4 min readNew DelhiJan 9, 2023 12:30 PM IST
First published on: Jan 9, 2023 at 12:30 PM IST
We all wish for long and lustrous hair, but it must be known that healthy hair requires a lot of effort, patience, and dedication. Much like the skin, hair care is not only about using cosmetic products, it is also about eating healthy foods that will provide adequate nutrition to the hair. Wondering what are these healthy hair-friendly foods? That’s exactly what we are here to tell you about, courtesy of Pooja Makhija, a health and beauty expert, who shared the foods she swears by for healthier, more lustrous hair.
*Eggs: 1 whole + 3 whites.
“Protein + biotin = keratin + hair growth.” she says.
*Nuts: 2 soaked peeled almonds and 2 walnuts.
“These give you vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acids.” she says.
*Seeds:
1 tsp – Sunflower
1 tsp – Flax
1 tsp – Chia
“Massive nutrition, very few calories. They give my hair selenium, omega 3, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E.” she said in the Instagram video.
*Virgin coconut oil:
1 tsp on an empty stomach for healthy, lustrous hair. “The most important on the list” she added.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, specific vitamins are associated with improving hair health. Some of these include B vitamins: B-1 (thiamin), B-2 (riboflavin), and B-7 (biotin). B-1 can be found in fortified breakfast cereals, rice, trout, black beans, tuna, and acorn squash. B-2 is found in oats, yoghurt, milk, beef, clams, almonds, and cheese. A good source of B-7 is eggs.
‘Sebum’, the natural oil on the hair, covers straight hair better than curly hair — thus straight hair tends to appear shinier. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital suggests that a lot of the products you use should also depend on how often you wash your hair. Go for a milder shampoo if you wash your hair everyday, and a stronger one if you wash your hair once in a few days.
Karishma Shah, Integrative Nutritionist & Health Coach, also weighed in. “Hair needs protein and biotin as well, so eat a lot of protein and biotin rich foods for healthy, lustrous hair. Eggs are a great source of biotin and protein. You can incorporate fish as well. If you’re vegetarian — eat avocados, good quality nuts and a lot of seeds such as flaxseeds. Watercress seeds or halim seeds are also a great source of iron, and benefit the hair. Coconut is another thing that’s great, not just to put in the hair as oil but to eat as well. All of these nutrients are the key to great hair,” she told indianexpress.com.
As always — fruits and vegetables are non-negotiable on the path to good hair, health and all things beauty. Natural foods that are available locally are always a great go-to. “Fruits and vegetables are important. And protein. If you’re non vegetarian, go for lean meat. If you’re vegetarian, go for pulses and sprouts. Seeds and nuts are also very helpful if you want healthy hair,” added Dr Vandana Punjabi, consultant dermatologist and trichologist.
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Taking care of your hair is a task, so we're here to make it a little easy. (Source: Getty Images) 
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