Five Vitamin Rich Foods for Healthy Hair & Skin

Five Vitamin Rich Foods for Healthy Hair & Skin

Health hair and skin are a reflection of your physical health not just your physical appearance. We always hear that proper nutrition is needed for physical and mental health but this also is true for healthy hair and skin. Our hair and scalp get nourishment through our blood stream from the foods that we consume. A balanced,  healthy diet is essential to provide proper nourishment to your hair and skin. Here are a few foods rich in protein, vitamins, and mineral that will provide your body with the nourishment for healthy hair and skin.

Almonds

Almonds are considered to be a superfood packed and loaded with benefits for hair and skin from the inside and out. These nuts are packed with Vitamin E and magnesium. Magnesium is important to maintaining healthy hair and skin and a deficiency can contribute to brittle nails and hair loss. Also loaded with protein and fiber, almonds help boost the body's immunity to oxidative damage and stress. Our hair strands are made up of 70% protein, so excluding protein from your diet can lead to hair breakage. In the Tropical Life Sciences Journal, research showed that a supplement of almonds given to participants in an alopecia study helped improve hair growth.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have a ton of benefits for both hair and skin. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B, C, F, & E. Sweet potatoes are also rich in beta-carotene which your body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin by aiding in the production of sebum. A healthy amount of sebum help keep hair follicles moist and from becoming dry, excessive amounts of sebum can clog pores in the scalp. Beta-carotene is the reddish-orange color that is found in many fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash. Beta-carotene aids cells in fighting free radicals. The vitamin C content in sweet potatoes helps produce collagen, which keeps skin elastic and hydrated.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E all essential to nourish healthy hair and skin. Vitamin A helps support healthy cell growth in all body tissue and vitamin C helps produce collagen which is essentially important in the structure of healthy hair and skin cells. Just like sweet potatoes, butternut squash is full of vitamin A, which helps nourish dry hair and skin and keeps it from being dry and brittle. Butternut squash is carotene rich and gives hair and skin a healthy glow and appearance.

Spinach

Spinach is know around the world as a super-food. It's vibrant green leaves are loaded with vitamins A, C, E, & K as well as other essential vitamins and minerals that essential to healthy hair and skin. The Vitamin B in spinach is excellent in protecting your skin from sun damage, guarding from environmental damage, and destroying free radicals in skin.  Free radicals damage skin cells which can cause skin to age prematurely. Vitamin A and C in spinach plays a vital role in the growth of new skin cells and improve the appearance of your complexion. The powerful vitamin K is essential is essential in guarding against dark spots on your skin, stretch marks, and helps the body heal wounds.

Spinach is packed with iron, magnesium, and calcium which are essential for healthy hair. Many hair loss issues are linked to iron deficiency. Iron provides oxygen to the hair follicles which helps regenerate red blood cells and in turn aids in healthy hair growth.

Fatty Fish – Salmon. Tuna, & Mackerel

Fatty fish such as salmon. Tuna, and mackerel contain high levels of omega-3 and protein, both essential for healthy hair growth and beautiful glowing skin. Protein is necessary for your body to produce keratin, which is what your hair is made of. When your diet lacks protein your hair strands are more prone to breakage. Not only is protein necessary for healthy hair but it is essential for all cellular growth. The omega-3 fatty acids in these fish feed your your hair and skin the lipids that it needs to help your hair and skin cells keep moisture. These “good fats” help delay ageing by boosting collagen levels, preventing wrinkles, and tired dull looking skin.

A healthy balanced diet is essential to having healthy, beautiful hair and skin. What you feed your body with on the inside, reflects on the outside. Try adding a few of these delicious foods to your diet and your will notice the difference in your hair and skin.

Resources:

Beoy, Liam Ai, Wong, Julia Woei, Yuen Kay Hay Effects of Tocotrienol Supplementation on Hair Growth in Human Volunteers  Tropical Life Sciences Research 21, no.2 2010

Trueb, Ralph M,  oxidative Stress and the Ageing of Hair International Journal of Trichology vol. 1 2009

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