Great Superfoods for Healthy Hair - By: Milly James

We all know that a well-balanced diet is healthy for our body and critical for optimal health and performance. Our hair is no different. A mixture of protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and iron are all required for healthy, strong hair.

Good hair nutrition begins with getting enough protein, which is the building block of your hair. Then you need complex carbohydrates to help assemble the proteins for hair growth. Other important vitamins and minerals include B complex, which is associated with energy production and building good hair and skin issues, folic acid, B12, and zinc.

Hair follicles can have low energy levels just like we do. Therefore, it’s very important that you eat a high protein mean at the start of each day. Consider the following food choices for breakfast and the other daily meals in order to give you hair the healthiest opportunity to grow and thrive.

Vitamins essential for women:

1. Vitamin A - Antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp.

Food sources: Fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches.

2. Vitamin C - Antioxidant that helps maintain skin & hair health.

Food sources: Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables.

3. Vitamin E - Antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation.

Food sources: Cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables.

4. Biotin - Helps produce keratin, may prevent graying and hair loss.

Food sources: Brewer's yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk.

5. Inositol - Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level.

Food sources: Whole grains, brewer's yeast, liver and citrus fruits.

6. Vitamin B3 - Promotes scalp circulation. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, wheat germ, fish, chicken, turkey and meat.

7. Vitamin B5 - Prevents graying and hair loss.

Food sources: Whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast, organ meats and egg yolks.

8. Vitamin B6 - Prevents hair loss, helps create melanin, which gives hair its color.

Food sources: Brewer's yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, vegetables, organ meats and egg yolk.

9. Vitamin B12 - Prevents hair loss.

Food sources: Chicken, fish, eggs and milk.

Essential minerals for women:

Calcium (essential for healthy hair growth), Chromium (helps prevent hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia both of which can cause hair loss), Copper (helps prevent hair loss as well as defects in hair color and structure), Iodine (helps regulate thyroid hormones and prevents dry hair and hair loss), Iron (prevents anemia and hair loss), Magnesium (works with calcium to promote healthy hair growth), Manganese (prevents slow hair growth), Potassium (regulates circulation and promotes healthy hair growth), Selenium (keeps skin and scalp supple and elastic), Silica (strengthens hair and prevents hair loss), Zinc (deficiency can lead to dry hair and oily skin)

Pure diet along with stress, toxins in the environment, exposure to the sun, cigarette smoke, excess alcohol consumption and lack of sleep sometimes makes our bodies work overtime to maintain a standard of marginal health - not optimal.

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