Yes, just like other parts of the body, hair also needs feeding. With the increasing levels of pollution, stress, sleep irregularities, usage of strong chemicals (cosmetics), etc, our hair quality is fast deteriorating.
Just as our body is made of protein complex so is our hair. It needs optimum enzyme and hormonal functioning to grow and maintain its lustre and shine.
So, what are the hair foods ??
For hair sebum production: Fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches. These are rich in sebum producing Vitamin A. 2 to 3 servings of these foods together is required daily to meet the vitamin a requirements.
For healthy scalp: Stack up vitamin C through 1-2 servings of either Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables. Along with Vitamin C, another powerful antioxidant is Vitamin E. The sources are cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts.
For keratin production and hair growth: Keratin is a protein which makes our hair skeleton. Hence good quality protein from dairy products, eggs, meat, soya beans, pulses needs to be taken daily. The production of keratin needs a vitamin called Biotin. It is found in Brewer's yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk.
For general hair health: inositol found in Whole grains, brewer's yeast, liver and citrus fruits is required for healthy hair at cellular level. Also the requirement of Vitamin 6 is high for the absorption of many minerals and enzyme functioning.
To prevent hair loss: Foods rich in vitamin B12 like Chicken, fish, eggs and milk are required.
Some minerals like Iodine found in table salt and foods produced from iodine rich soil are essential for thyroid hormone regulation which is required for hair texture.
Remember, no nutrient is an island unto itself, meaning every nutrient requires other nutrients as cofactors, either for activation or function from each of the nutrient categories, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.