If you want to maintain healthy hair, take a look at what you put on your plate. Heredity determines whether your hair will be thick or baby-fine. However, eating the right foods will help you maintain your hair at its healthiest potential.
What are the best foods to give you healthy hair naturally? In a WebMD article by Hilary Parker, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and registered dietician Andrea Giancoli explains that both men and women can maintain healthy hair by eating a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, legumes, fatty fish, low-fat dairy products and lean proteins.
According to Giancoli, each food supplies an important set of nutrients that your body needs to maintain strong, beautiful tresses. Fatty fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which give you a healthy scalp and shiny hair. Low-fat dairy products an are excellent source of protein, which is needed to prevent a dull color and brittle texture. Legumes provide you with zinc to keep your scalp hydrated. Carrots and dark green vegetables give you vitamin A, which creates natural conditioners for your hair and scalp. Citrus fruits and berries are full of antioxidants, which increase blood flow to the scalp.
A well-balanced combination of these foods can be found in the Mediterranean Diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, to follow the Mediterranean Diet simply eat: red meats and sweets occasionally; low-fat dairy products, poultry, and eggs weekly; fish and seafood once or twice a week; and fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, seeds, and olive oil as the basis of every meal. A typical day on the Mediterranean Diet would look like this:
Breakfast:
1 cup cooked oatmeal
½ cup skim milk
½ cup blueberries
½ oz chopped pecans
1 slice whole wheat toast
½ tbsp olive oil spread
Lunch:
1 cup black bean soup or ½ cup seasoned black beans
1 slice whole grain corn bread
Salad made of: 2 cups of spinach and ½ cup halved strawberries. Topped with ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ oz balsamic vinegar, and ½ oz toasted walnuts.
Dinner:
Orzo salad made with:1 ½ cups cooked orzo, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved, ¼ cup chopped onion, and ½ cup cooked lentils or cannelloni beans. Dress the salad with 1 clove minced garlic, ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ oz balsamic vinegar, and 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese that have been whisked together.
½ whole wheat pita bread
½ cup steamed broccoli
½ cup sliced fresh peaches
Snack:
1 5.3 oz container of plain Greek yogurt
1 apple, sliced
