Hair Super Foods?

[whiteisle]

So the thread about diet got me thinkin'....yes, it's agreed that a balanced healthy diet is overall good but what might be some super foods that would benefit hair health and possibly (fingers crossed) hair growth? I had a friend many years back that had long hair and he swore by yogurt making his grow faster and better.

What foods do you think are hair foods?

[vidgrl007]

It might just be my imagination but my hair seems to grow better when I eat or drink anything soy.

[squiggyflop]

my hair grows fastest on a diet consisting almost completely of meat.. maybe some grain thrown in there..

[Darkhorse1]

I believe hair and fingernails are protien? So, the more protien you eat/drink, the healthier your hair/nails will be. I know the ads for milk state that drinking milk is good for your hair. Unfortunetly, dairy and I don't agree, so I get protien from other foods. :)

[mira-chan]

Iodine rich seaweed such as kelp (kombu), is very good for hair. Be careful of it if you have thyroid problems, otherwise it is fine.

[Kirin]

Good ol' steak. Yup.

[MotherConfessor]

Avocado, one every day for a week and my hair gets softer and thicker and very shiny. Wish I enjoyed avocado more

[mira-chan]

Avocado, one every day for a week and my hair gets softer and thicker and very shiny. Wish I enjoyed avocado more

I'm not too fond of avocado as is but, avocado milk shakes are sooo good. Plus you can add other stuff to them. ;)

[ChloeDharma]

I did have a load of suggestions typed out then my computer decided to just turn itself off so i lost them all...i'll try and retype it from memory and appologies if i repeat suggestions already made.

1) Seaweed, as Mira said iodine rich seaweed is said to be helpfull for hairgrowth, and Jojo has had success taking Kelp supplements, but all seaweed is nutrient dense and rich in minerals.

2) Oily fish, source of omega 3 fatty acids, some minerals like calcium and protein

3) Nettle tea, rich in minerals including silica, and thought to have an antiandrogen effect.

4) Nuts and seeds, rich in protein, essentail fatty acids, some minerals depending on variety, B vitamins and vitamin E

5) Chilli/Cayenne, capsaicin which gives the heat is a vasidilator increasing circulation and blood supply to the follicles.

6) Soya, a rare vegetable source of all 8 essential amino acids....one study found that combining soya isoflavones with capsaicin increased hair growth. But soya is controversial and some people with thyroid issues have found it can cause problems.

7) Allium family (onions, garlic etc) contains sulphur which is important for hair growth

8 ) Beans and Lentils, good source of protein

That's all i can think of for the moment but i'll add more if/when i find them

[musicmomma]

great suggestions ladies... :D

[jojo]

I swear by marmite (vegimite) I am sure it makes my hair grow quick. i also eat a lot of soy and pulses so these too!

[LifeisAdventure]

I've also noticed some benefits from soy and I hear good things about yogurt, but what made the biggest difference for me in terms of strength and growth was taking high-quality Omega 3 caplets - which would generalize to fish. (Sadly, I haven't been able to afford them for the last month or so and my hair is suffering for it! :( )

Great thread full of great suggestions, thanks all!

[Millielie]

I swear by marmite (vegimite) I am sure it makes my hair grow quick.

I also think that yeast is good for hair growth. Since we don't have any marmite in Germany I eat other yeast spread.

Millet also shall be good for hair, because it is rich in vitamins (biotin or something?).

[ChloeDharma]

I also think that yeast is good for hair growth. Since we don't have any marmite in Germany I eat other yeast spread.

Millet also shall be good for hair, because it is rich in vitamins (biotin or something?).

Yes, yeast products like marmite etc are rich in B vitamins, and Liz Earle in her book "eat yourself beautiful" claims millet to be excellent hair food.....my copy is in storage at the moment which is why i couldnt look more up, but she mentions it as another vegetable source of all 8 amino acids, as well as i think silica.....but something else specifically which i can't remember....might be a specific amino acid maybe? That's going to bug me now!

[nucleardelusion]

Millet? The seed treats for birdies that come in springs?

[ChloeDharma]

Millet? The seed treats for birdies that come in springs?

Yup, thats the stuff ;)

[yogachic]

I swear by marmite (vegimite) I am sure it makes my hair grow quick. i also eat a lot of soy and pulses so these too!

An Australian pal of mine sent me vegimite 2 years ago for me to try. Omg, I took one bite, and immediately spit it out, it was Horrible IMO.shudder: I think you have to grow up on that stuff to like it.

I want to start drinking some soy milk, but that stuff doesn't taste too well either to me.
:shrug:

[ChloeDharma]

An Australian pal of mine sent me vegimite 2 years ago for me to try. Omg, I took one bite, and immediately spit it out, it was Horrible IMO.shudder: I think you have to grow up on that stuff to like it.

I want to start drinking some soy milk, but that stuff doesn't taste too well either to me.
:shrug:

I actually don't like the taste of soya milk when it's plain, but i sometimes buy a chocolate version of it which i love....maybe that's worth a try? Though it doesn't have to be soya milk, you could eat tofu, or soya fake-meat?
I'm not sure if vegemite tastes like marmite, but i hated marmite as a kid, and then once i was 20 suddenly loved it.

[vidgrl007]

I want to start drinking some soy milk, but that stuff doesn't taste too well either to me.
:shrug:
try drinking choco soy or vanilla soy.

[whiteisle]

Agreed!! These are some great suggestions!:)

[mira-chan]

An Australian pal of mine sent me vegimite 2 years ago for me to try. Omg, I took one bite, and immediately spit it out, it was Horrible IMO.shudder: I think you have to grow up on that stuff to like it.

I want to start drinking some soy milk, but that stuff doesn't taste too well either to me.
:shrug:

Nope you don't have to grow up on marmite/vegemite. I love both and I didn't even try marmite till about a year ago. I can eat vegemite is bigger quantities then marmite at once as it's a bit less salty. Either way, yum! :yumm:

I think it's more due to what you need/ tolerate taste wise. My mother doesn't like marmite. I am likely slightly deficient in B vitamins as I crave stuff with them, my mother does not. I am allergic to B vitamin supplements so marmite is the way to go for me.

Nettles can also be used in soup and salads. Just for salads they need to be rinsed with boiling water to get rid of the stings. Nettle soup is quite tasty but young nettles are preferred for that.

[marshwoman]

I make nettle infusions from the dried nettle (buy in bulk) and drink about a cup and half a day. I'm doing so much else in the way of positive changes for my hair lately that I can't say its impact there, but it does charge up my energy level and makes me feel good.

Based on what I've researched is good for your hair and your body in general, I try to eat a whole foods diet (Nourishing Traditions is a great guide for this) take fish oil capsules but also eat as much wild salmon and other coldwater fish as I can afford, eat local and in season produce, and drink lots of green tea and water.

I have the dried seaweed in my pantry and need to remember to use it - one flakes for salads, etc and another big strips I want to add to soups and stews.

[Tangles]

Almonds, perhaps? They're the only kind of nut I can tolerate, so I eat them a lot. Unsalted. They're also great when you're just a bit hungry but don't want a full snack.

[danacc]

An Australian pal of mine sent me vegimite 2 years ago for me to try. Omg, I took one bite, and immediately spit it out, it was Horrible IMO.shudder: I think you have to grow up on that stuff to like it.

I want to start drinking some soy milk, but that stuff doesn't taste too well either to me.
:shrug:


Starting with flavored soy milk, like vanilla or chocolate, are good suggestions. Also, try soy milk that you buy in the refrigerated section in typical half-gallon "milk" cartons. The aseptic packaging of the ones sold at room temperature seem to give a different flavor (although their convenience can't be beat for camping). Taste varies quite a bit between brands, too, since none of them are pure soy. Some feel creamier than others as well.

Finally, don't think of soy milk as "milk" even though it can be used as a milk substitute. It doesn't taste like milk; it's a soy drink. ;)

[Saranne772]

Hmmm

So I already eat onions (I dont know why but I love them)
Bovril- does that come under the name heading as marmite and vegimite. Its so similar only has beef extract. Maybe I should go back to marmite if not ;)
Seaweed hmm, I have some welsh recipies with seaweed *goes to find*


It might just be me, but I was sure that when I drank a lot of coffee my hair grew quicker!

[podo]

To combine what everyone else here has posted, I think a well-rounded diet is the best thing for hair health and growth.

:)

[C_Bookworm]

edamame definitely makes my hair shiny

[pdy2kn6]

Hello, I have just recently got back from the far East where I ate a lot of Tofu (soya beancurd) along with lots of yoghurts, and I mean ALOT of yoghurt drinks...I loved them, haha. I think it was because the yoghurt drinks had full fat yogurt in it, which is bad for the waistline, however I do believe that I did have significant, yet temporary hairgrowth.