Nutrition for healthy hair

Is your hair brittle, lacks shine, are you experiencing excessive hair loss? You may need to change your dietary habits. This will not only benefit your hair, but also your well-being.

To improve the appearance of hair, it is important to use quality hair care products, but optimal results are achieved if the hair care is supported by a balanced diet. An unbalanced diet causes a lack of certain vitamins and minerals, so we have to consume more of essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and drink enough water.

When we decide to improve our diet, it is best to exclude caffeine drinks, as they bind water and cause dehydration. Disordered digestion leads to retention of toxins in the body, and hence, slower circulation and inadequate supply of nutrients.

Proteins

The main component of hair is keratin (protein), therefore we should eat food rich in protein every day to enhance growth and renewal of hair. These are found in meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy products. Vegetarians can eat protein with nuts, wholesome grain, seeds and soy products.

Minerals

Minerals also play an important role in the healthy appearance of hair. For example, iron deficiency causes excessive hair loss. To meet the needs of the organism, enjoy red meat, liver, egg yolk, fish, dark green vegetables and dried fruit. Mineral Zinc helps with dandruff problems. Natural sources of zinc are eggs, shellfish, wheat and brown rice.

Vitamins

Vitamins are important for healthy skin and hair appearance. Meat, milk, dairy products, eggs and cereals are rich in vitamin B. Vitamin A is present in cabbage, broccoli and spinach, vitamin E in nuts and oils, vitamin H (biotin) in milk, cereals and yeasts, and vitamin B12 in the paddy rice, nuts and eggs. Vitamins provide hair with elasticity, so it does not break.

More meals per day

For a balanced diet it is advisable to eat several small meals per day. Breakfast is very important, as it gives us energy for the part of the day when we are most active. It should therefore take up one fifth of the food we consume each day. Morning and an afternoon snacks should take up a little less than 10 percent, and the biggest meal, lunch, should take up 34 percent of the daily intake.

The majority of food should be consumed in the first half of the day, when we need more energy. The first three meals, breakfast, snack and lunch, should together cover about 70% of the daily intake of food, whereas the afternoon snack and dinner should account for 30%. We need the energy during the day, when we are active, not before bedtime when the body is already calming down.

It is important not only to adjust the timing of meals; each meal should cover all of the food groups: dairy products, fruits, vegetables, meat, carbohydrates and fats.

Sample menu

The sample menu below was designed by a nutritionist, Nada Milač. It is designed for women 30 to 40 years old, 170 cm tall, who weigh 60 to 65 kg.

A balanced diet will strengthen your hair and nails, your skin will be more shiny, and overall you will feel better.

In order to have beautiful hair, avoid drinks with caffeine, sweet drinks, sugar, salt, margarine and saturated fatty acids. The results of the new diet will not be immediate, but in a few months the changes will be visible.