7 food for hair growth and thickness You Should Be Eating Daily

Just as nutrients nourish your body, certain foods provide the proteins, vitamins, minerals and compounds that your hair needs to grow thick and strong. Incorporating more of these 7 foods for hair growth and thickness into your daily diet can support fuller, healthier locks naturally.

Why Diet Impacts Hair Health

Hair is primarily made of a protein called keratin. This protein is produced in the hair follicles from the nutrients in your bloodstream. A diet lacking in key vitamins, minerals and nutrients results in decreased keratin production and slower hair growth.

Additionally, inflammation or poor blood circulation in the scalp may restrict nutrient delivery to follicles. This further impairs hair growth and causes excessive shedding. Foods that reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, and provide essential nutrients ensure your scalp and follicles have what they need.

Making simple dietary changes to incorporate more hair-healthy foods will provide visible improvements in fullness and thickness as your locks grow in nourished.

Best 7 Foods for Hair Growth and Thickness

Focus on eating more of these 7 vitamin, mineral and nutrient-rich foods daily for optimal hair health:

Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and biotin, two nutrients essential for hair growth. Protein is needed to build keratin, while biotin creates enzymes that construct amino acids, the building blocks of keratin.

Fatty Fish

Salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines contain omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and nourish the scalp. Omega-3s also make hair shiny and strong.

Berries

Berries like strawberries, blueberries and blackberries contain antioxidants including vitamin C, anthocyanins and zinc that protect hair follicles from damaging free radicals.

Avocados

Avocados provide vitamins E and C to reduce oxidative stress, along with essential fatty acids that hydrate the scalp and hair.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds offer zinc, selenium, vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Brazil nuts have the most selenium of any food, which is key for hair tissue growth.

Spinach

Spinach delivers iron, folate, beta carotene and vitamin C for hair growth. Iron carries oxygen to follicles, while vitamin C aids iron absorption.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes serve up an array of hair-healthy vitamins A, C and E, along with beta carotene. Vitamin A speeds up production of sebum, which moisturizes hair naturally.

When you nourish your body with these 7 vitamin and nutrient-rich foods for hair growth and thickness daily, you provide your follicles with the tools they need to stimulate faster, healthier growth from within.

Nutrient Deficiencies That Contribute to Hair Loss

Not getting enough of certain key nutrients in your diet can negatively impact hair growth over time. Nutritional deficiencies that commonly lead to excessive shedding and thinning include:

Protein and Hair growth

Hair is mostly made of protein, so inadequate protein intake starves follicles of this essential building block. Extreme protein deficiency can cause widespread shedding known as telogen effluvium.

Biotin and Hair growth

Biotin is crucial for keratin infrastructure. Without enough biotin, hair may become brittle and break off easily.

Vitamin D and Hair growth

Studies show low vitamin D levels correlate to alopecia areata cases and female pattern hair loss. Getting enough vitamin D is important for robust hair health.

Iron and Hair growth

Iron carries oxygen to the hair follicles, which is imperative for growth. Low iron causes strands to thin and shed excessively.

Zinc and Hair growth

It supports cell division and tissue growth and repair needed for thick, healthy hair. Zinc deficiency is linked to hair loss.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Hair growth

Omega-3s nourish the scalp with essential fats to reduce inflammation that can inhibit hair follicles. Omega-3 deficiency may contribute to dry, lackluster hair.

Be sure to eat plenty of foods that provide these essential nutrients for optimal hair health and regrowth.

How Hair Grows

Understanding the hair growth cycle sheds light on why nutrition impacts the thickness and fullness of your locks:

Anagen Phase: Active hair growth phase lasting 2-7 years. Strands can grow around 1 cm per month. Follicles need nutrients and oxygen delivered via the bloodstream during this phase.

Catagen Phase: Transition phase stopping active growth and shutting down the hair follicle. Lasts 2-3 weeks.

Telogen Phase: Resting phase when old hairs detach and shed. Follicles remain inactive for 2-4 months.

Exogen Phase: After shedding, follicles return to anagen phase to begin actively growing new hairs.

This cycle repeats itself continually. Hair is at its thickest when 90%+ follicles are in anagen phase. Poor nutrition hinders follicle activity, prolonging resting phases and causing more hairs to shed.

How to Get More Hair Growth Nutrients In Your Diet

Maximize your daily consumption of nutrients for optimal hair health by:

• Eating high protein foods like poultry, fish, eggs, lean red meat, greek yogurt, beans and nuts
• Consuming omega-3 rich foods including salmon, mackerel, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds
• Eating iron-rich selections like spinach, lentils, red meat and fortified cereal
• Snacking on zinc-filled foods such as oysters, cashews, chickpeas and yogurt
• Adding a daily multivitamin to fill any nutritional gaps
• Taking biotin and vitamin D supplements if levels are low
• Staying hydrated with at least 64 ounces of water daily
• Limiting inflammatory foods like sugars, saturated fats and processed carbs

With a balanced, hair-healthy diet full of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients for growth, you provide your follicles with exactly what they need to thrive.

Lifestyle Tips for Healthier Hair

In addition to eating more foods for hair growth thickness daily, certain lifestyle habits can help promote faster, stronger hair:

• Taking breaks from tight hairstyles that cause tension on roots
• Minimizing use of harsh heated styling tools
• Massaging the scalp regularly to increase blood flow
• Quitting smoking to maximize nutrient delivery to follicles
• Managing stress through yoga, meditation and frequent exercise
• Getting sufficient sleep since hair primarily grows at night
• Drinking less alcohol which can deplete levels of zinc and other nutrients

Your lifestyle choices directly impact your hair’s health and growth rate. Optimize your daily habits for fuller, faster-growing locks.

Top Vitamins and Supplements for Hair growth

While nutrients from whole foods are best, if diet alone isn’t giving you the thickness you want, try adding in a balance of hair-healthy vitamins and supplements:

Biotin

Take 2.5-5mg of biotin daily to nourish hair follicles and increase keratin infrastructure.

Vitamin D

Optimize vitamin D levels through safe sun exposure, food sources and 1,000-2,000 IU of vitamin D3 supplementation to prevent thinning.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Take 1,000mg daily of fish oil, flaxseed or algal oil supplement to reduce inflammation for growing hair.

Iron

If iron deficient, take 30-60mg of iron bisglycinate or gentle iron supplement daily to ensure adequate follicle oxygenation.

Zinc

Take up to 50mg of zinc picolinate supplement if deficient to support hair tissue growth.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C aids absorption of iron. Take 500-1000mg per day along with iron supplements.

Talk to your doctor about dosage and your unique nutritional needs. Blood work can confirm which areas you should focus targeted supplementation.

Seeking Professional Help for Hair Loss

If increased shedding or thinning occurs suddenly or progresses rapidly, seek medical advice. A dermatologist can assess, diagnose and treat the problem.

Causes like nutritional or hormonal imbalances, medications, infections, autoimmune disorders, stress and hypothyroidism can trigger hair loss.

Your doctor may order blood work, a scalp biopsy, trichoscopy and other tests to determine underlying factors. Treatment may include topical or oral medications, supplements, light therapy, steroid injections or PRP.

Catching hair loss early and identifying causes gives the best chance of reversing damage and regrowing thicker hair.

Incorporating more vitamin and nutrient-rich foods for hair growth and thickness daily provides fuel for faster, healthier hair regeneration. But medical intervention may be needed based on your specific situation. Work with both a nutritionist and dermatologist.

Foods to Limit or Avoid for Optimal Hair Health

Just as nutritional powerhouses promote hair growth, other foods can impair follicle health. Limit or avoid:

Refined Carbs – Spike blood sugar and insulin to increase inflammation. Can cause dandruff which clogs follicles.

Sugar – Raises inflammation, damages collagen fibers, and depletes nutrients.

Saturated Fat – Increases bodily inflammation that restricts follicle growth.

Caffeine – Causes imbalance of hormones like cortisol and excessive shedding for some.

Alcohol – Depletes zinc, folate, iron and other hair health nutrients over time.

Artificial Ingredients – Chemicals and preservatives in processed foods accumulate over time and may disrupt hair growth cycles.

While treats are fine in moderation, limiting dietary inflammation and nutrient-poor foods provides the ideal nutritional environment for your hair to thrive.

Hope for Restoring Your Hair

If you’re experiencing thinning locks or loss, incorporate more vitamin and mineral-rich foods for hair growth and thickness daily. This nourishes follicles from within to stimulate regrowth. Avoid inflammatory foods that can impair hair health. Remaining patient through this process is key.

Consistency with targeted supplementation, medications, light therapy or other treatments as advised by your doctor can help get your hair regrowth on the right track.

Follow up routinely with your dermatologist. Get any necessary blood testing to identify nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalances that need correction. Adjust your diet and lifestyle accordingly.

While frustrating, hair loss is usually temporary. With a multifaceted approach, most people see significant improvement and restore their hair to a thick, healthy state.

The Takeaway

Eating a balanced diet higher in proteins, fatty acids, iron, zinc and vitamins C, D, A and B is invaluable for growing thicker, faster-growing hair. Incorporate more vitamin and mineral-rich foods for hair growth and thickness daily to nourish follicles from within. Avoid inflammatory foods that can impair growth. See a doctor promptly if excessive shedding occurs. Consistency, patience and a comprehensive treatment plan gets results. You can take action to promote a fuller, healthier head of hair.