Let’s talk good nutrition and healthy hair — because you can’t have one without the other. Even though so much of hair shedding and loss is attributed to genetics as well as stress and hormonal changes that occur during and after pregnancy and menopause, there’s a lot to be said for maintaining a balanced diet that’s rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and healthy fats if your goal is you have beautiful hair.
Eating the right foods is crucial for hair health, but so is avoiding foods that we know can thwart our hair goals. Avoiding these ultra-processed foods can help if you suffer from hair loss — and here are some foods that are worth swapping in their place.
Eat Less: Bacon
Bacon and other ultra-processed meats contain nitrates, chemicals, and preservatives that can disrupt your health and hair growth by causing inflammation.
Eat More: Fish Like Salmon
Don’t be fooled into thinking processed meat gets a pass because of its protein content. While it’s true that your hair and body need protein to be heathy, you’ll get far more benefits from fish like salmon, which is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids that are amazing for hair health.
Drink Less: Soda
The high sugar content in soda causes inflammation in the body, and inflammation negatively affects your hair follicles and can make shedding and hair damage worse. Aside from a quick burst of energy that it provides, there are few if any redeeming qualities to sweetened carbonated beverages, and the less of them you can include in your diet, the better for you.
Drink More: Water
If you’re thinking: “but water is SO boring,” hold that thought. You likely already know how important water is for removing waste and toxins from your body, as well as for hydrating every cell and follicle in your body. It’s important for healthier hair, as well. If you find it to be too plain and unappetizing, try adding a squeeze of citrus or a refreshing mix of cucumbers and mint to your H2O to jazz it up.
Eat Less: Breakfast Cereals
Breakfast cereals are often loaded with sugar — far more than you may think. As we already mentioned, that sugar can lead to inflammation in the body. Adding milk to your cereal can provide the benefits of calcium and vitamin D, both important for hair, but its fat content may also increase testosterone levels in the body, and can make both hair shedding and dandruff worse.
Eat More: Eggs
Breakfast is always a good idea for boosting your energy levels. But instead of eating cereal every day, consider swapping it for high-protein eggs, which are chockfull of vitamins and minerals that are great for your hair. Adding a sliver or two of avocado also provides healthy fats that are important for hair growth.
Eat Less: Instant Soup
Instant soup is fast, easy to make, and you may think it’s a healthier alternative to fast food. That may be true, but it’s also often loaded with sodium, and all of that sodium can zap your body of moisture and hydration. Your hair requires healthy levels of hydration to stay strong and grow well.
Eat More: Homemade Soups
Don’t stop eating soups — just try making them at home so that you eliminate preservative and high salt content. You can easily make a batch of chicken soup on a Sunday that’s full of veggies and proteins for healthy hair — and that soup will freeze beautifully so that you can eat it throughout the week.
The key to healthier hair isn’t to deny yourself delicious foods, but to swap not-so-great choices with healthier ones that are equally as delicious.
