The Great Diet for Healthy Hair – Top 7 Foods, Vitamins, and Nutrients

Posted by clnews Diet, Nutrition Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

Elizabeth Renter
NaturalSociety

Something about a healthy, thick head of hair signals a healthy person. The health of your hair is often related to the health of your body. Like your skin, your hair can indicate deficiencies and disease. While shampoos and conditioning treatments may improve the appearance of your hair, treating it from the inside will provide lasting results. This is why you must know the diet for healthy hair, and what food and nutrients to consume to make your hair healthy.

“Your hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch every month, and the foundation of all of our new hair, skin, and nail growth is the nutrients we eat. If you eat a healthy diet, you will grow stronger and healthier cells throughout your entire body — inside and out,” Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a dietitian says.

Overall good health and well-regulated hormones lead to thick, shiny hair. When you eat an optimal diet of natural foods and minimal additives, preservatives, and artificial colors and flavors, you will see healthier hair. It’s pretty simple to see how a diet for healthy hair really can work.

But what herbs, vitamins, and foods in particular can improve the condition of your hair?

Diet for Healthy Hair – Top 7 Foods and Nutrients

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Chalk up another benefit for omega-3′s. These fats are excellent for scalp health and can reduce dry scalp, leading to shinier hair. Find it naturally in fish like salmon and sardines, or walnuts and flax.

2. Biotin – Biotin is a B vitamin that is needed to keep hair from being brittle. Other B vitamins including B12 and B5 are also good for healthy hair. Consider a B-vitamin complex supplement or eat B-rich foods like legumes (beans), brazil nuts, and oats.