If you dread trips to the barbershop and cringe every time you pass a mirror, there’s a pretty good chance you’re concerned about hair loss. Whether you’re starting to see strands of your hair at the bottom of your shower or are just worried that your thick head of hair won’t last forever, there are helpful foods that prevent hair loss.
Making sure certain foods are in your diet will help keep your scalp healthy, happy, and hopefully, hairy. Here are some foods that prevent hair loss:
Fish, Eggs and Beans
Hair is primarily made of protein and, therefore, it makes sense to eat a protein-rich diet if you’re trying to maintain your healthy hair. However, eating steak every day isn’t going to help you. High-fat diets will result in increased testosterone levels, which have been linked to hair loss — so steaks are not among the foods that prevent hair loss.
Stick to leaner proteins such as fish (which has a myriad of health benefits beyond just maintaining your hair), chicken, calf’s liver, brewer’s yeast, low-fat cheese, eggs, almonds, beans, and yoghurt. Soy milk and tofu are also smart to add to your diet because they are high in protein and low in bad fats.
Raisins
Iron plays a key role in manufacturing haemoglobin, the part of the blood that carries oxygen to your body’s organs and tissues. When your haemoglobin is at a healthy level, oxygen is properly dispersed. This means your scalp is getting a good flow of blood, which will stimulate and promote hair growth. Adding more iron to your diet doesn’t mean you have to feast on liver day in, day out, but when you’re craving something sweet, remember that dried fruits (like raisins) and cherry juice are packed with iron.
Eggs, dates, raisins, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, and whole-grain cereals are all high in iron. Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron, so fruits such as oranges, strawberries and lemons should be on your grocery list of foods that prevent hair loss.
Bean Sprouts
Silica may not be a word you commonly hear associated with diet (or foods that prevent hair loss, for that matter). If you’re looking to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss, however, silica will need to be on your menu.
The body uses silica to help it absorb vitamins and minerals; if you’re not consuming silica, eating your vitamin sources might not be helping much. Silica can be found in bean sprouts and the skin of cucumbers, red and green peppers, and potatoes. Remember, when you eat these foods raw, as opposed to cooked, you’re getting more nutritional value out of them.
