How Your Diet Affects the Health of Your Hair
Following a healthy diet can lead to stronger, healthier hair. Each strand of hair has a root that's connected to the blood supply. As blood flows through your body, it will deliver nutrients to your hair follicles. If you don't consume the right nutrients, though, it can take a toll on your hair. You may experience split ends, breakage, dryness and other related problems. To learn more about the correlation between your diet and the health of your hair, keep reading.
Omega-3s
To encourage your hair to grow more quickly, look no further than omega-3s. Not to be confused with omega-6s, they consist of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. All omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties, meaning they discourage inflammation in the body. Studies have shown that people who consume omega-3s in their diet have healthier, faster-growing hair than their counterparts.
You can find omega-3s in the following foods:
Salmon
Tilapia
Shrimp
Olive oil
Avocados
Seeds
Nuts
Kale
Spinach
Vitamin B
In addition to omega-3s, vitamin B has also been shown to have a positive impact on hair health. It stimulates the production of sebum to promote smooth, hydrated hair that's protected from dryness. At the same time, vitamin B has also been shown to accelerate the speed at which hair grows.
There are different types of vitamin B. For healthier hair, though, vitamin B7 typically comes out on top. Also known as biotin, vitamin B7 increases keratin. Keratin, of course, is the main protein from which your hair is comprised. It serves as the structural foundation for your hair. You can find vitamin B7 in foods such as eggs, nuts, milk and certain fruits.
Protein
Don't underestimate the importance of including protein in your diet. Statistics show that roughly 1 billion people worldwide suffer from a protein deficiency. If you don't consume enough protein in your diet, you may experience a wide range of symptoms, including duller and weaker hair.
As previously mentioned, your hair is comprised of protein. It consists of protein-based cells made of keratin that form the individual strands. Without protein, your hair will grow slowly -- or may not grow at all. You'll still need to include vitamin B7 in your diet, but protein is even more important because it's the building blocks from which your hair is made. You can find protein in all types of meats as well as nuts.
