Aside from the amount and quality of hair products that you use in your hair, another important factor to growing long natural hair is your food intake. That’s why I want to share 10 best foods for natural hair growth you can start eating today. The quality of foods that you eat will have an effect on how fast your hair can grow, as well as the look and feel of your hair.

If you’ve ever heard of the popular phrase which says that “you are what you eat”, you will also know that your hair is what you eat.

Because your hair isn’t vital for life, it receives nutrients last, after the rest of your body have already received the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. This means that if you’re not eating the right foods in the right quantity, your hair growth factory will slow down and your hair won’t grow as long as you want it to.

So if you’re wondering what you should be eating so that you can grow your hair long and healthy, I’ve put together a list of top ten food sources for long natural hair growth you can incorporate into your diet.

Please note that you don’t have to eat every single one of the food items listed here in one day, as the most important thing is for you to include a variety of these food items in your daily food intake and in an appropriate amount.

Top Ten BEST Foods For Natural Hair Growth 

1. Beans

Packed with protein, zinc, iron and biotin, beans and other legumes provides the hair with protein which the hair needs to stay strong. If you’re not into taking hair pills such as biotin pills, beans also provides an adequate amount of biotin which helps to stimulate hair growth without the side effects that a pill can have on your body. 

2. Beef

Beef contains an abundant amount of protein which the hair needs for optimal hair growth. If you’re on a low-fat diet, you can opt for lean beef or substitute beef for other protein-packed foods such as beans, fish or chicken.

3. Poultry

Like beans, poultry products such as chicken and eggs are also packed with protein and biotin. Protein deficiency in one’s diet can result in weak brittle hair and faded hair color. Vegetarians can eat whole eggs instead of chicken. If you’re a vegan, you can eat other food items on this list

4. Salmon

Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and iron, salmon ensures the scalp produces an adequate amount of sebum, which is a natural oil that keeps the scalp and hair moisturized. Sebum also prevent against itchy dry scalp, which can slow down hair growth.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our diet because our body doesn’t produce them and so they must be consumed. Salmons can be expensive, so you can substitute it with any other oily fish. If you’re a vegan, you can take supplements such as omega-3 fish oil.

5. Oats

I rarely eat breakfast, but when I do, I like to eat oatmeal because they are very filling, which means that I don’t feel hungry until later in the afternoon.

What I love about eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning is that they don’t leave a strong after taste in my mouth like other breakfast items such as sausages, fried eggs or toast. It also leaves me full and satisfied, without feeling heavy.

Also, I like to add different toppings to my oatmeal for a fun breakfast!

Unlike other food sources on this list, oatmeal are very cheap and easy to make. Plus, you can add a few teaspoons into your morning shake, and bring breakfast on the go with you!

You can tell I love oatmeal!

Oatmeal is packed with an abundant amount of B vitamins, zinc, protein, copper, potassium, and iron.

These vitamins and minerals all work together to provide optimal hair growth, reduce hair loss and strengthen the hair against breakage.  and an overall healthy body.

For a supercharged breakfast, you can add 2 teaspoons of flaxseeds, some walnuts, and a cup of milk to your oatmeal in the morning. And just watch your hair grow during the course of the day.

6. Carrots

They contain an excellent source of beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes a healthy sebum production, an important oil on the scalp that provides shiny hair.

The best way to get the most out of your carrots is to eat it raw, either as a snack or in a salad. You can also juice or blend it with other fruits.

7. Sweet Potatoes

Like many orange-colored foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes also contains an abundant amount of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps the scalp to produce the sebum, an important oil that keeps your hair from drying out and breaking off. Vitamin A also promotes the growth of healthy cells and tissues that contributes to healthy hair growth.

8. Nuts

Walnuts, along with cashews, pecans and almonds contains a good amount of zinc which helps to reduce shedding and promote hair growth. If you’re looking for a nut to start munching on, I suggest walnuts because they contain omega-3 fatty acids.

These are the good fats that contributes to a healthy production of sebum, which is the natural oils on your scalp that conditions the hair.

Be sure to buy unsalted and unsweetened organic nuts so that you can get the most nutrients out of these snacks.

9. Seeds

Healthy seeds such as flax seeds contains plant-based omega-3 fatty acids which helps to ensure a healthy and conditioned scalp by ensuring that the follicles in your scalp produces an adequate amount of sebum.

An adequate production of sebum increases your hair’s elasticity, strength, and thickness.

Always buy unsweetened and unsalted seeds so that your body can get the most nutrients out of these power snacks. 

10. Spinach and Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Packed with vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum, a natural hair conditioner that is secreted by your hair follicles. A deficiency of these vitamins can result in dry brittle hair that will break off.  Spinach also contains a high percentage of water which helps to keep the hair hydrated.

Incase you start to notice any setbacks such as slow hair growth, breakage, dry itchy scalp, or dullness, you should assess your diet to see if it’s lacking any of these power foods. If it is, then you should modify your diet and get cooking!

As you might have noticed, most of these food sources contains nutrients that helps regulate sebum production.

This is an essential oil that conditions the hair when it grows out of the scalp. An adequate amount of sebum can help to reduce the amount of hair products applied on the hair and scalp. While a deficiency will have you reaching for your scalp oil, leave-in and deep conditioner more often than necessary.

This means that a healthy balanced diet will not only help promote hair growth, it will also help you save money on hair products. Mostly because the hair that’s growing out of your body is already healthy and it doesn’t need so much products to stay healthy.

Now that you know that you can eat your way to healthy long hair, you can start to incorporate these food sources into your weekly meal plans so that you can ensure that you eat a balanced diet.