9 Foods You Should Eat to Accelerate Hair Growth
If you want your hair to grow faster and you don’t know what to do anymore, pay attention. Maybe all you need is to make a change to your diet. On many occasions, food provides us with everything we need to resolve small problems.
Regularly including a series of essential nutrients can stimulate hair growth and improve its quality. For this reason, we recommend a change in dietary habits to adjust the guideline to your individual needs. Read on to know more about it.
Foods to accelerate hair growth
Next, we’ll mention the foods that have a greater influence on hair growth. In this way, you can make sure to consume them regularly.
1. Salmon
Salmon is a fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that helps to strengthen the hair follicles and promote hair health.
Various scientific studies have demonstrated that if you consume these types of acids regularly for half a year, it will help telogen, which is the resting phase of hair follicles following catagen.
- That being said, the consumption of foods that are rich in omega-3 will help promote hair health
- Additionally, salmon is rich in Vitamin B12 and iron, which also aid in hair health
2. Chicken
Chicken is a meat rich in animal protein. Protein is fundamental for the production of keratin, the substance that 80% of your hair is made of.
- If you’re deficient in this type of protein for 2 or 3 months, your hair will stop growing at its normal rate, and it will begin to fall out.
- Any meat can help you increase your intake of animal protein, but chicken is one of the healthiest options.
3. Almonds
This type of dried fruit is rich in vitamin E. This nutrient helps activate hair growth and strengthen it. Some experts even affirm that the contribution of said vitamin can slow down its fall, as evidenced by a study published in Dermatology and Therapy.
- Consuming 20 almonds a day is enough to provide 70% of your recommended daily intake of this vitamin.
And if that weren’t enough, they are also rich in many substances that are great for your hair, such as biotin, fatty acids, and B vitamins.
4. Oysters to accelerate hair growth
Oysters aren’t just a delicacy, they are also great for your hair. They’re a food rich in zinc which helps your hair grow better and with more shine. You only have to eat one oyster to get the recommended dose of this mineral.
If you can’t eat oysters every day, there are other zinc-rich options that are also great for promoting hair growth. For example:
- Wheat
- Figs
- Beef
5. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in B vitamins. These are great for hair growth, as well as for improving the appearance of your hair overall.
- To improve the health of your hair, add pumpkin oil to your diet. Thanks to its properties, it’s a great complement for problems such as alopecia.
6. Lentils
Lentils contain a high amount of iron, one of the essential nutrients to ensure healthy hair growth. A serving of lentils contains about half of the recommended daily dose of this food.
Also, lentils are rich in zinc and choline. These nutrients are essential to normalize the blood circulation of the scalp.
Read this article: Learn How to Make Delicious Lentils with Vegetables
7. Eggs
Eggs are one of the foods with the most protein that we can find. In addition, it provides a significant amount of vitamin B12.
As if that weren’t enough, eggs are also rich in biotin. Biotin is an important vitamin in the creation of keratin, so it can benefit hair and nail growth. According to a study published in Skin Appendage Disorders, the effectiveness of biotin has been shown in some specific cases.
If you regularly consume this food, your hair will grow stronger than ever and very quickly. Try it, and you will see!
8. Spinach
This is a leafy green vegetable rich in different micronutrients such as vitamin A, C, folic acid, iron, and zinc. All these micronutrients play a fundamental role in hair growth, although it’s not yet entirely clear.
A study published in the journal Dermatology and Therapy cited above also showed that deficiency of these nutrients is a risk factor for alopecia. Therefore, the consumption of spinach can be very beneficial for hair health.
9. Avocado to accelerate hair growth
Avocado is one of the most beneficial foods for hair. Although there are a large number of masks that promote hair health, avocado intake also brings excellent benefits to hair.
This is a food rich in vitamin E. In fact, it provides a large part of the daily requirements of this micronutrient. As stated before, vitamin E promotes hair growth and is also capable of slowing hair loss in some cases.
Foods not recommended for hair growth
Just as there are foods that can stimulate growth, there are others that we should avoid if the goal is to have healthy, strong hair that grows at a good rate. They’re foods that were made by refined elaboration processes and with high contents of sugars and trans fats.
- This is a series of products that cause swelling, alter our hormonal levels, and favor the appearance of fungal infections. This directly promotes setbacks such as hair loss.
As for sugar, it can end up causing abundant hair loss and even breakage of hair follicles (with the consequent deficit in growth). Although this doesn’t mean that the intake of sugar should be eliminated, since they have other properties, it’s best to take this into account.
Finally, you just have to know how to control yourself and not abuse these types of products in your diet while replacing them with other healthier alternatives. Your hair will thank you.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Guo EL, Katta R. Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use. Dermatol Pract Concept. 2017 Jan 31;7(1):1-10.
- Glynis A., A double blind, placebo controlled study evaluating the efficacy of an oral supplement in women self perceived thinning hair. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2012. 5 (11): 28-34.
- Ibrahim, I. M., Hasan, M. S., Elsabaa, K. I., & Elsaie, M. L. Pumpkin seed oil vs. minoxidil 5% topical foam for the treatment of female pattern hair loss: A randomized comparative trial. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2021; 20(9): 2867-2873.
- Almohanna HM., Ahmed AA., Tsatalis JP., Tosti A., The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatol Ther, 2019. 9 (1): 51-70.
- Murphrey, M. B., Agarwal, S., & Zito, P. M. Anatomy, Hair. 2018.
- Oh JY, Park MA, Kim YC. Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs. Toxicol Res. 2014 Dec;30(4):297-304.
- Panahi Y, Taghizadeh M, Marzony ET, Sahebkar A. Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Skinmed. 2015 Jan-Feb;13(1):15-21.
