As hair is made of protein, ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is crucial for making hair strong and healthy.
If you are not consuming enough protein in your diet, your hair is likely to become dry, brittle and weak.
Extremely low protein diets may result in restricted hair growth and even hair loss.
Choose chicken, fish, dairy products and eggs as excellent protein sources and vegetarian sources such as legumes and nuts.
Iron is an especially important mineral for hair and too little iron is a major cause of hair loss.
The hair follicle and root are fed by a nutrient-rich blood supply. When iron levels (serum ferritin) fall below a certain point, you may experience anemia.
This disrupts the nutrient supply to the follicle, affecting the hair growth cycle and may result in shedding.
Animal products such as red meat, chicken and fish provide iron with a high bioavailability, meaning the iron is readily available to the body.
Vegetarians can raise their iron stores by including lentils, spinach ( Folic Acid ) and other leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and salad greens.
Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron so foods high in vitamin C are good to eat in conjunction with iron-rich foods. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant so is used readily by the body.
The best sources are blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin C helps produce collagen, which strengthens the capillaries that supply the hair shafts.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important fats our body cannot make themselves, and therefore must be obtained through our diet.
Omega-3s are found in the cells that line the scalp and also provide the oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated.
Include oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines, trout, mackerel, and plant sources like avocado, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
Vitamin A is needed by the body to make sebum. Sebum is an oily substance created by our hair’s sebaceous glands and provides a natural conditioner for a healthy scalp.
Without sebum, we may experience an itchy scalp and dry hair.
Include animal products and orange/yellow coloured vegetables which are high in beta-carotene (which makes vitamin A) such as carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.
Scalp protection involves other important minerals, notably zinc and selenium. A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss and a dry, flaky scalp.
Fortified cereals and wholegrains are a good source of zinc along with oysters, beef and eggs.
The sun can damage our hair just like it can damage our skin so ensure you eat foods rich in vitamin E to provide protection for your hair.
Nuts are nutritional powerhouses, providing zinc and selenium as well as vitamin E so try to include them as part of a balanced diet.
Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin. Too little biotin can cause brittle hair and may lead to hair loss.
Include biotin-rich foods such as wholegrains, liver, egg yolk, soy flour and yeast.
Your hair is wealthy, keep it healthy and shiny and strong, eat the right food, it will help you to maintain your hair naturally.
Do visit us at any of the branches of Looks studio and get an insight into the nutritional facts and how to maintain healthy hair and control hair loss or restore lost hair from our Consultants and Doctors.