which helps form the collagen needed for skin, bones and connective tissues. It may also support hair health. To make horsetail tea, place 2 or 3 tsp. of horsetail in a cup, add boiling water and let steep up to 10 minutes, UMMC experts recommend. Stinging nettle is a traditional remedy for stimulating hair growth. For nettle tea, add 2/3 cup boiling water to 3 or 4 tsp. of dried nettle leaves or roots and steep up to five minutes. Avoid nettle if you're pregnant.
Planning Your Diet
A well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet is important for hair health, but eating certain foods at certain times can also give you an advantage, suggests Tony Pearce, a registered nurse and hair expert at Trichology Hair Solutions in Alexandria, Virginia. Include plenty of hair-building protein in every meal, particularly breakfast. Vegetables and fruits should make up one-third of your diet. Cut down on coffee and tea, which can reduce blood iron levels. Avoid excess sugars and fats to prevent scalp itchiness and flaking, Pearce recommends.
Considerations
Hair grows an average of 1/2 inch per month, slowing as you age. Good nutrition helps your hair reach its maximum potential growth rate and makes it less likely to become dry and brittle, but food can't speed hair growth beyond the normal rate. Certain medications, as well as hormonal changes like pregnancy and menopause, can also alter hair health. In some cases, though, unhealthy hair or hair loss may indicate health problems, including thyroid irregularity and diabetes, Columbia University experts warn. Consult your doctor if you see irregular hair growth or if your hair seems unhealthy.
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