View Full Version : Best forms of protein for hair growth?
pdy2kn6
March 27th, 2009, 05:52 AM
I haven't been eating much meat recently, since not staying with my mum and dad who cook meat pretty much everyday in some form or another. I haven't really had the desire for it. Im not a vegetarian, although sometimes i think perhaps i should be. But anyway, i still eat protein everyday, in the form of Tofu (my favourite), 2 hard boiled eggs i buy for 1 dollar at the shop near by (every 3 days or so), and chickpeas (the nicest pumkin and chickpea salad from the salad bar), oh and i sometimes (about 1 time a week) i buy a chicken low GI salad from 'sumo salad' for my dinner so i ensure i get some meat in the week, although i admit there isn't massives of chicken in this dish. I was wondering if this has a high problem on my health/hair? I know some vegetarians have problems because lack of iron in red meat, however i do eat alot alot of spinach and green leafy vege, about half a bag a day, so i get iron from that. Is meat considered the best protein for hair in general or are other forms of protein sufficient? When i have my tofu i usually eat a very lot of it, which I buy for my dinner pretty much every other day , or every two days, its so nice. Hope lack of meat isn't damaging my health though?
ChloeDharma
March 27th, 2009, 08:35 AM
As far as i'm aware nutritionists used to consider eggs to contain the ideal balance of amino acids for human health.
Soya (tofu) contains all eight essential amino acids, and i did find a study that indicated combining soya protein and cayenne pepper (well, the active ingredient in it that gives the heat) increased hair growth. So from what you describe you don't sound deficient in protein.
As for whether vegetarians hair suffers from lack of meat......consider how many hindu vegetarians there are in India and how many have beautiful long hair traditionally. ;)
Anje
March 27th, 2009, 08:55 AM
Eggs and soy are good (though there are some potential concerns about men eating large amounts of soy), but I think you do need to make sure you're getting sufficient protein, as it looks like you're doing only about a serving per day, if that. Beans and rice are a good combination that together provide all the amino acids that you need, and a little more poultry and fish wouldn't hurt if you don't object to the meat. Nuts and legumes are always good for everyone.
One other thing you should pay attention to is whether you're getting sufficient vitamin B12, which is really only available through animal sources and supplements. (I have heard that vegetarians in countries like India tend to become deficient in it when they move to countries like England and the US, because fewer insect parts end up in the food here. Feel free to confirm or deny.) <eta>B12 deficiency can cause anemia, since it affects your ability to absorb iron. </eta>
Oh, and in regard to your other thread, according to Wikipedia, gelatin is not a good source for protein. It lacks tryptophan entirely, and the amino acid balance in general is not great for a protein source.
pdy2kn6
March 27th, 2009, 09:18 AM
Eggs and soy are good (though there are some potential concerns about men eating large amounts of soy), but I think you do need to make sure you're getting sufficient protein, as it looks like you're doing only about a serving per day, if that. Beans and rice are a good combination that together provide all the amino acids that you need, and a little more poultry and fish wouldn't hurt if you don't object to the meat. Nuts and legumes are always good for everyone.
One other thing you should pay attention to is whether you're getting sufficient vitamin B12, which is really only available through animal sources and supplements. (I have heard that vegetarians in countries like India tend to become deficient in it when they move to countries like England and the US, because fewer insect parts end up in the food here. Feel free to confirm or deny.) <eta>B12 deficiency can cause anemia, since it affects your ability to absorb iron. </eta>
Oh, and in regard to your other thread, according to Wikipedia, gelatin is not a good source for protein. It lacks tryptophan entirely, and the amino acid balance in general is not great for a protein source.
hey thanks for the replies, oh yeah i know gelatin isnt a good source of protein i just read somewhere its good somehow for hair in general. In regards to the protein, yeah i really do think i need to eat more protein. I just never get round to buying it or really wanting it, i am always on the go and am in and out of uni and the library all day from pretty much 9am-10pm, so i tend to just pick up my dinner as i go, which is usually only one serving of protein per day, which probably is inadequate for a 6 foot lad. i eat alot of goji berries in the morning and at night, and lots of fruit throughout the day. I wish i liked fish but i just cannot bring myself to like it. I had some seaweed the otherday because of the health benefits associated with it, but it made me want to gag, i tried so hard to eat it but i just couldnt bring myself to lol. I need to try eating more legumes too. I am not much of a nut eater, as they are high in cals, and as i used to be larger when i was younger, ever since losing weight i have been wary of what i eat throughout the past 2 years, ie never eating chocolate or sweets or fastfoods. My whole family thinks im wierd, as i should have a treat everynow and again but i just couldn't bring myself to. Unfortunately this 'craze over health eating' also lead to my downfall though with me being dangerously over weight about a year ago, which is also probably what contributes to my hair being thin at the ends during that time in my life when i was struggling. Now i just try and eat well, but getting sufficient poultry is abit difficult when i never get a chance to cook it and i never eat things like burgers from fast food joints. You mentioned about high soy intake being harmful for men? do you know what it can do to you? that's got me worried because i live of tofu lol
Anje
March 27th, 2009, 10:00 AM
Concerning the soy -- there was some talk of it reducing fertility a bit in men, because it has a lot of estrogen analogs. I'll look up some research reports, if you'd like. In any case, it's not worth being alarmist over, as soy can be very good for you.
ETA: OK, a study by Chavarro et al. that came out in November found reduced sperm counts in men who had soy in their diets, but the study was among men at an infertility clinic, so the sample is rather biased and may not apply to the general population. From skimming a few abstracts, I'd say that it's something men need to be aware of if they're having fertility problems, but I wouldn't worry too much about it in general. As many have pointed out, Asian populations consume a lot more soy and as a whole don't seem to have fertility problems.
jojo
March 27th, 2009, 11:01 AM
your diet sounds very healthy to me and I would say you are getting plenty of protein, lentils and pulses are good forms of protein too.
I love marmite (vegimite over in Oz) and go through a ton of it, its full of all the B vits which are also excellent for hair growth and of course water lots of water. Think of your hair as a plant, feed it, water it and give it plenty of light and it will grow just fine! Lucky for me I am better at growing hair than plants though!!!
princess
March 27th, 2009, 12:29 PM
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/articles/protein-veg-diet.php
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html
EdG
March 27th, 2009, 07:51 PM
I don't think there's any correlation between the type of foods one eats and hair growth. Any adequate diet will allow one to grow long hair (*). :)
Ed
(*) But being a vegetarian is a plus for reasons not related to hair. :D
long.again
March 28th, 2009, 09:52 AM
Eggs and soy are good (though there are some potential concerns about men eating large amounts of soy)
I actually talked to my dr about this because when I was pregnant with my son I couldn't have dairy products and I'm a veggie. So I was eating a ton of soy. Then, for his first 2 years of life, he couldn't have milk and hated meat products so he was eating a ton of soy. I was concerned because I heard that soy could increase your estrogen levels. Well, my dr said it can, but you'd have to be eating huge, huge amounts. Like way more than 5 servings a day. So, that's positive. Also, eating soy products is now associated with good heart health.
To the OP, I am not a meat eater (I just don't like it). Remember that "one serving" of meat is only about 1 oz (the size of a lipstick tube or ¼ cup of cooked whatever or 1 egg) based on what you've said you are probably getting at least 4 servings per day. An adult only needs 3 servings per day.
I found this online:
One serving or ounce equivalent equals 1 ounce of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1/4 cup dried beans, after cooking; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon of peanut butter; or 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds.
3 servings/ounce equivalents of fish = 1 checkbook
3 servings/ounce equivalents of meat or poultry = 1 deck of cards
2 servings/ounce equivalents of peanut butter = 1 roll of 35 mm film or 1 ping-pong ball
IMO, the best form of protein for hair is "complete proteins" where you are eating both complex carbs with protein - like beans and rice, or peanut butter on a whole wheat bagel. Or spaghetti and meatballs.
If you are concerned about your hair not having enough protein - you could try a protein treatment for your hair.
Heidi_234
March 28th, 2009, 10:08 AM
long.again, protein treatments for hair have very little to do with protein you eat. Treatments just temporarily replace lost protein in your hair, protein that you eat gives the body the material to 'make' hair, as hair is made of protein basically.
AmyJorgensen
March 28th, 2009, 11:03 AM
I asked my husband about the soy matter because he is very serious about nutrition...and research is one of his big hobbies. I recall he talked me into quitting drinking Slimfast because of the type of soy it contains. He says, "Unfermented soy contains "anti-nutrients" such as phytates and trypsin inhibitor. Phytates block the absorbtion of minerals, particularly iron, calcium and magnesium. Trypsin inhibitors aren't as big a deal because they are removed in making tofu, phytates aren't. Fermenting soy does break down the phytates, so miso and tempeh are quite healthy. One needs to be wary of the health claims for soy as the studies are largely funded by the soy industry. The amount you are eating isn't a big deal if your nutrition is otherwise adequate. If soy forms a large part of your diet it can be a problem though. On the vegetarians in India, they consume large amount of raw milk which supplies many of the nutrients lacking in the rest of their diet. Phytoestrogens in soy have been shown to be good for menopausal and post menopausal women but they seem to be bad or at best neutral for everyone else. They can also cause problems with thyroid function. For anyone who is curious about this sort of thing I suggest looking up The Weston A. Price Foundation at www.westonaprice.org and the book 'Nourishing Traditions', though, like everything, they should be taken with a grain of salt (make sure it is good salt though) ;) ."
Angharad
March 28th, 2009, 12:47 PM
Actually in our "civillised" world we tend to overeat on protein. I myself don't take dairy products because I have noticed it brings more damage than it does any good (it builds up slime in my body).
Since I stopped eating/drinking dairy products, I do not catch colds as often as I used to. I do however eat a lot of vegetables, fruit and bread from a bakery that bakes bread from natural ingredients only, or I'll bake it myself when I have the time. I eat just little bits of meat or veggie stuff like tofu burgers. My hair has a healthy growth.
As long as you'll eat a large variety of vegetable food in sufficient quantity to remain on weight, your body will get proteïnen in abundance. Eat grains, green vegetables, pod fruit (peas, broad beans and lentils) and fruit.
Too much protein intake can increase your chances to develop kidney diseases, kidney stones, osteoperoses and cancer (when you eat too much meat).
pdy2kn6
March 28th, 2009, 04:24 PM
thanks guys for the comments, i probly need to cut back on soy products, i just love tofu. i did however branch out and try tempeh yesterday due to the health benefits i read it has. i wasnt sure if i liked it or not, some mouthfuls i thought 'this is okay, abit like peanut butter kind of tast', then other mouth fuls i just thought 'this texture is disgusting, i can't eat any more'. Ill give it another go though no doubt!!!
Rzilynt
March 30th, 2009, 02:14 PM
Chlorella and Spirulina are great sources of Plant Protein. They can be found in the powder form or tablets. I take these with the Naked Juice "Green machine" .
RZ~
pdy2kn6
March 30th, 2009, 02:43 PM
Chlorella and Spirulina are great sources of Plant Protein. They can be found in the powder form or tablets. I take these with the Naked Juice "Green machine" .
RZ~
yeah, i have been on spirulina tablets for the past 2 months, i used to get a shot in my smoothie (when i was ridiculously spending 6 dollars on 1 smoothie everyday), it was so nice mixed in to it!!!
Anje
March 30th, 2009, 04:07 PM
Hmmm.. I didn't realize that tofu was unfermented soy.
Now I'm wondering about my soymilk (Silk).
AmyJorgensen
March 30th, 2009, 05:16 PM
Anje- Yes soymilk like Silk is unfermented soy.
Anje
March 30th, 2009, 07:18 PM
Interesting. I had just assumed that most available soy products were fermented. I'll have to pay attention to my soymilk consumption, though I imagine it's perfectly OK in the quantities I use.
lacereza
April 3rd, 2009, 01:28 AM
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pdy2kn6
April 3rd, 2009, 05:01 AM
Tempeh is soy too.
i know, i just thought it may be good for me to mix up my soy consumptions, lol, after tasting it i think ill have to stick to my normal 5 spices tofu chunk
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