Vitamins for Healthy African American Curly Hair

Vitamins for Healthy African American Curly Hair
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With proper maintenance, African American hair can be strong, healthy and grow to extraordinary lengths. There are different types of curly African American hair, including wavy curly, curly kinky and nappy, reports the Naturally Curly website. All types can be healthy with proper care. Promoting hair health is not limited to hair maintenance and using the correct hair care products. To maintain healthy hair, you should eat vitamin-rich foods. Naturally, some vitamins are more valuable to the hair than others. Many of these vitamins can be found in whole foods or added to the diet through supplementation. Choose foods bursting with hair-rich vitamins for healthy hair.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C works by improving circulation to the scalp. The increased circulation assists in bringing a greater rush of the blood flow to hair follicles. Foods rich in vitamin C include parsley, bell peppers, lemon juice, oranges, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts. Vitamin C deficiency leads to dry and brittle hair that is prone to breakage. Increase the health of African American curly hair by adding vitamin C to the diet.

Biotin

One of the little known B vitamins is biotin. Thinning hair, slow hair growth and premature graying are few signs of biotin deficiency. Biotin can be found in egg yolks, liver, nutritional yeast, and Swiss shard. Another option is to choose a multivitamin that contains biotin for healthy hair.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A keeps the scalp lubricated by encouraging the production of sebum. Sebum helps keeps the hair healthy and conditioned. Hyperkeratosis, which gives the skin a goose-bump type appearance, is an obvious sign of vitamin A deficiency. It occurs when the body is producing too much keratin. Keratin is a protein found in the skin; excessive keratin blocks the hair follicles and advanced stages of hyperkeratosis can lead to hair loss. Nourish African American curly hair by including foods rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A is only found in animal foods; however, some fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, a compound that can be converted into vitamin A by the body. Plant-based foods that contain carotenoids include carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, kale, and mangoes.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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