The Best And Worst Foods For Hair Health
By the time people turn 50, about 50% of women and 85% of men will have lost hair. If you want to delay this fate, you'll want to focus on your diet. Yes, diet. In 2018, researchers concluded that a Western-style diet impairs both our skin and hair.
When it comes to hair, low-fat and more produce doesn't cut it. Some foods that people warn against, including red meat and eggs, help your hair grow faster and stronger. Some foods that people praise--such as vitamin A supplements--can harm your hair if you eat too much. Delay your gray hair by learning the best and worst things to eat.
BEST: Eggs, The Hair-Growth Stimulation Agent
A study in the Journal of Medicinal Food reported that egg yolk stimulates hair growth in mice. Why? According to the study, egg yolks prompt vascular endothelial growth-- a phenomenon that researchers call a "hair-growth stimulation agent." In other words, eggs create more proteins that aid hair growth.
One egg provides 11% of your daily vitamin D, which also thickens your hair over time. While some people apply egg yolks directly to their heads, eating cooked eggs works just as well.
WORST: Juice Cleanses Don't Help
If a juice cleanse recipe asserts that it promotes healthy hair, don't believe it. Often, juice cleanses cause hair loss. "When juicing was all the rage, my clinics were booked solid," trichologist Anabel Kingsley told the Daily Mail. She added that juices often don't contain enough nutrients to sustain hair.
The most important nutrient for hair is protein, which juice cleanses consistently lack. Dr. Kingsley says that when the body lacks nutrients, hair is the first organ to go since it's not vital to the body. Save yourself from this pain by eating enough protein.
BEST: Avoid Gray Streaks With Rosemary
Whether you eat rosemary or apply it as an oil, it all helps your hair grow. A 2013 study in Phytotherapy Research found that rosemary oil regrew hair in mice. Two years later, another study in Europe PMC reports that an oil mixture including rosemary rapidly increased hair growth over six months.
Rosemary's anti-bacterial abilities unclog hair follicles and inhibit hair loss. You can add some more rosemary to your cooking or look for hair products with the oil in it.
WORST: Diet Soda And Other Artificial Sweeteners
While zero-calorie sodas might aid your weight, they don't help your hair. Many diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame. The FDA claims that Aspartame--also found in Equal and Nutrasweet--causes hair loss and thinning in people.
Researchers believe that phentolamine, the product that produces the sweet flavor, breaks down in the body to create a toxin. In short, the compound breaks down to become formaldehyde, which pushes hair into the telogen resting phase when locks fall out. Avoid products with artificial sweeteners if you want to prevent hair loss.
BEST: Avocados Provide Much-Needed Healthy Fats
Avocados are stuffed with "healthy fats," monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that provide helpful fatty acids. "Essential fatty acids are really important," states Apple Bodemer, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Washington. "People who are on really, really low-fat diets [have] hair breaking and hair falling out."
Avocados also provide antioxidants like vitamin E that guard your hair against free radicals. This prevents hair damage that would otherwise cause your locks to grey early on. Some hair products contain avocado oil, but it's better to eat these fruits for their healthy fat content.
WORST: This Favorite Dries You Out
To put it bluntly, alcohol dehydrates you. Your hair requires moisture, so frequently drinking alcohol dries out your hair and skin. From a science perspective, alcohol prevents your body from absorbing zinc.
Zinc is important because low-zinc diets contribute to hair loss, according to Dermatology Practical & Conceptual. Most people over 60 receive less than the daily recommendation of zinc. If you cut back on the alcohol, your skin and hair will thank you.
BEST: Shiitake Mushrooms Are More Than Enough
Shiitake mushrooms nourish your hair with their high amounts of copper. A study in Dermatologic Clinics connected copper malnourishment to unhealthy hair. One cup of cooked shiitake mushrooms yields 145% of your daily recommended copper. That's everything you need for strong hair in one serving.
Common mushrooms, Maitake, Honshimeji, and Matsutake mushrooms also supply high amounts of copper for your hair.
WORST: Stop The Sugar!
Hair is made from protein, so protein absorption is essential for healthy locks. Unfortunately, sugar interrupts the body's ability to fully absorb protein, according to a study in BMC Nutrition. Researchers discovered that drinking soda with a meal made participants feel less full as well.
Dr. Apple Bodemer, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Washington, told Today that sugar's inflammatory properties are to blame. The inflammation binds hair follicles, which leads to strands falling out. "High sugar diets are coming more into play [with hair health]," Bodemer said.
BEST: Almonds Provide A Much-Needed Vitamin
Almonds contain a plethora of nutrients that promote hair health, with the main one being vitamin E. During an eight-month trial published in Tropical Life Sciences Research, scientists discovered that taking 100 mg of vitamin E every day increased hair growth by 34%. One ounce of almonds offers 35% of your daily recommended vitamin E.
It's no wonder why shampoos and conditioners frequently contain almond oil. But a topical won't prevent your hair from falling out, which is what almond's high magnesium content does. For stronger, faster-growing hair, enjoy a snack of almonds or almond butter.
WORST: Swordfish Is A Mercury Trap
Some fish, such as salmon and shrimp, provide hair with healthy fatty acids. Others have a high amount of mercury that damage our hair. In Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers connected high amounts of mercury to hair damage. High-mercury fish include swordfish, mackerel, and certain types of tuna.
As a general rule, the larger the fish is, the higher levels of mercury it contains. Swordfish poses the greatest risk for hair health of all. But other fatty and oily fish, such as shrimp, crab, most tuna, and clams, encourage healthy hair growth.
BEST: Get More Than Enough Zinc From Oysters
While some types of fish harm your hair, oysters give you all the hair-healthy nutrients you need. Six oysters supply 30 mg of zinc--over double your daily requirement. Zinc is crucial for hair growth, as studies have linked zinc deficiency to hair loss. With oysters, you don't have to worry about high mercury content.
A scientific review in Dermatology Research and Practice recommends consuming 5 mg of zinc per kilogram of bodyweight if you want to grow your hair out. Just a few oysters will provide enough zinc for many adults to grow their hair naturally.
WORST: Avoid Anything Fried
Fatty, fried foods contain hydrogenated oils that may cause people to lose hair. Researchers explain that fat and hydrogenated oils combine to increase our body's DHT levels, a hormone that causes hair loss. In particular, the oils suppress fatty acids need to grow healthy hair.
Oddly enough, research in Biomaterials indicates that McDonald's fried ingredients may prevent hair loss. So far, this study has only shown up in mice, but it indicates that not all fried food can be bad. We still don't recommend a diet full of McDonald's, though.
BEST: Eat Red Meat For The Sake Of Your Hair
In recent years, many people have demonized red meat as unhealthy. But protein is crucial for long-term hair growth, and red meat helps more than most other protein sources. Trichologist Lisa Caddy explains that red meat contains ferritin, an iron that helps the body produce hair cells.
"If you have a [ferritin] deficiency, the growth of hair cells can be badly affected," Dr. Caddy told the South China Morning Post. She elaborates that the risk of ferritin deficiency is especially high with menstruating women, so don't be afraid to enjoy some red meat.
WORST: Too Much Salt
Salty foods may taste great, but they're not great for your hair. Just as hair can become damaged from saltwater, it can fall out from too much salt. If you're dehydrated, your hair will suffer.
In addition, high levels of salt can prevent important nutrients from entering your hair follicles. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends eating no more than 2,300 mg of salt a day, or 1,500 for those over 50. Your hair will thank you for it.
