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: Oatmeal with Blueberries
Breakfast is always a good idea for boosting your energy levels. But instead of eating cereal every day, consider swapping it for fiber-rich oatmeal, which helps satiate you. Add blueberries for a naturally sweet antioxidant boost and nuts like almonds to get more vitamin E, healthy fats, and protein into your diet.
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.
Eat Less: Red Meat
According to Dr. Yoram Harth, MD, board-certified dermatologist and Medical Director of MDhair, another food commonly linked to hair loss, thinning and weaker strands is red meat, especially when processed and/or paired with fried food. "Try to reduce the amount of meat and fried food in your diet," he says, as "eating high amounts of red meat and fried food is shown to increase inflammation and promote the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT)." This male hormone, he adds, is related to androgenetic hair loss. And, red meats have also been shown to worsen the risk of heart disease by raising your cholesterol and clogging your arteries.
Eat Less: Large Sea Fish
Mercury, found in various types of fish and packaged/processed ones, is often "associated with hair loss" when eaten in excess, Harth says. "The bigger the fish, the higher levels of mercury," he points out.
Harth recommends trying to "avoid or reduce the amount of fish like mackerel, swordfish, and tuna" in your diet if you're already struggling with hair loss or thinning. "Opt for fish low in mercury like cod and salmon," he advises instead. Salmon has been shown to boost hair volume and shine.
Eat More: Salmon
We’re sorry for again singing the praises of salmon, but it’s THAT GOOD for your health — and your hair.
