You can slather your hair and nails with every miracle strengthening product under the sun, but truly luscious locks and strong nails begin from within. Just as a healthy diet is important to keeping your complexion clear and bright – nutrient and protein rich foods are the key to achieving strong hair and nails. If your hair and nails are in need of a beauty boost, try adding one of these foods to your diet for a nutrient pick-me-up.
But don’t expect to see results as soon as your finish your salad or smoothie – unlike your skin, which can show the results of a dietary change in just a week, nutritional changes can take months to have a noticeable effect on your hair. But it’s all worth it for stronger tresses and break-resistant nails!
Salmon – Since hair and nails are made up primarily of the protein keratin, it makes sense that the key to making them stronger is a food that’s packed with protein. Salmon also contains tons of hair and nail strengthening vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which help the body grow hair and produce scalp-hydrating oils.
Avocados – The creamy superfood is full of vitamins B and E, which work on a cellular level to protect and strengthen hair. Vitamin E also helps repair scalp damage, which is essential since the root of a healthy head of hair is (quite literally) a healthy scalp.
Lentils – These little legumes are rich in biotin, a type of B vitamin that is often recommended for people suffering with brittle hair or nails for it’s keratin-enhancing properties. Skip the supplement aisle of your local pharmacy and save some cash by getting your biotin fix from lentils, which also come packed with iron and zinc, which foster hair and nail growth, and that all-important protein.
Eggs – One of my go-to breakfast staples, eggs are full of protein, zinc, selenium and iron, which helps carry oxygen to the hair follicles. A lack of iron can actually cause hair loss and cracking in nails, which is the exact opposite of what we’re going for here. So omelettes for breakfast it is!
Oysters – Oysters contain plenty of zinc, which a deficiency of is the culprit behind annoying issues like a dry, flaky scalp, hair loss, and those obnoxious white spots and lines on your nails. While zinc can be found from supplements and other sources, oysters also have the benefit of being packed with hair’s favorite nutrient, protein.
Sweet Potatoes – This bright orange veggie is filled with beta carotene, which the body turns in vitamin A. Vitamin A prevents against brittle, dry and easily breakable nails, as well as helps produce scalp-sustaining oils that keep dandruff away.
Flaxseeds – Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, which nourish hair follicles to create shiny and strong hair that grows quickly. These “good” fatty acids can also help prevent dry and brittle nails and reduce inflammation in the nail bed, making for overall stronger and healthier nails.
Blueberries – Fad superfruits may come and go, but blueberries have staying power for the amount of vitamin C they contain in such a tiny package. But vitamin C does much more than just boost our immune system – it helps improve scalp circulation and supports the blood vessels that feed hair follicles, as well as strengthening the nails and the skin that surrounds them, helping prevent those nasty hangnails.
Spinach – This leafy green is filled with Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A. Snack on a spinach salad, or use it to boost your morning smoothie and reap the benefits like nourished cuticles, protection against psoriasis that can cause nail pitting and shinier hair.
Soybeans – Another legume had made our list, thanks to the healthy dose of zinc and protein each serving contains. Zinc is known for making up the enzymes that create proteins, and a deficiency of it can cause everything to hair dryness, brittleness and alopecia.