We all want to keep our hair in good condition. When it comes to promoting healthy hair, we tend to think about how we take care of it. Do we wash it too often… or not often enough? Do we use good products? Do we blow dry it too much or use heat styling tools – or do we try to avoid them wherever we can?
Of course, it’s not just about what we do (or don’t do) directly to or with our hair that counts. You’ve heard the saying ‘we are what we eat’ – well, it seems our hair could show this in action, too.
Let’s highlight five foods that could affect your hair growth. If you’re experiencing hair loss or you want to prevent hair loss, see whether any of them are featured in your diet.
1: Tuna
Fish is good for you, right? Well… yes, but there are caveats. One study found that eating fish rich in mercury could have a negative effect on hair growth. Indeed, the study looked at women who were experiencing thinning hair and hair loss and found both these women were eating plenty of tuna – and blood tests revealed their had high mercury levels in their system. When they reduced their tuna intake, their hair loss was said to improve. Swordfish and mackerel are also known to have higher levels of mercury in them than other fish.
You don’t need to give up fish though. Salmon is a good option that tends to be lower in mercury, along with cod, sardines, and all types of shellfish.
2: Sugar
We all know sugar can be bad for us, especially in excess. However, you may not realize it may also affect hair growth. If you eat anything that is high in sugar, your blood sugar will go up. Insulin spikes, signaling more androgens to be released too. Androgens can lead to your hair follicles getting smaller or miniaturized, which doesn’t bode well for healthy hair health.
3: Oily Foods
This covers a lot of different foods – even healthier ones if you cook them in plenty of oil. Saturated fat causes its own problems, but a diet rich in oil could lead to an oilier scalp. If you notice your hair is particularly greasy, try cutting down on oils in your diet – especially saturated oils and fats. They may clog the pores on your scalp, leading to smaller hair follicles and problems with hair growth.
4: Raw Egg Whites
Few people eat these, so it may not trouble you. Cooking them is fine – but if you do ever consume raw egg whites, they may lead to a drop in biotin. If you’ve been reading our blogs, you might have read of biotin before, along with the positive role it plays in helping support healthy hair growth. You’ll also find something called avidin in raw egg whites. This makes it harder for your body to absorb biotin, making raw egg whites doubly problematic for your hair.
5: Diet Soda
Okay, so this covers drinks rather than food, but we are including it here because a lot of people drink diet soda to avoid sodas that are rich in sugar. It makes sense but lots of these drinks contain aspartame – an artificial sweetener. Research suggests that aspartame could cause damage to your hair follicles. So, look for other tasty drinks to have that avoid soda altogether if you can.
Focus on Your Diet to Support Healthy Hair Growth
Plenty of foods are good for hair growth. If you’re suffering from hair loss, there could be all manner of reasons why this is the case, including genetics. However, food may also be a key factor to consider. If you’ve noticed thinning hair or more hair fall than usual, look at your diet to see if any of the above five foods (or those diet sodas) are present. If they are, you could make some quick and easy changes that could help reduce or prevent hair loss.
And if you are having issues with hair loss, you can ask your haircare provider for advice on how to style it – or have a different cut altogether – to make sure it looks good day to day.
For a complimentary, private, in-person hair and scalp analysis, contact the team at Unique Hair Concepts near Bronx, NY.
