Written by the UPGUYS Editorial Team

Published on November 16, 2021

Regardless of our gender, many of us are looking for an abundance of thick, long hair, and we consider it an ultimate beauty goal. If you've Googled "what should I eat to boost my hair growth" and landed here, there is good news. Where there's a will, there's a way!

There are 20 recommended foods in this particular case, which can help you eat your way into healthy and beautiful hair.

Without further ado, let's dive in.

The list of all the items you need to have a healthier body and hair

Necessary nutrients for hair growth

Factors such as age, genetics, and hormones can affect hair growth, but one thing we can control is what we eat. So let's get to know the nutrients that encourage hair growth.

Biotin

Biotin (aka vitamin H) is a B vitamin. To be more precise, it's vitamin B7 that helps our body convert food into energy and may help hair grow and strengthen. Biotin is found in egg yolk, liver, and yeast.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, so any extra biotin in our body will flush out through urine.

Vitamin B12

Much like biotin, Vitamin B12 promotes healthy hair growth by producing oxygen-rich red blood cells, feeding hair follicles.

Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, so vegans or vegetarians may not be getting enough of it. The good news is that plant-based vitamin B12 supplements help vegans and vegetarians get enough B12 without consuming animal products.

Vitamin B12 animal and plant-based resources

There aren't any risks associated with vitamin B12 supplements because any excess amount in our bodies will flush out naturally.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D stimulates new and old hair follicles. New hair growth can be challenging if you don't have enough vitamin D in your system. Vitamin D deficiency may cause alopecia - the condition that causes bald patches on the scalp.

Vitamin E

Having enough vitamin E in your system is essential for a healthy scalp. Vitamin E supports your scalp while simultaneously giving your hair a strong base to grow from, all by reducing oxidative stress in the scalp and protecting the lipid layer.

Having a vitamin E deficiency is quite rare because most of us get plenty of it through a balanced diet. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against the oxidative stress caused by free radicals. It also helps your body absorb iron, another nutrient necessary for hair growth.

Strawberries, peppers, guavas, and citrus fruits are all excellent sources of vitamin C.

Vitamin C in fruits

Iron

Iron deficiency has been linked to hair loss, and your doctor might prescribe you iron supplements to treat this condition.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Anti-inflammatory effects of Omega-3 fatty acids can counteract any inflammation that's causing hair shedding.

20 best foods for hair growth

Here is a list of food items that boost your hair follicles.

Hair growth foods

1- Salmon Fish

Salmons are full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. You can't make these healthy fats in your body; you have to get them from supplements or foods.

Omega-3 fatty acids help you not only protect yourself from diseases but also help your hair to grow and shine.

2- Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is full of proteins and vitamin B5, which means it will help your hair get stronger and improve the blood flow to your scalp.

3- Spinach

Spinach - like many other dark green leafy vegetables - is full of necessary nutrients. Spinach has lots of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, folate, and beta-carotene. All these nutrients will help you to have a healthy scalp to grow hair.

4- Kale

Much like spinach, kale is another great green leafy vegetable that is packed with nutrients. The high amount of vitamin C in kale helps build collagen, which is highly important in hair growth.

5- Guava

Guava is a tropical fruit that is not only delicious but full of vitamin C. Among other benefits of vitamin C, it protects your hair from breaking and helps it grow longer and stronger.

6- Beef

Beef, particularly organ meats like liver, is rich in protein and iron, important for hair health and growth.

7- Iron-Fortified Cereal

Iron deficiency can lead to hair loss. As mentioned above, iron can be found in meat, but if you have a diet that prohibits you from consuming animal meat, you can still find this vital nutrient in fortified cereal, grains, pasta, and soybeans, and lentils.

Iron plant-based resources

8- Oysters

Oysters are among zinc-rich foods, and zinc is involved in hair growth and maintains the oil glands around the hair shaft. A low level of zinc can lead to dandruff, slow growth, and even hair loss.

9- Clams

Just like beef, Clams are an excellent source of iron. 

10- Chicken and Turkey

Lean poultry is a smart option for getting protein in your diet. Chicken or turkey have all the protein you need, while they have less saturated fat than other protein sources like beef or pork.

11- Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are full of beta-carotene, which your body uses to make vitamin A. Having enough vitamin A encourages scalp glands to produce sebum, which keeps your hair from drying out.

12- Carrots, Pumpkins, Mangoes & other orange vegetables

Orange-coloured vegetables are also full of beta-carotene, just like sweet potatoes.

13- Cinnamon

َََSprinkling a little cinnamon on your coffee or toast can go a long way in boosting hair growth. Cinnamon helps with your blood circulation, and better circulation means extra oxygen and nutrients get to your hair follicles.

14- Eggs

Eggs are rich in biotin, which is a B vitamin responsible for hair growth. In addition to biotin, eggs are packed with proteins and iron as well.

15- Bell Peppers

Bell pepper is another veggie full of vitamin C. It helps your body to absorb the non-heme iron in other plant-based foods like beans and spinach. 

16- Strawberries

Strawberries are cute and delicious, but the good news is they are also rich in silica and ellagic acid that promote hair growth. All berries can potentially help you with hair growth.

17- Papaya

Papaya helps you have strong hair follicles, as it's full of amino acids, collagen, and vitamin C. Papaya can make your scalp healthy too. The collagen present in it helps repair the damaged hair, which in turn promotes hair growth.

18- Avocado

Aside from being a great source of B-complex vitamins, minerals like potassium and magnesium in avocado oil may seal cuticle cells that help hair look shiny and prevent breakage.

All the nutrition in avocado

19- Nuts

In addition to being tasty and convenient treats, nuts provide a wide variety of B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acids that can help hair grow stronger.

20- Seeds

If you’re looking for a low-calorie option to get lots of nutrients, look no further. Seeds are rich in vitamin E, zinc, and selenium, which promote healthy hair growth.

Bottom line

When choosing the best foods for hair growth, you need to know which nutrient you’re looking for. Biotin, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, E, and C all promote hair growth. Zinc and iron are also among the nutrients you should consider in foods for hair growth and thickness.

The bottom line is that you need to have a balanced diet that is not too restrictive to grow your hair.

Key Takeaways

- For healthy hair growth, you need zinc. You can find zinc in oysters, nuts, and seeds.

- Iron is necessary for hair growth, and it can be found in beef, clam, spinach, and eggs.

- Eggs are also a great source of biotin.

- Vitamin C is found in bell peppers, guava, papaya, and kale, and it helps with hair regrowth.

- Vitamins D, E, and A all help in promoting healthy hair growth.