Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is key to your body's overall health. But did you know it can also affect your overall hair health? Poor eating habits can take away essential vitamins and nutrients necessary to maintain nourished and healthy hair. 

If you want to know what to eat for healthy locks, think about foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy oils. It's easier than you think: Eating your way to healthy hair is as simple as eating a healthy balanced diet. Here are some easy-to-find foods for healthier hair:

Nuts

Walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, vitamin E, and copper which help to protect cells from free radical damage. These are the only types of nuts that help with hair loss, keep color rich, and protect from environmental factors.

Beta Carotene

Sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, and cantaloupe are an excellent source of beta-carotene. The body needs this antioxidant to turn it into vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed to protect and produce oils on the scalp. Not enough vitamin A could lead to an itchy/irritated scalp or dandruff.

Iron

Dark leafy greens, dried fruit, beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, artichokes, egg yolks, and red meat are all a great source of iron. These minerals are responsible for carrying oxygen to the hair follicles helping hair to grow. Too little iron in your diet can contribute to hair loss.

Zinc

Zinc-rich foods like oysters and whole grains boost protein levels your body needs to replace the hair you naturally shed every day. It also helps dry, damaged and weak hair become stronger since hair is made of about 97% protein. Unfortunately, your body doesn't store zinc on its own, meaning it needs a consistent supply of zinc entering the body. Hair loss is known to be a sign of having a zinc deficiency, so maintaining healthy zinc levels is vital for healthy, strong hair. 

Leafy Greens

Spinach, kale and broccoli contain vitamin C, folate, beta-carotene, and iron needed for strengthening the hair follicles to avoid breakage.

Lentils

High in biotin, protein, iron, and zinc, lentils such as soybeans, edamame, and kidney beans are essential for strong healthy hair.

Dairy

Dairy-based products like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and skim milk are high in protein, which is what your hair is made up of, and vitamin B5, which is known to increase blood flow to the scalp to promote healthy hair fullness. 

Ingredients Hair Loves

When you ask yourself “what ingredients give me healthy hair,” just know that there are certain food-based ingredients that the hair craves. Here are some of the best-known food-derived ingredients and foods for healthier hair:

Green Tea Leaf

This powerful ingredient contains a rich source of antioxidants to protect the hair from environmental damage it is exposed to daily. We utilize matcha, which is produced from the same plant as green tea, in our Be Gentle, Be Kind matcha + apple replenishing superfood shampoo to give your hair that extra health boost. Think of it as a green juice cleanse for your hair! 

Avocado

Avocado oil contains a heap of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that work to coat the hair follicle to protect it from further damage + breakage while also replenishing moisture, leaving the hair stronger and healthier. Because of these amazing hair benefits, we use avocado oil in a number of Briogeo products, including the Curl Charisma rice amino + avocado leave-in defining crème, Don't Despair, Repair! deep conditioning mask, Be Gentle, Be Kind avocado + quinoa co-wash, and many more. 

Bamboo

The majority of this plant is made up of silica, which is a trace mineral known to not only improve blood circulation, which in turn stimulates blood flow to the scalp, but it also improves moisture and natural sheen of the hair while increasing elasticity and strength.

Coconut Oil

Since coconut oil is comprised of smaller molecules, it's able to effectively penetrate the inside of the hair shaft to prevent the loss of protein, aid against breakage and provide the ultimate moisture boost. If you know Briogeo, you know we love our coconut oil! We use it in several of our products, such as our Scalp Revival charcoal + coconut oil micro-exfoliating shampoo and our Farewell Frizz rosehip, argan & coconut oil blend. 

Rice Amino Acid 

This amino acid seals the hair cuticle to resist against water in the environment that penetrates the hair shaft to cause frizz, while simultaneously working to condition the hair for undeniably smooth locks. Rice amino acid is actually one of the main ingredients in our Curl Charisma collection! It's a key ingredient we utilize to tame frizzy curls, leaving them looking smooth and defined. 

Rosehip Oil

Due to the presence of strong, naturally occurring antioxidants, including flavonoids, phenolic acids and vitamin C, rosehip oil shows extremely powerful protective properties. These rich nutrients essentially work to nourish and moisturize hair while preventing damage to the hair shaft. This natural oil contains essential fatty acids crucial in taming frizz and split ends. Dying to try rosehip oil on your gorgeous head of hair? This oil is one of the most important ingredients in our entire Farewell Frizz collection! Just take your pick to achieve a healthy, frizz-free mane.