Reviewed by Stephanie S. Gardner, WebMD
Salmon for Shine
Fish like salmon,
sardines, and mackerel are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Your
body can't make these healthy fats, so you have to get them from food
or supplements. They help protect you from disease, but your body also
needs them to grow hair and keep it shiny and full.
Grow With Greek Yogurt
It’s packed with
protein, the building block of your locks. Greek yogurt also has an
ingredient that helps with blood flow to your scalp and hair growth.
It’s called vitamin B5 (known as pantothenic acid) and may even help
against hair thinning and loss. You may recognize pantothenic acid as an
ingredient on your hair and skincare product labels.
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Spinach to Battle Brittle Hair
Like so many dark
green leafy vegetables, spinach is full of amazing nutrients. It has
tons of vitamin A, plus iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C.
These work together for a healthy scalp and mane. They keep your hair
moisturized so it doesn't break. Want to mix it up a little? Kale is
another great green choice.
Guava to Prevent Breakage
This tropical fruit
brims with vitamin C. It protects your hair from breaking. One cup of
guava has 377 milligrams of vitamin C. That's more than four times the
minimum daily recommended amount. Bonus!
Iron-Fortified Cereal to Prevent Loss
Getting too little
iron can lead to hair loss. But you can find this important nutrient in
fortified cereal, grains, and pastas, and in soybeans and lentils. Beef,
especially organ meats like liver, have lots of it. Shellfish and dark
leafy greens do too.
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Lean Poultry for Thickness
When you don't get
enough protein, hair growth "rests." Since it stops and older hairs fall
out, you can have hair loss. To get protein from meat, pick lean
options like chicken or turkey, which have less saturated fat than
sources like beef and pork.
Sweet Potatoes to Fight Dull Locks
Have dry hair
that's lost its shine? Sweet potatoes are filled with a good-for-you
antioxidant called beta carotene. Your body turns beta carotene into
vitamin A. That helps protect against dry, dull hair. It also encourages
the glands in your scalp to make an oily fluid called sebum that keeps
hair from drying out. You can also find beta carotene in other orange
vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, cantaloupe, and mangoes.
Cinnamon for Circulation
Sprinkle this spice
on your oatmeal, toast, and in your coffee. It helps with blood flow,
also called circulation. That's what brings oxygen and nutrients to your
hair follicles.
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Eggs for Growth
Your protein and
iron bases are covered when you eat eggs. They're rich in a B vitamin
called biotin that helps hair grow. Not having enough of this vitamin
can lead to hair loss. Biotin also helps strengthen brittle fingernails.
Oysters for Fullness
These are rich in
zinc. When you don't have enough of this mineral in your diet, you can
have hair loss -- even in your eyelashes. Cells that build hair rely on
zinc to help them work their hardest. You can also find this mineral in
beef, crab, lobster, and fortified cereal.
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