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Looking to improve the health of your hair and encourage it to grow more quickly? Us too. The quest for longer, stronger, and thicker hair is a complicated one, unfortunately. The journey might require hair growth supplements, tweaks to certain habits, renewed dedication to your scalp health, and topical solutions. It should also include the foods you eat.
Key takeaways
- Healthy hair growth can be supported by eating certain foods.
- Those foods contain protein, vitamins, and minerals that feed and support the hair follicle throughout its growth phase.
- Eating too little, crash diets, rapid weight loss, and not eating enough protein can all contribute to hair loss.
Can food affect hair growth?
Yes, but there’s a caveat, says Rhian Stephenson, nutritionist and founder of Artah. “You can fix nutrient-driven hair loss that comes about as a result of nutrient deficiencies, with diet and supplementation, but in most cases, a holistic approach is best.”
What are the factors that affect hair growth?
If you’re experiencing hair loss or hair shedding, focusing on the right nutrition will likely only be one part of the puzzle. “From a functional medicine perspective, hair loss can also be driven by stress, hormonal imbalances (thyroid, insulin, and sex hormones), autoimmunity, and chronic inflammation,” Dr. Vijay Murthy, an Ayurvedic and functional medicine doctor, explains. This means that if the root cause of your hair loss lies outside of a nutrient deficiency or dietary imbalance, you’re unlikely to move the needle that much by only focusing on your food.
Rose Ferguson, nutritionist and model, tells Vogue that she often sees hair loss slow down when things like under-eating or insufficient protein intake are corrected. “Hair is built from protein, and it’s metabolically expensive, so ensuring you’re eating enough protein throughout the day—and getting it from different sources—is crucial,” she says. A double win, as well as being good news for your hair, eating adequate protein is also one of the quickest ways to help preserve your muscular tissue and support nervous system function.
“Sorting out low iron, zinc, B12, folate, vitamin D, iodine, and essential fatty acids often makes a visible difference as well,” she tells me. Though like Dr. Murthy, Ferguson is also quick to add that genes, hormones, perimenopause, PCOS, postnatal shifts and thyroid issues, medication, illness, and stress can all change the hair growth cycle, too.
Now for the good news. If your hair loss is down to certain nutrient deficiencies, adopting a healthy diet for your hair can help. Here we have listed the best foods for hair growth, as selected by the experts.
Best foods for hair growth
Eggs are a complete protein source for keratin, the protein that makes up the hair, Ferguson explains. “Plus, there’s biotin and choline in the yolk,” she adds, both of which support the healthy production of keratin and optimal hair follicle formation. Other biotin foods include organ meats, certain vegetables, like sweet potatoes and spinach, and seeds and legumes.
“Salmon, sardines, and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids that help keep the scalp environment calm. They also contain a helpful dose of vitamin D and iodine,” says Ferguson.
“Pumpkin seeds are my go-to for zinc, which your follicles need to keep hair in the growth phase,” Stephenson explains. A simple way to eat more seeds is to pop them in a blender or food processor until they become a grainy powder, which can be sprinkled on top of salads or stirred into yogurt.
“Seeds, especially pumpkin seeds, flax and almonds, provide zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for scalp circulation and reducing inflammation around hair follicles,” Dr Murthy adds.
Another vegan hair growth food, berries are stuffed full of antioxidants, which can help protect hair follicles and boost collagen.
“Red meat, liver (sparingly), shellfish, lentils, and spinach paired with a source of vitamin C to help with absorption can help with healthy hair growth,” Alex Manos, functional medicine practitioner at The HVN, says. “Because of the role iron plays in hair follicle proliferation, low iron stores are often one of the areas we investigate when we see diffuse (evenly across the head) hair loss.”
While the evidence is mixed, Manos says that iron deficiency is a recognised and reversible factor with hair loss in certain people, but especially women. If in doubt, an iron or ferritin blood test will confirm iron deficiency or anaemia.
Stuck for iron-rich recipes? Think warming stews made with beef, lamb, or chicken livers, or, for a vegetarian option, one that contains lentils, spinach, and sweet potato.
In moderation, Brazil nuts can be a hugely helpful source of selenium, a trace mineral that helps with immunity, cell damage, thyroid health and hair growth. However, you only need to consume a small amount – one to two Brazil nuts – to reap the benefits.
In his clinic, Murthy blends functional medicine with Ayurvedic practices and likes to pair protein-rich foods with dark, leafy vegetables like Moringa and curry leaves for their iron and chlorophyll. “This helps support both haemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, as well as prana – vital life force.” Stephenson also points out that leafy greens “feed your follicles with iron, folate, and vitamin A, all of which are important for hair growth.”
As beneficial as it is trendy, bone broth can help support the connective tissue around the hair follicle, as well as that in your skin. “Bone broth or collagen powder can top up glycine and proline,” Ferguson explains, noting that these two amino acids are important for collagen production.
Stephenson recommends incorporating legumes like lentils, beans, peas, and chickpeas into your diet, due to their protein, iron, and lysine, all of which help to support and fortify hair.
“A spoonful of fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, or live yogurt helps with gut health and nutrient absorption,” Ferguson explains. A high-quality probiotic can also help with diversifying the bacteria in your gut, helping a healthy microbiome to flourish.
Murthy likes healthy fat sources like ghee, avocado, and cold-pressed sesame oil to nourish the bodily systems Ayurveda links to hair health—bone tissue and marrow or nervous tissue. For similar reasons, Ferguson says she’s generous with her intake of extra virgin olive oil and nuts. “They’re supportive fats that carry fat-soluble nutrients,” she explains.
Are there any foods to avoid?
There are five to steer clear of, according to Stephenson.
- “Ultra-processed foods spike inflammation and disrupt hormones, as well as being low in micronutrients,” she says.
- Alcohol can deplete many of the micronutrients, like zinc and B vitamins, that hair follicles rely on.
- Excess mercury can impact keratin and trigger shedding.
- Crash diets that induce micronutrient depletion and stress can also impact hair health.
“Fiber-deficient diets can also fuel inflammation and impair nutrient absorption,” she continues. “What’s most important is an overall healthy dietary pattern of whole foods, lots of fibre, adequate protein, and healthy fats.”
Are supplements necessary if I eat these foods?
It will depend on the reason for your hair loss. If the cause of your hair loss is based on a nutrient deficiency, then supplementation may not be necessary after you’ve course-corrected your nutrition.
As for supplements, Manos notes to proceed with caution. “High-dose vitamin A or selenium supplements can cause hair loss in excess,” he explains. “Foods that are rich in both of these, like beta-carotene-rich carrots or leafy greens, are better than large doses of preformed vitamin A.”