Any vegans with long hair?

[optimisticStar]

I am a vegetarian since birth and had been consuming dairy products daily in terms of milk, yogurt and cheese sometimes. Last year I tried becoming vegan to lose weight and stopped consuming dairy and grains and after a month I noticed my hair getting thinner. I started eating junk, dairy and grains again along with taking good care of my hair and it looked healthy. Since about last 3 weeks I went vegan again and I notice my hair getting thinner again. Also I have even got lazy with my hair care routine since these 3 weeks.

Does hair need animal fats/protein or could it be that my hair got into a shock due to major diet change? I was wondering that my hair should get better now since I am consuming more vegetables in my diet.

[spidermom]

I think what you need for good hair growth is protein, and vegetables don't contribute much of that.

[lunasea]

I'm a vegan and I have thin hair but it's always been that way. I've been a vegetarian for over 30 years and a vegan for the last five. I grew up on a farm and ate meat like there was no tomorrow before converting. Most of my life my hair was in a pixie cut because I was convinced by everyone around me that thin, fine hair had to be short. I started growing it a few years ago (from less than inch long) but was still dyeing it and cutting it every 6 weeks so it's just past APL right now. I think there are vegans on this site with long, thick hair. You might find them on the Vegan/Vegetarian thread. I think protein is protein and, as long as you are getting enough in your diet, there is no reason you'd have to eat meat to grow hair. Think beans, legumes, shiitake mushrooms, seitan, tofu, etc.

ETA: here's the Vegan/Vegetarian thread http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=206

[CurlMonster]

Spidermom is right that you need protein for good hair growth, but you can certainly get enough in a vegan diet, you may just have to think a little more about it. Legumes are great sources of protein so including some peanuts, peas, beans, soybeans, etc. in your diet everyday is good. Also lentils, chickpeas, other nuts like cashwews and almonds, and tofu products. You said you avoided grains at the same time which isn't a necessary part of being a vegan and grains in cereal, bread, and pasta can contribute some protein as well as calories to your diet. You said also that the first time you went vegan you were trying to lose weight - I would be careful to ensure you're getting enough calories. Hair won't grow if there isn't excess energy in the body, and usually with a vegan diet you have to eat more than you would when eating eggs and dairy as the calories are less dense. Good luck. Head on over to the vegan/vegetarians thread if you want some more advice or recipe ideas. There are plenty of long-haired vegans there to prove that it is entirely possible. :)

[Lindenare]

Hair is made of protein (mainly keratin), so if you're not eating enough protein, eventually your body won't have the raw materials to operate properly. Since hair isn't necessary for you to live, it will generally shut down to save amino acids for other purposes. This can cause a growth stall, hair loss, or increased breakage from brittleness.

The long and the short of it is that hair will reflect diet, and hair can't grow without enough protein. It doesn't matter if the protein comes from plant or animal sources - there are quite a few vegan members here who have gorgeous hair.

[DreadfulWoman]

I have been vegan for the past 10 years or so. You'll definitely want to watch your intake of various vitamins to successfully maintain a vegan diet, especially at first. Eventually eating right will become a habit and you won't have to think about it so much, but at first you'll want to keep track of things and make sure you're getting enough vitamins. Protein, calcium, and iron especially. Taking a good multi-vitamin helps. You'll also want to make sure you're getting enough fats in your diet. It's easy to not get enough on a vegan diet.

Your hair doesn't need nutrients from animal products to be healthy, but you do need to make sure you're getting the same amount of nutrients from somewhere on a vegan diet.

Also, I believe dieting to lose weight can also cause hair loss. Seems like I've heard that somewhere. So if you've been losing weight, maybe that's what's causing your hair loss. I would try transitioning to a vegan diet first, without trying to lose weight at the same time, and then think about altering your new diet to lose weight once you've gotten used to it. I'm thinking it might be easier on your body if you did it that way, but that is just a guess.

[cat11]

It sounds like when you're going vegan you aren't just going vegan, you're getting malnourished. It's really hard to be vegan and eat right, you really have to try and kick foods out of your diet that dont contribute nutritional value... if you notice your hair thinning with diet change, it means that diet change was bad. You have to make sure you eat plenty of protein and cut the processed foods without nutrients. I had a freind who got very sick going vegan improperly. Right now I'm a vegetarian (for about 2 years) and I haven't noticed any change in the quality of my hair... not vegan though.

Also, going vegan or vegetarian (just cutting animal foods ingeneral I guess) actually makes some people gain weight because the foods they eat instead are more carby and fat saturated than the meat was. You just have t obe careful that the things you eat instead are healthy and natural.

[winship2]

It might also be useful to think not just about needing enough protein for healthy hair, but about your overall health status being good enough that your body has plenty of the whole variety of nutrients, exercise, sleep, and general happy/healthiness to have the spare energy to grow great hair. I personally am dubious of a vegan diet-- don't flame me here, I'm just stating my opinion, not saying anyone else should change their choices! Just saying to be aware on an intuitive, subjective level of how you feel with the different diet, don't just track your macronutrients and think you must be healthy simply because your numbers add up. I'm sure the thread people have mentioned has a lot of advice, and I think there is/was a frequent poster named Annibelle (?) who's vegan and posts about nutrition and recipes.

[AmyBeth]

I was vegetarian for 40+ years, and made the change to veganism just about 6 months ago. My hair has always been baby fine, but when I began mining LHC for good care info, my hair almost doubled in thickness over 2-3 years. In the time that I've been vegan, my hair has improved even more- it seems to grow faster and is even shinier. Granted, when I switched to veganism, my diet improved drastically (it was already pretty good) because I eliminated almost all processed foods, so I get very little white sugar or flours and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I also eat soy products and whole grains. I've lost 30 pounds in the last 6 months also, although I never practiced calorie restriction. It's due to the kind of calories I'm eating now. I think it's very possible for anyone to be vegan AND lose weight with no bad effects on the hair. You can't live on licorice sticks,potato chips and soft drinks, though.:p

[MsBubbles]

For what it's worth in my opinion, 3 weeks isn't long enough to trigger a hair-thinning shed. It usually takes 3-4 months for drastic diet changes, lack of nutrients, reaction to shock, surgery or illness, to show up in hair loss (which usually grows back if the trigger has been addressed).

It's not true that plant food 'doesn't contribute much protein'. But you have to actually eat whole foods to get it, meaning not filling up on processed foods like bread, pasta, sugary things.

I turned vegan about 3 months ago - so not long enough yet for me to see if I'm going to have a hair-thinning reaction to it - but out of curiosity of this myth that 'a vegan diet doesn't get enough protein' I tallied up my protein grams for the day and got well within the recommended range. It just came in spurts of 5-8 g per meal or snack as opposed to 30 g from a big slab of meat. People tend to only compare 1 food item at a time and conclude that plant-based foods don't have much protein. Combined over a day, it's plenty.

However, I'd look into your iron and B12 levels, as well as thyroid function. And bear in mind that soy is not good for hypothyroids, and hypothyroidism causes hair loss & thinning.

[jeanniet]

It's really not difficult to get enough protein on any kind of diet. The basic requirement for protein is not all that high, although some people may need more. Most people easily get more than they need. Vegetables do have protein, and it adds up if you eat a lot of them, but you need to have other good sources of protein as well. Concentrate on eating a variety of whole foods--veggies, fruits, nuts, beans, etc. and you'll be fine. If you're concerned have a blood panel done to check your iron, B12, D, etc. levels. Also MsBubbles is right--3 weeks isn't long enough for a dietary change to be affecting your hair, so if there's thinning, something else is going on (and might be time for that blood panel).

ETA: I was curious once and tracked the protein content of the veggies I ate for a few days. It ranged somewhere between 25-40g. True, it was a lot of veggies, but wasn't the only thing I was eating. So they do add up in smaller increments.

[Panth]

In addition to protein, you have to be very careful about vitamins and minerals when vegan. In particular, iron but most of all B12 which is not found in any vegan foods except supplements and fortified processed food (e.g. cereal, some bread). Iron deficiency can cause hair loss. B12 definiciency can also cause hair loss. Perhaps more worryingly, deficiency of B12 can also cause depression and B12 deficiency, once it gets severe enough, is self-perpetuating -- low B12 makes it harder to absorb B12 and makes you averse to B12-containing foods.

Veganism is not the best idea for weight loss and you have to be very careful (and educated) to be vegan and not end up malnourished.

[whoa182]

I'm a vegan and have pretty long hair! I have actually noticed less shedding since going vegan, and thicker hair in general. One of the amino acids that are less in a vegan diet is methionine, but even if it's less than the RDI, you should be 'okay'. I would focus more on getting a multi, or taking things like probiotics, b12 and zinc. Eat very healthily: vegetables, fruits, nuts, and wholegrains and you should be fine! :)

I made a small post with some pictures on going vegan and long hair: http://www.crvitality.com/2014/07/long-hair-on-vegan-diet/

Hope it helps! (I am going to update the post soon with more info and recommendations on the diet/supp side).

[spidermom]

There seems to be a misunderstanding. I didn't say that a vegan diet or plant-based diet doesn't contribute much protein. I said that vegetables don't contribute much protein. I know they contribute a little.

Getting enough nutrients was difficult for me on a vegan diet, however. I was tracking nutrients on MyFitnessPal. Not only was I low in protein, I was low in calcium, too. I can't tolerate soy products; they make me light-headed and stupid. I couldn't get enough protein without going over my target calories, and I couldn't get enough calcium without supplements.

[Aeris]

I have been vegan for about two years, and vegetarian since I was 5 years old. I personally feel like I eat a lot healthier now and get a lot more protein than I do than when I was just vegetarian, probably just because I am more aware of what I am eating, and plan my meals a lot better. Nutritional yeast is a great way to get your B-vitamins in, plus extra protein - I am addicted to the stuff. Adds a great cheesy flavor to things :)

ETA: Oh, the only thing I have ever nutritionally had a problem with is Vitamin D. I have had problems getting enough for several years, before I became vegan. When I am diligent about taking my multi-vitamin, there is no problem. It also might help if I went outside into the real world every now and then :p

[winship2]

I personally feel like I eat a lot healthier now and get a lot more protein than I do than when I was just vegetarian, probably just because I am more aware of what I am eating, and plan my meals a lot better.

Totally-- the health difference that AWARENESS of diet makes is probably more significant that the difference between an unaware vegan and unaware "Paleo"-type diet. Such a pity that the tendencies to grab something on the run, to eat alone, and the lack of education on cooking skills make it so easy to be unaware.

[whoa182]

CRON O METER is a good tool also. I think broccoli, beans, peas, green beans should get you there. I also eat a ton of vegetables, and have a calorie intake of around 1750 k/cal a day on average. Beans and wholegrain bread makes a complete protein. One thing about going vegan and consuming just around the RDI of protein (most adults need only around 48-60 grams) is that it will significantly lower IGF-1 and could slow hair growth and reduce thickness, especially when combined with eating fewer calories - which is what I do for slowing ageing / longevity reasons.

Kale is an excellent source of bioavailable calcium. Spinach, not so much. But there's nothing wrong with just taking a one or two supplements to meet your needs.

I agree that if one is a vegan, they do need to become more educated about nutrition to be successful in the long run.

[optimisticStar]

I'm a vegan and I have thin hair but it's always been that way. I've been a vegetarian for over 30 years and a vegan for the last five. I grew up on a farm and ate meat like there was no tomorrow before converting. Most of my life my hair was in a pixie cut because I was convinced by everyone around me that thin, fine hair had to be short. I started growing it a few years ago (from less than inch long) but was still dyeing it and cutting it every 6 weeks so it's just past APL right now. I think there are vegans on this site with long, thick hair. You might find them on the Vegan/Vegetarian thread. I think protein is protein and, as long as you are getting enough in your diet, there is no reason you'd have to eat meat to grow hair. Think beans, legumes, shiitake mushrooms, seitan, tofu, etc.

ETA: here's the Vegan/Vegetarian thread http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=206

Thank you for sharing the vegan/vegetarian thread. I went through initial pages and yes people do have long hair even while eating vegan. Will look more into it. Thanks again!

[optimisticStar]

Spidermom is right that you need protein for good hair growth, but you can certainly get enough in a vegan diet, you may just have to think a little more about it. Legumes are great sources of protein so including some peanuts, peas, beans, soybeans, etc. in your diet everyday is good. Also lentils, chickpeas, other nuts like cashwews and almonds, and tofu products. You said you avoided grains at the same time which isn't a necessary part of being a vegan and grains in cereal, bread, and pasta can contribute some protein as well as calories to your diet. You said also that the first time you went vegan you were trying to lose weight - I would be careful to ensure you're getting enough calories. Hair won't grow if there isn't excess energy in the body, and usually with a vegan diet you have to eat more than you would when eating eggs and dairy as the calories are less dense. Good luck. Head on over to the vegan/vegetarians thread if you want some more advice or recipe ideas. There are plenty of long-haired vegans there to prove that it is entirely possible. :)

Both the times I went vegan is to lose weight. I did lose good amount of weight last year I went vegan, but then fell off the wagon, got attracted to junk food and got all those back. This time however I started with a thought of making it a lifestyle change. I do eat lots of beans, but I went on little to no grains to avoid processed carbs. Most of the grain products I know out there in market are processed foods.

[optimisticStar]

I have been vegan for the past 10 years or so. You'll definitely want to watch your intake of various vitamins to successfully maintain a vegan diet, especially at first. Eventually eating right will become a habit and you won't have to think about it so much, but at first you'll want to keep track of things and make sure you're getting enough vitamins. Protein, calcium, and iron especially. Taking a good multi-vitamin helps. You'll also want to make sure you're getting enough fats in your diet. It's easy to not get enough on a vegan diet.

Your hair doesn't need nutrients from animal products to be healthy, but you do need to make sure you're getting the same amount of nutrients from somewhere on a vegan diet.

Also, I believe dieting to lose weight can also cause hair loss. Seems like I've heard that somewhere. So if you've been losing weight, maybe that's what's causing your hair loss. I would try transitioning to a vegan diet first, without trying to lose weight at the same time, and then think about altering your new diet to lose weight once you've gotten used to it. I'm thinking it might be easier on your body if you did it that way, but that is just a guess.

Giving it a second thought today, I too feel like I should be transitioning into it slowly and steadily instead of leaving everything and jumping to plant based diet. Honestly my initial 2 weeks went great and I do feel great as well, but since I have left everything i.e. bread due to grains, rice, sugar, salt and starchy veggies, I have got cravings for this entire week. While I am much more active on this diet, I sometimes do get depressing thoughts for eating little to no grains. Slowly transitioning into it or eating about 75-80% veggie diet would be nice I guess. I was just trying to 100% follow whatever was suggested by my dietician. I don't have any other diseases except for that I am 40lbs overweight.

[optimisticStar]

It sounds like when you're going vegan you aren't just going vegan, you're getting malnourished. It's really hard to be vegan and eat right, you really have to try and kick foods out of your diet that dont contribute nutritional value... if you notice your hair thinning with diet change, it means that diet change was bad. You have to make sure you eat plenty of protein and cut the processed foods without nutrients. I had a freind who got very sick going vegan improperly. Right now I'm a vegetarian (for about 2 years) and I haven't noticed any change in the quality of my hair... not vegan though.

Also, going vegan or vegetarian (just cutting animal foods ingeneral I guess) actually makes some people gain weight because the foods they eat instead are more carby and fat saturated than the meat was. You just have t obe careful that the things you eat instead are healthy and natural.

This could be right too. Maybe I am getting malnourished. I have been watching some youtube videos of vegan people and I see them eating a huge bowl of salad. Whereas for me I am not even eating 1/4 of that salad. Also even though I have been vegetarian most of my life, I don't like some of the vegetables. So I keep on altering between the veggies I like. This week there were 2 days when I got bored or same salad every day/every other day and since I didn't wanted to eat anything unhealthy I had skipped meals. When I counted my calories, my approx calorie intake is usually within 1000 or between 1000-1200.

[optimisticStar]

It might also be useful to think not just about needing enough protein for healthy hair, but about your overall health status being good enough that your body has plenty of the whole variety of nutrients, exercise, sleep, and general happy/healthiness to have the spare energy to grow great hair. I personally am dubious of a vegan diet-- don't flame me here, I'm just stating my opinion, not saying anyone else should change their choices! Just saying to be aware on an intuitive, subjective level of how you feel with the different diet, don't just track your macronutrients and think you must be healthy simply because your numbers add up. I'm sure the thread people have mentioned has a lot of advice, and I think there is/was a frequent poster named Annibelle (?) who's vegan and posts about nutrition and recipes.

Where do I find these recipes? Do we have a separate recipe section?

[EdG]

I eat a vegan diet and have thick hair. There are a number of vegans on LHC.

I find that I have to eat enough fats (mainly olive oil), nuts, and green leafy vegetables. I also eat a lot of carbohydrates (grains, potatoes).
Ed

[optimisticStar]

I was vegetarian for 40+ years, and made the change to veganism just about 6 months ago. My hair has always been baby fine, but when I began mining LHC for good care info, my hair almost doubled in thickness over 2-3 years. In the time that I've been vegan, my hair has improved even more- it seems to grow faster and is even shinier. Granted, when I switched to veganism, my diet improved drastically (it was already pretty good) because I eliminated almost all processed foods, so I get very little white sugar or flours and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. I also eat soy products and whole grains. I've lost 30 pounds in the last 6 months also, although I never practiced calorie restriction. It's due to the kind of calories I'm eating now. I think it's very possible for anyone to be vegan AND lose weight with no bad effects on the hair. You can't live on licorice sticks,potato chips and soft drinks, though.:p

Do you mind sharing how do you eat whole grains? Sorry if this sounds weird but I am always confused with whole grains term. Even though if I buy a whole grains bread from store, it is actually a processed food item right. How to consume whole grains? I do eat lots of beans and lentils but have always had grains in terms of flour except for rice.

[DreadfulWoman]

Giving it a second thought today, I too feel like I should be transitioning into it slowly and steadily instead of leaving everything and jumping to plant based diet. Honestly my initial 2 weeks went great and I do feel great as well, but since I have left everything i.e. bread due to grains, rice, sugar, salt and starchy veggies, I have got cravings for this entire week. While I am much more active on this diet, I sometimes do get depressing thoughts for eating little to no grains. Slowly transitioning into it or eating about 75-80% veggie diet would be nice I guess. I was just trying to 100% follow whatever was suggested by my dietician. I don't have any other diseases except for that I am 40lbs overweight.

When I first started eating a vegan diet I cut everything out first that wasn't vegan, and then added more and more vegan foods. I think that is the wrong way to go about it. Now I advise people to do the opposite of what I did. Add vegan foods first before you take anything out of your diet. Eating one or two vegan meals a week for example is a great way to explore different ways of eating vegan food without feeling like you're missing anything in your diet.

Also, I personally feel that you ought to pay close attention to cravings. Your body will often tell you what it needs. For example, whenever I have cravings for meat I try to pay more attention to my protein intake, and then they usually go away after a few protein rich meals. You don't have to eat the exact food you're craving (like junk food, meat, etc.), but often strong cravings are a good indication that you're not getting enough of something. And of course if all else fails, sometimes it's just best to eat the thing you're craving, rather than risk depriving yourself of nutrients.

Anyway, this is just what my experience has been. I'm sure you will be able to figure out what works best for you.

[optimisticStar]

For what it's worth in my opinion, 3 weeks isn't long enough to trigger a hair-thinning shed. It usually takes 3-4 months for drastic diet changes, lack of nutrients, reaction to shock, surgery or illness, to show up in hair loss (which usually grows back if the trigger has been addressed).

It's not true that plant food 'doesn't contribute much protein'. But you have to actually eat whole foods to get it, meaning not filling up on processed foods like bread, pasta, sugary things.

I turned vegan about 3 months ago - so not long enough yet for me to see if I'm going to have a hair-thinning reaction to it - but out of curiosity of this myth that 'a vegan diet doesn't get enough protein' I tallied up my protein grams for the day and got well within the recommended range. It just came in spurts of 5-8 g per meal or snack as opposed to 30 g from a big slab of meat. People tend to only compare 1 food item at a time and conclude that plant-based foods don't have much protein. Combined over a day, it's plenty.

However, I'd look into your iron and B12 levels, as well as thyroid function. And bear in mind that soy is not good for hypothyroids, and hypothyroidism causes hair loss & thinning.

I had my thyroid levels checked. It's okay but I do have vitamin D and B12 deficiency. Doc told me to take supplements or get it naturally i.e. vitamin D via sunlight and B12 through foods. My dietician suggested to take nutritional yeast, but am not sure how actually healthy it is.

[optimisticStar]

It's really not difficult to get enough protein on any kind of diet. The basic requirement for protein is not all that high, although some people may need more. Most people easily get more than they need. Vegetables do have protein, and it adds up if you eat a lot of them, but you need to have other good sources of protein as well. Concentrate on eating a variety of whole foods--veggies, fruits, nuts, beans, etc. and you'll be fine. If you're concerned have a blood panel done to check your iron, B12, D, etc. levels. Also MsBubbles is right--3 weeks isn't long enough for a dietary change to be affecting your hair, so if there's thinning, something else is going on (and might be time for that blood panel).

ETA: I was curious once and tracked the protein content of the veggies I ate for a few days. It ranged somewhere between 25-40g. True, it was a lot of veggies, but wasn't the only thing I was eating. So they do add up in smaller increments.

With the amount and kind of stuff I am eating presently, even I should be getting between 25-35g of protein. But yes it's true that I can get more protein on complete vegetarian or vegan diets. If I include lentils along with beans, peas, edamame, lima beans, seeds and nuts, more green leafy veggies then it goes upto 55-60g.

[optimisticStar]

In addition to protein, you have to be very careful about vitamins and minerals when vegan. In particular, iron but most of all B12 which is not found in any vegan foods except supplements and fortified processed food (e.g. cereal, some bread). Iron deficiency can cause hair loss. B12 definiciency can also cause hair loss. Perhaps more worryingly, deficiency of B12 can also cause depression and B12 deficiency, once it gets severe enough, is self-perpetuating -- low B12 makes it harder to absorb B12 and makes you averse to B12-containing foods.

Veganism is not the best idea for weight loss and you have to be very careful (and educated) to be vegan and not end up malnourished.

I do have B12 deficiency. I had blood check when I started vegan and iron came out to be okay. Although was on the border.

[lunasea]

I don't consider brown rice and oat groats to be all that processed. To me, grains aren't all that great of an idea if you grind them up, to make bread, etc. You can get specific rice cookers so that you don't have to mess with the cooking process with brown rice and other whole grains. Also, I put whole oat groats in a crock pot with apples and cinnamon and water and set it to come on in the middle of the night. I have warm apple, cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast every day. If you need protein you could add quinoa to the mix (a seed, not a grain). There are ways to eat whole, minimally processed foods in the modern world but you have to put some effort into figuring out what works for you. Part of being a vegan for me is that I don't eat junk food...period. My M.D. was skeptical when I went from vegetarian to vegan until she saw my lab results. Then she almost danced for joy. I admit that I'm a bit of a fanatic about this subject. I went from unhealthy and 160 pounds overweight as a vegetarian that ate junk food to pretty much in perfect health as a fanatical vegan. More energy, no prescription drugs, etc. I learned the hard way and can't imagine going back to eating crap.

ETA: get a good b-12 supplement in the methlcobalamin form

[optimisticStar]

There seems to be a misunderstanding. I didn't say that a vegan diet or plant-based diet doesn't contribute much protein. I said that vegetables don't contribute much protein. I know they contribute a little.

Getting enough nutrients was difficult for me on a vegan diet, however. I was tracking nutrients on MyFitnessPal. Not only was I low in protein, I was low in calcium, too. I can't tolerate soy products; they make me light-headed and stupid. I couldn't get enough protein without going over my target calories, and I couldn't get enough calcium without supplements.

I know the ways of getting protein in vegetarian or vegan diet, but am not sure if I am getting enough of other nutrients. I am definitely not eating lotsss of veggies like other people on vegan diet do. I am not tracking on MFP since I thought eating veggies and other unprocessed food wouldn't take me over my limits, but I could be under limits. If I randomly count the calories I end up under 1000 or between 1000-1200 whereas as per my BMI to maintain I should be eating 1600 and to lose 1300.

[optimisticStar]

I have been vegan for about two years, and vegetarian since I was 5 years old. I personally feel like I eat a lot healthier now and get a lot more protein than I do than when I was just vegetarian, probably just because I am more aware of what I am eating, and plan my meals a lot better. Nutritional yeast is a great way to get your B-vitamins in, plus extra protein - I am addicted to the stuff. Adds a great cheesy flavor to things :)

ETA: Oh, the only thing I have ever nutritionally had a problem with is Vitamin D. I have had problems getting enough for several years, before I became vegan. When I am diligent about taking my multi-vitamin, there is no problem. It also might help if I went outside into the real world every now and then :p

How to eat nutritional yeast? Do you just sprinkle it on your food? Thats what my dietician told me.

[lunasea]

Eat your veggies girl!

[lunasea]

You can sprinkle nutritional yeast on food or make a kind of cheese out of it. I don't eat the stuff myself unless I'm out somewhere and it's mixed into a food I bought.

[optimisticStar]

CRON O METER is a good tool also. I think broccoli, beans, peas, green beans should get you there. I also eat a ton of vegetables, and have a calorie intake of around 1750 k/cal a day on average. Beans and wholegrain bread makes a complete protein. One thing about going vegan and consuming just around the RDI of protein (most adults need only around 48-60 grams) is that it will significantly lower IGF-1 and could slow hair growth and reduce thickness, especially when combined with eating fewer calories - which is what I do for slowing ageing / longevity reasons.

Kale is an excellent source of bioavailable calcium. Spinach, not so much. But there's nothing wrong with just taking a one or two supplements to meet your needs.

I agree that if one is a vegan, they do need to become more educated about nutrition to be successful in the long run.

Thanks for sharing link to your post! Contains helpful info.

I don't eat lots of veggies. My daily veggies include 1 carrot, 1/4 onion, 2 roma tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber, some green and red peppers. Also handful of kale and spinach in green smoothie and roasted okra on weekends. Apart from this I eat about 1.5 cup cooked beans, 3 fruits, 5-6 almonds and about 1.5tbsp milled flax seed. I am not sure if this is enough. I know peas has proteins, but I am presently not consuming it. If I include peas, edamame, lentils and some nuts, then my protein intake totals up to about 50-55g/day.

[neko_kawaii]

How to eat nutritional yeast? Do you just sprinkle it on your food? Thats what my dietician told me.

mmm, nutritional yeast! Very tasty in combination with soy sauce. I put some on fried tofu served with quinoa recently. My family loves it on popcorn. My mom makes a type of pull apart whole wheat roll we call dilly bread which is essentially whole wheat rolls in a deep baking dish with a mix of margarine, nutritional yeast, and dry dill poured over the top.

[optimisticStar]

I eat a vegan diet and have thick hair. There are a number of vegans on LHC.

I find that I have to eat enough fats (mainly olive oil), nuts, and green leafy vegetables. I also eat a lot of carbohydrates (grains, potatoes).
Ed

Why do I have to diet... I love fats and carbs too... :(

[optimisticStar]

When I first started eating a vegan diet I cut everything out first that wasn't vegan, and then added more and more vegan foods. I think that is the wrong way to go about it. Now I advise people to do the opposite of what I did. Add vegan foods first before you take anything out of your diet. Eating one or two vegan meals a week for example is a great way to explore different ways of eating vegan food without feeling like you're missing anything in your diet.

Also, I personally feel that you ought to pay close attention to cravings. Your body will often tell you what it needs. For example, whenever I have cravings for meat I try to pay more attention to my protein intake, and then they usually go away after a few protein rich meals. You don't have to eat the exact food you're craving (like junk food, meat, etc.), but often strong cravings are a good indication that you're not getting enough of something. And of course if all else fails, sometimes it's just best to eat the thing you're craving, rather than risk depriving yourself of nutrients.

Anyway, this is just what my experience has been. I'm sure you will be able to figure out what works best for you.

I have noticed similar thing with craving part. I had bad habit going on for years of eating candies/chocolates after every meal. I then tried replacing it with fruit or yogurt and thats how I stopped myself from eating those extra sugary candies. I actually had very nice long and healthy hair when I was in school. My mom used to force me to eat atleast one veggie everyday before lunch i.e. may be 2 small carrots or some peas or some raw cabbage and then a full balanced meal of flat bread made out of wheat, vegetable curry and 1/2 cup rice. But being very little physically active made me gain pounds and now leaving me confused between what to eat and what not. :) She is 60 now and still maintaining the same diet since years and have a healthy knee length hair without doing much of anything for it.

[optimisticStar]

I don't consider brown rice and oat groats to be all that processed. To me, grains aren't all that great of an idea if you grind them up, to make bread, etc. You can get specific rice cookers so that you don't have to mess with the cooking process with brown rice and other whole grains. Also, I put whole oat groats in a crock pot with apples and cinnamon and water and set it to come on in the middle of the night. I have warm apple, cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast every day. If you need protein you could add quinoa to the mix (a seed, not a grain). There are ways to eat whole, minimally processed foods in the modern world but you have to put some effort into figuring out what works for you. Part of being a vegan for me is that I don't eat junk food...period. My M.D. was skeptical when I went from vegetarian to vegan until she saw my lab results. Then she almost danced for joy. I admit that I'm a bit of a fanatic about this subject. I went from unhealthy and 160 pounds overweight as a vegetarian that ate junk food to pretty much in perfect health as a fanatical vegan. More energy, no prescription drugs, etc. I learned the hard way and can't imagine going back to eating crap.

ETA: get a good b-12 supplement in the methlcobalamin form

I love rice and used to eat white rice. Tried brown rice but I was getting stomach upset everytime I eat it. I thought quinoa was a grain :P

I still do get attracted to cheese, which might not be considered as junk food, but is bad for my weight.

[DreadfulWoman]

I have noticed similar thing with craving part. I had bad habit going on for years of eating candies/chocolates after every meal. I then tried replacing it with fruit or yogurt and thats how I stopped myself from eating those extra sugary candies. I actually had very nice long and healthy hair when I was in school. My mom used to force me to eat atleast one veggie everyday before lunch i.e. may be 2 small carrots or some peas or some raw cabbage and then a full balanced meal of flat bread made out of wheat, vegetable curry and 1/2 cup rice. But being very little physically active made me gain pounds and now leaving me confused between what to eat and what not. :) She is 60 now and still maintaining the same diet since years and have a healthy knee length hair without doing much of anything for it.

It's funny how powerful a habit can be, whether it's positive or negative.

[optimisticStar]

mmm, nutritional yeast! Very tasty in combination with soy sauce. I put some on fried tofu served with quinoa recently. My family loves it on popcorn. My mom makes a type of pull apart whole wheat roll we call dilly bread which is essentially whole wheat rolls in a deep baking dish with a mix of margarine, nutritional yeast, and dry dill poured over the top.

Oh okay. You gave me a new recipe idea to try. I have never tried quinoa, but having it along with tofu sounds yummy. :)

[jeanniet]

mm
Thanks for sharing link to your post! Contains helpful info.

I don't eat lots of veggies. My daily veggies include 1 carrot, 1/4 onion, 2 roma tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber, some green and red peppers. Also handful of kale and spinach in green smoothie and roasted okra on weekends. Apart from this I eat about 1.5 cup cooked beans, 3 fruits, 5-6 almonds and about 1.5tbsp milled flax seed. I am not sure if this is enough. I know peas has proteins, but I am presently not consuming it. If I include peas, edamame, lentils and some nuts, then my protein intake totals up to about 50-55g/day.

Does your dietician know this is all you're eating? I don't think you're eating nearly enough, and certainly not enough fat. Fat, within reason, is both good for you and satisfying. If you don't have a dietary reason to avoid whole grain foods (rice, barley, etc.), add some back in. If you want to lose weight, you can still do it eating more than you are, and it would be much healthier for you. Other foods to consider would be avocados (very nutritious and healthy fat), sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes. Hummus is also great, and easy to make. But overall, I think you're eating way too little.

[Annibelle]

I don't have especially long hair, but I never have. I've been vegan for two+ years (vegetarian before that). My hair has not changed for the better or worse. I recently got a full blood panel that looked specifically at B12, D, protein, folic acid, calcium, etc., and everything was perfect. I don't supplement with vitamins or protein powders-- I just eat wholesome food. :) If you're interested in my meals, I try to post photos and explanations to my Instagram account (annalieseholmes).

[whoa182]

Don't worry too much about calories if your diet mostly consists of fruits and vegetables. As jeanniet said, fat is really important too! (I have around 30% of my calories from fat). Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flax seeds, Walnuts, Almonds, and Avocados are good sources! You need fat to be able to absorb vitamins and the carotenoids like beta carotene, lycopene and others that are found in plants. They are great for your skin, giving you a little protection from sun damage and they'll give you nice attractive glowing skin. :)

[rosalinda]

I've been a vegan for 12 years and I have a long, thick head of hair. As with any diet, you need to make sure you're eating in a healthy and balanced way, including protein, for which there are loads of vegan sources (which have already been mentioned elsewhere in this thread). The point I wanted to make is anyone can have a lacking diet and most people know theirs could be better "I eat too much sugar", "I need to cut down on the chips" etc. I know I could eat better - often I don't eat the optimal foods out of laziness or gluttony! It's unfair that vegans are expected to be the pinnacle of health or else they are being irresponsible with their health, they are going to be weak etc. I hate how often omnivores who have never made much of an effort with their diet let alone researched veganism suddenly assume the role of qualified nutritionists. Anyway, i've gone on a tangent! My point is: eat well, eat varied, eat protein (don't just have what the omnivores are eating but without the meat bit, that won't cut it) but don't stress yourself out over it, you don't have to be perfect, you're not going to become weak and ill and die.

Nutritional yeast - this is the best recipe i've found for macaroni cheese, the sauce also works for cauliflower cheese http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/10/easy-macaroni-and-cheeze.html

[vega]

I'm vegan also you might want to try protein shakes too keep up with protein intake

[ladyfey]

I'm vegan and my hair is ankle length. I don't think it is hard to have a healthy vegan diet, but I've been doing it for a long time. The only vitamin supplement I take now is B12. I don't have a hard time getting enough protein at all, but I also love beans!

[optimisticStar]

mm

Does your dietician know this is all you're eating? I don't think you're eating nearly enough, and certainly not enough fat. Fat, within reason, is both good for you and satisfying. If you don't have a dietary reason to avoid whole grain foods (rice, barley, etc.), add some back in. If you want to lose weight, you can still do it eating more than you are, and it would be much healthier for you. Other foods to consider would be avocados (very nutritious and healthy fat), sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes. Hummus is also great, and easy to make. But overall, I think you're eating way too little.

No we never discussed about the quantity of food. She just gave me a calorie limit to stay in. I wasn't counting calories since all I was trying to eat was fruits, veggies and some nuts, so am not sure how much fats I take in daily. But I make almond milk along with my morning smoothie and it consists of 5-6 almonds, 1 tbsp milled flax seed and sometimes I add hemp seeds too. I don't like avocados, I love coconut but am not including it in my diet right now. For next week my plan is to include whole grains in one of my daily meals and up my protein intake and see how it goes. In terms of fat, I like sesame seeds so might alter between hemp seeds, sesame seeds or sunflower seeds in smoothie. Also, presently am eating beans, so want to include lentils and beets for beta-carotene.

[optimisticStar]

I don't have especially long hair, but I never have. I've been vegan for two+ years (vegetarian before that). My hair has not changed for the better or worse. I recently got a full blood panel that looked specifically at B12, D, protein, folic acid, calcium, etc., and everything was perfect. I don't supplement with vitamins or protein powders-- I just eat wholesome food. :) If you're interested in my meals, I try to post photos and explanations to my Instagram account (annalieseholmes).

I don't like supplements either and love getting everything from whole natural food. I had once tried protein powder, but tasted very sweet to me and later after some googling I realized that I can get enough protein from vegetarian food as well. Thanks for sharing the account handle. Foods in the photos looks yummy. :)

[optimisticStar]

Don't worry too much about calories if your diet mostly consists of fruits and vegetables. As jeanniet said, fat is really important too! (I have around 30% of my calories from fat). Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flax seeds, Walnuts, Almonds, and Avocados are good sources! You need fat to be able to absorb vitamins and the carotenoids like beta carotene, lycopene and others that are found in plants. They are great for your skin, giving you a little protection from sun damage and they'll give you nice attractive glowing skin. :)


From today I brought back one whole grain per day in my diet, but it will still mostly consist of fruits, veggies, beans, legumes and nuts. I love combination of cheese and tortillas and whenever I was getting bored with my cooked, I got attracted to it. And with my mostly sedentary lifestyle tha lead me to gain weight. Hopefully one grain/day should also help me in avoiding my craving to cheesy food.

[optimisticStar]

I've been a vegan for 12 years and I have a long, thick head of hair. As with any diet, you need to make sure you're eating in a healthy and balanced way, including protein, for which there are loads of vegan sources (which have already been mentioned elsewhere in this thread). The point I wanted to make is anyone can have a lacking diet and most people know theirs could be better "I eat too much sugar", "I need to cut down on the chips" etc. I know I could eat better - often I don't eat the optimal foods out of laziness or gluttony! It's unfair that vegans are expected to be the pinnacle of health or else they are being irresponsible with their health, they are going to be weak etc. I hate how often omnivores who have never made much of an effort with their diet let alone researched veganism suddenly assume the role of qualified nutritionists. Anyway, i've gone on a tangent! My point is: eat well, eat varied, eat protein (don't just have what the omnivores are eating but without the meat bit, that won't cut it) but don't stress yourself out over it, you don't have to be perfect, you're not going to become weak and ill and die.

Nutritional yeast - this is the best recipe i've found for macaroni cheese, the sauce also works for cauliflower cheese http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/10/easy-macaroni-and-cheeze.html

Thanks for sharing the recipe link. Looks healthy and yummy and I like pasta too. I am planning to get nutritional yeast today itself. :)

[optimisticStar]

I'm vegan also you might want to try protein shakes too keep up with protein intake

You mean protein shakes made using protein powders? I tried couple of protein powders including pea protein, but they tasted very sweet to me, so I thought of taking in protein rich foods. I then started eating beans instead.

[optimisticStar]

I'm vegan and my hair is ankle length. I don't think it is hard to have a healthy vegan diet, but I've been doing it for a long time. The only vitamin supplement I take now is B12. I don't have a hard time getting enough protein at all, but I also love beans!

I love beans too and always wanted to add lentils in my diet along with beans. I used to have boiled lentils once a week, but I made lentil soup today for next days along with some beans. For B12, I will be trying out nutritional yeast first.

[StormVixen]

Hi, I've just returned to TLHC after a long time away... My hair hasn't grown much but I'm vegan now and on a mission to find really good vegan hair care information and products which are vegan :)

[Juanita]

You need to add leafy greens and crucifous (sp?) Vegies into your diet. Choosing a wide variety of foods to eat will help to balance your diet. Am also vegan.

[maborosi]

I'm vegetarian, but have been vegan, it is crucial to make sure you're eating a wide variety of foods, especially all types of veggies. Dark leafy greens are important, get your protein, and make sure you're taking a multivitamin.

[LillithTheFirst]

I'm a vegan and have no issue. It's up to your diet and intake of vitamins and minerals and essential fatty acids. Grains, beans, veggies, greens, fruits, nuts seeds. Take vitamin and protein supplements if you need it.

[Accalia]

Oh wow love to see so many vegans on LHC! :D
I'm also a vegan but just for 8 months now. I guess that's not enough time to see any difference. It seems I do have a hair growth stall for some months now but I've no idea if that's diet related.

[Arctic]

I was vegan for 8 years, hair was doing great during this time, in fact it got thicker. Although I must say I've never had a really long hair, I've kept it rather short most of my life.

[Mavi]

Hello! I am also vegan, and I have people coming to me a lot asking about it and trying to guide them through it if they decide to become vegan. I find the biggest mistake that people make is not enough abundance and variety. People tend to assume that veganism is restrictive and subsequently impose restrictions on themselves that don't actually make sense, and don't fully observe all of the diverse things that they can be enjoying.

As for my transition into veganism and my hair, when I became vegan my hair stopped a massive shed that it was going through. But I don't know if that was veganism related, may have been hormonal. My hair is [ii] but it is very close to [iii] thickness (I measure between 3.5-4.0 but can't always get accurate readings).
On another note, for the last year (just stopped this last month) I went through a growth stall. Again, don't know if this is in any way veganism related since I've been vegan for several years... My stall stopped after I stated taking MSM (sulphur) so it may have been a protein thing.

[HollyLindsey]

I am a vegetarian since birth and had been consuming dairy products daily in terms of milk, yogurt and cheese sometimes. Last year I tried becoming vegan to lose weight and stopped consuming dairy and grains and after a month I noticed my hair getting thinner. I started eating junk, dairy and grains again along with taking good care of my hair and it looked healthy. Since about last 3 weeks I went vegan again and I notice my hair getting thinner again. Also I have even got lazy with my hair care routine since these 3 weeks.

Does hair need animal fats/protein or could it be that my hair got into a shock due to major diet change? I was wondering that my hair should get better now since I am consuming more vegetables in my diet.

Hi! I've been vegan for almost 3 years and I also am a nutrition student. Within my first year of being vegan my hair went from APL to waist. It's now back to shoulder due to a bad haircut though. I digress...

You'll probably get some people telling you that you NEED animal protein and fat for healthy hair, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The World Health Organization recommends that men and women obtain 5% of their calories from protein. This quantity of protein is impossible to avoid as long as you're eating enough.

As someone who has struggled with hair thinning in the past, I learned it was caused by not eating enough calories. Plant foods are far less calorie dense than animal products, so we need to consume a higher volume of food. In a typical day, I will eat a minimum 2,500+ calories of fruits, veggies, beans, legumes, grains, and starches. Also, unless you're a celiac patient, I wouldn't shy away from grains. They're an incredible source of energy. The only foods I shy away from are high sodium and high fat foods, especially oils.

That being said, there's no "wrong" way of eating vegan. And if I may suggest some sources that helped me at the beginning of my vegan journey (and have helped many others) I'd be glad to do so. So, feel free to ask.

Good luck. :)

[yahirwaO.o]

Im pretty much a flexible vegetarian. I eat meat one or two times every month, and that's because real Mexican food is great at making everything yummy. (Rage go from insects to corn fungus LOL)

I do eat mostly lots of veggies, fruits and beans or seeds in general!!! Junk, fast food or highly refinated or super sweet stuff are out of my life

...still I have a brave respect for vegans and not giving up at some point. I cant imagine living without cheese or honey!!