Minerals And Nutrition To Make Your Hair Strong

Hair is composed of a protein called Keratin. This fibrous protein is non-living, so hair is essentially dead. However, it grows as a result of nourishment that reaches your hair follicles through your bloodstream. For the average person, the growth of hair is very slow – about half an inch every month – whereas up to 100 strands of hair are shed daily. This may fluctuate amongst different individuals due to a variety of reasons ranging from stress to malnutrition or hormonal problems. In order to maximize the health of your hair – or rather hair follicles – it is important to eat a balanced diet with the right kind minerals and vitamins so that your hair remains strong, healthy and thick.

Zinc

Hair loss and even baldness has been linked to a deficiency in zinc, a mineral that is crucially important for hair growth. Both meat and dairy products are an excellent source of zinc. However, they both also contain saturated fats which can promote hair loss.

Depending on your palette, you can find zinc in various kinds of food. Chocoholics can indulge in anything that has cocoa powder, whereas those who are inclined towards health food may make use of sunflower seeds, cashews, wheat powder and oysters in their diet.

Biotin

In order to have a healthy head of hair, biotin plays an important role. Part of the B complex vitamins, biotin is important to have in your diet to avoid hair loss and dry, dull hair. Biotin can be found in liver, egg yolks, cauliflower and oatmeal. In order to optimize the benefits of these essential vitamins, food items containing thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic and folic acid are recommended.

Iron

Apart from hair loss, lack of sufficient iron in your body can also lead to fatigue and depression. Iron is important for producing red-blood cells, which in turn is important for transporting oxygen to different parts of your body. An iron deficiency means that an insufficient amount of blood and oxygen is flowing towards your scalp, which affects your hair’s health as hair follicles become weak. Apricots, black-eyed peas, soybean, liver, clams, oysters, berries, dried fruits, figs, pine nuts and whole grains are the kinds of food you should eat in order to increase the amount of iron in your system.

Vitamin C

According to research, in order to effectively absorb the iron we’ve eaten, vitamin C is necessary. Having citrus fruits, such as oranges or grapefruits, are recommended after having a meal that was rich in iron. Vitamin C can be found in many vegetables such as those dark green leafy ones such as spinach, asparagus, potatoes, broccoli, green peppers and brussel sprouts, as well as fruits such as oranges and tomatoes. These are important to include in your diet in order to absorb the iron you have consumed effectively.

Vitamin E

Not having enough vitamin E can result in hair loss, along with weakened nails that break often. A good source of vitamin E includes nuts and seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pine nuts. These are also likely to have essential fatty acids as found in walnuts, flax seeds and fish, which play a significant role in maintaining healthy hair. Other sources of vitamin E include avocados, as well as olive oil.