Hair and nails are highly visible, so you want them to be healthy looking. Your hair tissue is made mostly of keratin, according to Discovery, which is similar to the surface layers of your skin's tissue. Although technically your hair and nail tissues are "dead," you can still enhance their growth by supporting the hair follicles from which the hair grows, and nourishing your nail beds.
Lean Protein
Your hair and nails are both made of protein, so getting enough protein in your diet is critical. According to Quick Care, some of the best sources of lean protein for hair include liver, brewers yeast, dairy products, beans, yogurt, fish and eggs. WH Foods claims that increasing the lean protein in your diet will also help your nails to grow faster and with more strength.
Iron rich Foods
Iron is necessary for healthy hair growth as well as nail growth. According to WH Foods, iron deficiency will cause a spoon-shaped growth pattern in your nails as well as general nail weakness. Iron also helps your hair to grow faster and iron deficiency can lead to hair loss. Some iron rich foods, according to quick care, are dates, raisins, liver, whole grains and dark green leafy vegetables.
Biotin rich foods
The B vitamin biotin is absolutely essential for nail health. According to the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, biotin supplementation can help prevent nail breakage, strengthen your nail tissue and treat brittle nails. Biotin also encourages your hair to grow more quickly and prevents hair from falling out. A study published in Current Opinion, in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care showed that even mild biotin deficiencies can lead to hair loss and poor hair growth. Good sources of biotin include almonds, swiss chard, peanuts, goat's milk, eggs, yogurt and tomatoes.
Zinc and Selenium
Trace minerals like zinc and selenium are both important for the proper growth of your hair, skin and nails. According to Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care even minor deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to poor hair and nail growth and even hair loss. Zinc and selenium can both be found in seafood, shellfish and liver. Pumpkin seeds are also high in zinc and nuts are high in selenium.
References
- Discover: The Biology of Hair
- Quick Care: Foods that Promote Hair Growth
- WH Foods: What Foods Are Best For Nail Health?
- Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology: Brittle nails.
- Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care: Hair loss in long-term or home parenteral nutrition: are micronutrient deficiencies to blame?
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