What Are the Best Foods to Promote Hair Growth?

What Are the Best Foods to Promote Hair Growth?
by Jefferson Harris

are lean meat, fish, eggs, cheese, soy, nuts, beans, pulses and seeds.

Carbohydrates are an essential source of energy and therefore necessary for the
growth of body tissues, including hair. They are also an important source of the B
vitamins that are vital for hair health. It is much better for your health to concentrate
on consuming non-refined carbohydrates rather than the sugars and white flour that
are so prevalent in our foods today. You should try to eat plenty of fruits,
vegetables, whole grains and brown rice. 30-40% of daily energy comes from
consumption of carbohydrates.

Fat is used in energy production also, and can be found in different types in both
animal and plant foods. A certain amount of fat is required for proper brain and nerve
function, and also for absorption of certain fat soluble vitamins. In general,
unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated, and artificially manipulated fats such as
trans-fats, should be avoided altogether.

In order to get the right nutritional balance it is best to eat a variety of foods. That
way you will be more likely to get all the vitamins and minerals you need without
having to resort to supplements. There are a number of micro-nutrients that are only
required in small amounts by our bodies, but they are required. For good, healthy
hair growth it is necessary to be able to absorb the following from one's diet: vitamin
B6, B12, biotin, inositol, folic acid, vitamin C, magnesium, sulphur, silica and zinc.
Beta-carotene is also important to hair growth. This is because beta-carotene is
converted to vitamin A as the body needs it, helps maintain normal growth and bone
development, protective sheathing around nerve fibres, as well as promoting healthy
hair and nails. It really is amazing just how many different nutrients are necessary to
maintain a healthy head of hair. A deficiency in any one can have a knock on effect
and cause failure of hair follicles to reach their potential.

Whether or not you should supplement your diet with added vitamins and minerals is
open to debate. If you truly eat a healthy varied diet with lots of fruit and vegetables
you may not need to. It is possible that our modern intensive farming methods do
not imbue our produce with the same amounts of micro-nutrients that they once did.
It is probably quite acceptable then, to take a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement
just to be sure your hair is getting all its needs.

About The Author

Jeff Harris is the owner of , providing information on hair loss and how
to regrow your hair. Jeff has written specifically about .

Hair is made of keratin which is a
type of protein so obviously the body
needs adequate protein to grow hair.
Protein our diet is broken down in the
body to amino acids which are then
rearranged to form new proteins as
required. An adequate supply of
protein in our diet is necessary, not
just for hair growth, but also for
general body growth and repair. An
adult should consume about 15-25
grams of protein daily. An inadequate
supply of protein in the diet can force
hair into the resting stage, followed
by hair shedding a few months later.
The best sources of dietary protein

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.