We’ve always heard: you are what you eat! This is so true..but did you know that this even applies to your skin, nails and hair?! Yes, what products you apply externally have a great deal to do with the vitality of your hair, but what goes in your mouth is equally important in your quest to healthy hair! The same can be said of skin and nails but today we will focus on hair since thats typically every gals #1 concern. Sorry, you must put the fried foods down.. as hard as it may be. Hellooo – you have natural hair, you need to nourish it with natural foods!
“What should I eat” you are probably wondering? I will run down some top foods for a luscious coif. The list is long but I’ll keep it short and sweet:
5 Fab Foods for Healthy Hair
1. Salmon – High in Omega 3 Fatty Acids which help support scalp health. Good substitute for this is ground Flax Seed for vegetarians.
2. Dark Green Vegetables – Spinach, Kale, etc. Good Source of Vitamins A and C, Iron and Calcium. Vitamins A and C helps your body produce sebum which is secreted from your hair follicles as a natural conditioner.
3. Beans – Yes, theyre also good for your heart..the more you eat em the more you.. you know the rest! Protein protein protein plus iron, zinc and biotin all make for strong healthy locs.
4. Nuts – And NO not heavily salted ones, sorry ladies. Walnuts, cashews, pecans, and almonds are good sources of zinc. Without zinc in your diet, you hair will tend to shed!
5. Whole Grains – Put the Wonder bread down! Whole grain breads and cereals are good sources of zinc, iron and Vitamin B- all essential for healthy hair!
Have a hard time downing dark green veggies like I do? Here’s a new recipe thats great for your hair and your waist line…
Ever Heard of a Green Smoothie?
Does it sound gross to you? Well when I first got word of this..it did to me as well, so I understand. But a green smoothie can actually be really yummy.. and it will make you feel o so fabulous. Check out this recipe I found.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- 1 banana (a frozen banana will give you a thicker consistency, but non-frozen works, too)
- 1 cup milk of choice (dairy, non-dairy, vanilla non-dairy, etc.)
- 2 cubes ice
- sweetener of choice (honey, agave, etc)
- You could also add berries, but the smoothie will no longer be green in color
- Other additions: flax seed, chia seeds, etc.
Directions:
- Place spinach, banana, milk, ice and sweetner in the blender.
- Cover and blend until banana/ice is processed and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Enjoy!
