Hair loss affects millions of people in the United States. It is a very common condition, but it can significantly impact our self-confidence. While there is no magic solution to stop hair loss the moment a single strand falls out, there is something you can do to slow down hair thinning.
Nutrition is a great way to regain control over your scalp health. By consuming nutritious fruits and vegetables, you can naturally slow down the shedding of hair. Nutrition-based hair loss reduction is a very healthy and holistic process that is very safe for everyone to follow.
Here are 17 foods you can include in your diet to reduce hair fall and regrow hair:
- Spinach
Spinach naturally contains sebum, which is an essential ingredient for moisturized and conditioned hair. When you eat spinach, you increase sebum content in your scalp. Spinach also contains potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamins A & C, calcium, folate, magnesium and iron. These are essential to keep hair healthy and prevent breakage.
- Greek yogurt
If your hair loss is due to severe hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, then Greek yogurt will be a good addition to your diet. Yogurt contains iodine and selenium, which help provide the nutrients necessary to reduce thyroid gland enlargement. This too helps slow down hair loss by keeping hair in the anagen phase, the active growth phase of hair.
- Nuts, seeds & berries
Pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and blueberries have anti-hair-loss properties. They are chock-full of antioxidants like tocotrienols and beta-sitosterol, which remove harmful free radicals from the body. This helps preserve the important proteins which keep your hair healthy and shiny.
Nuts, berries & seeds also have many vitamins like Vitamin B5 and Vitamin C.
Vitamin C in particular is used by the body to produce collagen, which regenerates cellular damage to skin and hair cells.
- Sweet potato
Sweet potato may look simple; but it is a nutritious food. It contains beta-carotene, iron, potassium, copper and magnesium. Together, these nutrients heal and regenerate the hair follicles and skin cells in the scalp, improving the health of your hair.
Sweet potato also has a cleansing and de-clogging effect. Its nutrients break down the dirt and toxins in your scalp pores, allowing your hair follicles to breathe.
- Barley
Barley contains Vitamin E, which absorbs UV radiation from the sun and prevents hair bleaching & breakage. Additionally, barley has nutrients like niacin, procyanidin-B3 and thiamine. This promotes hair follicle cellular growth, reducing the appearance of thinning. Barley also prevents the formation of dandruff.
- Bok choy
Ferritin is a very important protein, that stores unused iron in your body, for later use. When ferritin levels are low, you experience hair loss because of iron deficiency. Iron is necessary to carry oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to your hair roots.
Bok choy is a leafy vegetable that contains lots of iron and ferritin. Eating Bok choy regularly can help ensure you are never iron deficient. Vitamin C has been shown to increase iron absorption.
- Chicken
Chicken contains an omega-6 fatty acid called arachidonic acid. It has been discovered to improve the expression of certain factors which reduce hair fall and stimulate hair growth. Additionally, chicken is a very rich source of protein, which has the ability to strengthen brittle hair.
- Eggs
Eggs are a great way to address the problem of dry and rough hair, in addition to hair fall. They contain a vitamin called Biotin, which hydrates the follicles of your hair, helping them stay attached to the scalp for longer. This vitamin is also the same one which gives our fingernails their strength.
- Lentils
Lentils are chock-full of folic acid, which are highly essential for the well-being of the RBCs (red blood cells) which carry oxygen-rich blood to your scalp. In addition to this, lentils contain a combination of vitamins and minerals like zinc, biotin, iron and proteins. This improves hair vitality and slows down the rate of hair fall.
- Red meat like beef
Iron deficiency causes a lot of hair loss, particularly in women. A serving of beef, even as small as 4 ounces (0.15 kg), can give you 20% of the iron content you need for the day. Not only beef, but any red meat can help. Eating it 2-3 times a week, can help you increase your iron intake, reducing hair fall.
- Seafood like Halibut & Oyster
All seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have a very healing effect on your hair and skin. They moisturize and enrich your skin with nutrients. They also reduce the skin inflammation that comes after hair loss. The decrease in inflammation quickens the cycle of hair regrowth.
Halibut in particular contains high levels of magnesium, which is instrumental in reducing the insulin levels in your body – which is responsible for hair loss. Oysters have a high concentration of zinc in them. This zinc is necessary for cellular rebuilding of hair follicles and repair of hair damage.
- Soy
Recent research indicates that isoflavones in soy can help reduce hair fall by impacting DHT concentration. DHT is very harmful to the hair of people who are sensitive to it. DHT shortens the hair lifecycle tremendously and reduces the size of the hair follicle, promoting hair to shed in clumps.
Isoflavones reduce DHT accumulation in your hair follicles, protecting them from shedding.
- Honey
There’s a reason many hair conditioners contain honey. It contains humectant and emollient properties.
Honey has the ability to easily bind water molecules to hair roots, moisturizing them. This keeps the nutrients in the hair sealed in and ensures the hair lives longer. Additionally, honey has the ability to give hair a beautiful smooth texture and shine you, love.
- Avocados
Avocados are enriched with Vitamin E, potassium, biotin and magnesium, which are enormously helpful in keeping weak hair follicles strong. It’s also been found that the Vitamin E in avocados can seal-in cuticles and repair any damage to the skin on the scalp. This creates a conducive environment for hair fall to slow down and regrow.
- Beetroot
Drinking a glass of beetroot juice every day can strengthen your hair by infusing it with essential Vitamin A, Vitamin C and potassium. Beetroot has the ability to tighten the pores on the scalp, ensuring the hair roots are tightly lodged in your scalp. Beetroot has also been found to increase the hair’s absorbability, allowing it to take in more nutrients.
- Papaya
One papaya has more Vitamin C and potassium, than what is present in one large orange. Eating papaya regularly or even applying fresh papaya paste to your scalp can hydrate your hair, reduce dandruff and prevent hair thinning.
Papaya can also restore softness and smoothness to your hair.
- Oatmeal
One of the primary reasons for hair loss in men and women is increased insulin levels. Oatmeal contains beta-glucans, which improves your insulin sensitivity and slows down hair fall.
Oatmeal is also a rich source of protein and nutrients like folic acid, iron, biotin and zinc.
Do you need faster results?
Nutritious foods are very effective in slowing down hair loss and boosting hair growth. But, it can take months, sometimes years for the effects to be seen. If you don’t want to or you can’t wait so long, you can always consider hair restoration treatment.
Dr. Roy B Stoller is one of the most experienced and highly-qualified hair transplant specialists practicing in New York City. He has over 25 years’ experience helping men and women regain their beautiful hairline through timely treatment.
We specialize in cutting-edge hair restoration procedures that are minimally-invasive and safe for patients of all age groups. Depending on your unique medical history and hair restoration needs, we recommend a treatment that can help you get back your shiny crop of hair, in just a few sessions.
Feel free to reach out to us to schedule a consultation.