Foods that Help Regrow Hair

Normally, the cycle of hair growth lasts for about 2 to 3 years and during this time, each hair grows up to 1 cm per month. When 90% of the hair on your scalp is in this growth phase, the remaining 10% is in the resting phase which falls off.

This hairfall phase could last for about 3 to 4 months simultaneously. Therefore, it is absolutely normal to lose some amount of hair during this phase. However, if you are losing excessive hair for a continuous period of 4 to 5 months daily, you need to consider hair loss treatments.

Hair loss is something that all of us experience and there can be various reasons such as, hormonal problems, genetics, inappropriate diet and lifestyle, medical treatments or aging. Even though some of the reasons are out of our control, we can surely regulate our diet and lifestyle to avoid voluntary hair loss.

Our diet is the only way our body can receive all the required nutrients. Thus, consuming foods that are rich in the 5 main nutrients such as; vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats is very essential for a healthy body.

All these nutrients have their own significance in the metabolism, thus should be present in substantial amounts in the body. Just the way our body needs nourishment, our hair also needs nourishment for better growth and health.

Hair growth requires proteins, vitamins (A, B, C, D, E) and minerals (iron, zinc, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium) in adequate amounts to give stronger and healthier results.

Known to be the best sources of vitamins A and C are green and dark green vegetables, such as; spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard, etc. The vitamins A and C are extremely important for hair regrowth, as they help in producing a waxy material, sebum, which is produced by the sebaceous glands of the hair follicles. It acts as a natural conditioner to your hair and is a great stimulant for hair growth.

There are various nuts which promote healthy hair growth, because of the presence of useful vitamins and minerals in them. Almonds, are the richest sources of vitamin E and iron which are two important nutrients that stimulate hair growth.

Iron helps produce more blood in your body and vitamin E helps in blood circulation, thus nourishing the cells in your scalp. Other nuts such as; Brazil nuts and walnuts, are good sources of selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acids, which also help in hair growth.

Cashews and pecans are high in zinc, which helps in protein synthesis and absorption of vitamins.

For those who love to eat seafood and fish, you can have very healthy hair growth. This is because you will find salmon to be an extremely rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, hair proteins, and vitamin B12.

These nutrients provide nourishment to the cells and roots of the hair, thus providing strong and healthy hair strands. Other fish such as; mackerel, catfish, sardines, herring and tuna are rich in vitamin D, that reduces hair loss through its conditioning properties. Oysters and shells are excellent sources of the antioxidant, zinc.

Meat such as beef and turkey, poultry such as chicken and eggs, are great sources of vitamin B and proteins. These foods for healthy hair include vitamin B12 that enhances the production of red blood cells, and improves blood circulation in the scalp, nourishing the cells. These are also good sources of zinc, proving absorption of other required vitamins and nourishing the scalp.

Consuming dairy foods like cow's milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, etc., could provide you with calcium, proteins like whey and casein, and vitamin B. These nutrients are essential for building the hair follicles and strengthening the roots of the hair. This is will reduce hair loss and make the existing hair healthy and strong. They are also sources of biotin and pantothenic acid, two important factors in hair growth.

A few other foods that help hair to grow again are whole grains such as wheat and oats. Whole wheat consists of silica and iron, both help in absorption of important vitamins and minerals.

Whereas, oats are rich in other minerals like potassium, magnesium and phosphorous. Citric acid fruits like oranges, grapes, lemons, etc., provide vitamin C that helps in the formation of collagen, a vital protein needed for hair growth.

Soybeans include vitamin E and iron, and chickpeas include vitamin B6 and zinc. All these are important for hair formation and strengthening.

From these foods that help regrow hair, you can not only achieve healthy hair, but a nutritious diet that improves your overall body health. So, make sure you keep your diet and lifestyle appropriate so that you won't have to suffer too much hair loss.