Baldness is one condition that people shun away from if they can. Often, the condition occurs because of genetics but can other things cause it too? As a matter of fact, the food you eat can be a cause.
Some studies have shown that what you ingest can affect the feel and growth of hair. Not consuming the appropriate nutrients each day can make those lovely strands brittle, causing them to fall out.
Fortunately, with the proper nourishment, your mane will remain strong, healthy, and shiny.
Get enough protein
Like every part of your body, your hair requires nutrients too. Hair mainly consists of protein.
This means that a deficiency of protein in your daily regimen could cause thinning of the hair.
The best sources of protein include fish, steak, dairy products, chicken, legumes, eggs, soy, and beans.
Iron-rich foods matter too
Iron is also an essential nutrient for healthy hair. The hair follicles found at the root of each hair needs nourishment by healthy nutrients and a blood supply that’s rich in iron.
People deficient in this nutrient tend to shed hair. Iron-rich foods include chicken, fish, and red meat along with green leafy veggies and lentils.
A nutrient-rich diet is essential to avoid hair loss
Nutrient-rich diets include a variety of nutrients needed not just for the hair but for the whole body.
These can include healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids and biotin along with an adequate amount of monounsaturated fats. These are essential in making the hair strands stronger and have a smoother texture.
Biotin is a vitamin of the B complex involved in the synthesis of fatty acids and glucose. You can get this from egg yolks, yeast, liver, and more.
Produced in the digestive tract, it acts against the presence of “bad” gut bacteria by controlling their production. This could lead to better hair health.
You can take biotin as a supplement as well to make sure that you always have a healthy gut.
The nutrient selenium may also help prevent hair loss, however, only in very minute quantities. Aside from its role in the health of hair and in tissue growth, it also has antioxidant properties. A handful of Brazil nuts can give you the proper dose needed by the body each day.
Also, make sure that you eat enough
Keep in mind that hair is a type of protein and for it to grow, it requires an adequate amount of protein intake plus sufficient calories, and other nutrients that help build protein in the body.
This is one reason why people who suffer from anorexia often have bald spots on their heads.
One practice that isn’t recommended is restricting the intake of carbohydrates or calories. Doing this means that the body will utilize its protein reserves for energy.
Protein is NOT an efficient energy source and its use has an adverse effect on tissue growth – which includes the skin, nails, and hair.
Furthermore, especially for active people, not consuming enough food speeds up hair loss. You can avoid this by eating balanced meals packed with key nutrients that the body regularly needs.
