Want healthy, long hair? Eat right

When your hair is in bad shape, it is difficult to feel confident and happy because it is the first feature people notice when they look at us.

Hair is made up of keratin, a type of protein. Keratin cells are found in the outer layer or cortex of the hair shaft. The inside or medulla contains melanin-producing cells that give hair its colour.

Good health means cells produce enough keratin for healthy hair growth, which makes hair look good. But if you lack specific vitamins, this can cause your scalp to dry out and inhibit hair growth.

Vitamin C

This vitamin has antioxidant properties, which protect your body from free radicals. Antioxidants are thought to slow down the aging process and prevent damage caused by these harmful particles. Vitamin C also helps build collagen in your skin, bones, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels.

Collagen is a critical component of healthy hair growth because it strengthens your hair shaft. Vitamin C also promotes the absorption of iron, which is another essential mineral for healthy growth.

If you are deficient in iron, your body will not absorb enough oxygen to produce new cells, including those responsible for fast hair growth.

As a result, iron deficiency can cause thinning and loss of hair colour or even baldness. Foods rich in Vitamin C include citrus fruits, grapefruits, and strawberries.

Vitamin B

Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, or vitamin B-complex are all Vitamin B family members required for healthy hair growth. Vitamin B stimulates blood flow to your scalp while strengthening individual strands from root to tip.

This family of vitamins is responsible for the synthesis of fatty acids in your body and strengthens hair at its base. Vitamin B plays an integral role in regulating cell metabolism to grow appropriately, including keratinocytes or skin cells underneath the hair shaft.

Biotin is another member of the Vitamin B family necessary for hair growth because it promotes cell metabolism and helps maintain strong nails, skin, bones, and healthy nerve cells in your brain. Foods rich in vitamin B (Biotin) include peanuts, seafood, bananas, and brewer’s yeast.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A plays a crucial role in cell growth and differentiation because it supports proper skin function.

If you are deficient in this vitamin, your scalp will make less sebum or oil to moisturise your hair during its growth phase, known as anagen. Sebum also acts as a natural conditioner for your hair and prevents it from drying.

Vitamin A also stimulates the production of collagen, which gives hair its strength. Without enough vitamin A in your body, you may experience loss of eyebrows and eyelashes. Foods rich in this essential nutrient include carrots, apricots, spinach, and kale.

Vitamin D

This vitamin is a vital regulator of calcium and phosphorous in the body. These two minerals work together to promote cellular metabolism, which means they help your cells grow old while regenerating others through division. Vitamin D also enables you to absorb calcium from foods to be used for other bodily functions such as building strong bones. In addition, the nutrient has been shown to improve hair thickness, texture, and growth.

People deficient in Vitamin D often experience thinning of their hair. This condition leads to a slower development time for new hair or a delayed anagen phase. Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon, egg yolks, and whole milk.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant vitamin that protects your cells from free radicals and slows the aging process, which can speed up hair loss. 

This nutrient also boosts circulation to stimulate blood flow around your scalp for faster growth of healthy new hairs. Foods rich in Vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, turnip greens, and kiwi.

Other essential minerals for hair growth include magnesium, iron, calcium, and zinc, which are important for healthy cell division. Therefore, eating the right foods containing these minerals and other nutrients is important for fast hair growth.