Struggling with hair thinning and loss? Perhaps your diet could be worsening the issue. It’s widely known that a balanced, protein-rich daily menu is vital for healthy hair growth, and frequently consuming processed, sugar-laden foods with refined carbs may have an adverse impact on your tresses over time.
We spoke to hair experts who shed light on how pastries and other similar packaged, sugary foods could result in hair thinning. They also recommended some healthier alternatives to achieve stronger, fuller, and healthier locks. Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Dr. Yoram Harth, MD, board-certified dermatologist and Medical Director of MDhair and Ghanima Abdullah, a hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles.
Experts Explain The Correlation Between Sugary Pastries And Thinning Hair
Consuming sugary and processed snacks like pastries not only fail to promote good health, but consistent consumption can lead to hair loss and thinning over time, Harth points out.
"Eating excess amounts of sugar and refined carbs can hurt hair regrowth in multiple ways" he says. Firstly, sugary food and refined carbs are shown to "increase inflammation, further increasing hair loss."
The increase of insulin levels caused by eating an excess of sugary food, he adds, can "also damage the blood vessels on the scale, reducing the amounts of oxygen and micronutrients reaching the hair follicles."
He stresses avoiding foods like these that have "preservatives, artificial flavors, and food colors," as they increase free radicals in our scalp, causing more "damage to hair follicles and reducing hair reduction."
Abdullah concurs, and notes that "a key thing to understand is that many health problems are first manifest in the hair, either with thinning or loss of hair quality."
She deems this to be "one of our bodies' ways of alerting us to a problem." Eating a lot of sugar, or "foods that convert quickly to sugar," she goes on, can "inhibit circulation in the body."
This means it's possible your hair follicles "might not get enough nutrition via the blood to produce healthy hair and to hold on to the hair you have." Again, she says, "this also means foods that become sugar quickly."
The Best Foods And Nutrients To Grow Stronger Tresses
Now that you have acquired knowledge on the topic, it is clear that certain food items can prove to be more beneficial than others for the health of your hair.
Abdullah has highlighted the significance of incorporating keratin synthesis into your dietary habits if your aim is to promote the growth of stronger hair.
"My three picks for boosting keratin synthesis are eggs, salmon and liver," Abdullah says. She points out that each of these fall into biotin and protein-rich categories.
"Separately, biotin and protein both increase keratin synthesis in the body, so together, they increase the chances of having stronger hair and nails," she adds.
In addition to this, protein-rich and cysteine-packed foods are also suggested by her for those who are dealing with hair loss issues. "This seems like a no-brainer, but eating protein-rich foods really does help keratin synthesis," she says.
"Keratin is the protein that makes up most of your hair and nails, so getting more of it in your system will help keep them strong despite your age."
She also encourages readers to eat more "protein-rich foods such as yogurt, meats like chicken and beef, legumes and nuts." Abdullah cites cysteine as another "building block for keratin production." Foods that contain cysteine, she concludes, are sunflower seeds, soy derivatives, onions and dates.
The more you know!
