2022 Guide to the Best Foods for Hair Growth

We all know that food is fuel, largely influencing our health and wellbeing, but what role does it play in hair health and growth? If you’re battling stagnant strands, you might consider eating the best foods for hair growth. 

Forget the complete 180 on your diet and lifestyle. Instead, add these nutrient-rich yummies to your diet for a delicious, healthy growth boost. 

Great hair is only a few meals away! Here’s what you’ll need to stock up on during your next trip to the market.

What Are The Best Foods For Hair Growth?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but can it also keep a bad hair day away? Following the USDA guidelines, aiming for a daily intake of 5-13 servings of fruits and veggies is a great start.

But if you’re focused on hair growth, you’ll need to allocate those servings for specific food choices that’ll optimize your scalp health to grow luxurious locks.

Where do you start?

There are plenty of delicious foods to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. Chances are, you already have a few essential foods in your fridge or pantry. The key is to eat foods rich in vital hair-growth nutrients like vitamins A, B, C, D, and E and amino acids, iron, zinc, and omegas. 

Eat a cocktail of nutrient-packed foods to fill your belly with goodness and your hair with body! 

Here’s an overview of the best foods for hair growth that would make Rapunzel jealous. 

1. Eggs
2. Fatty Fish 
3. Berries
4. Greek Yogurt 
5. Spinach 
6. Sweet Potatoes 
7. Avocados 
8. Nuts 
9. Shrimp
10. Seeds 

Let’s break down each of these food items to uncover precisely what makes them optimal for hair growth.

1. Eggs

A bountiful breakfast gives your metabolism a jump start and your body vital energy. But what can your beloved avocado toast topped with poached eggs do for your hair?

Eggs contain protein and biotin, essential nutrients for hair growth. But, more critically, protein malnutrition can cause hair loss and thinning because hair follicles feed on amino acids (organic compounds that formulate proteins).

What role does biotin play? You’ve seen it slapped on tons of beauty labels as a growth serum, but why?

Biotin is necessary for producing the hair-specific protein called keratin. However, its effectiveness as a hair growth nutrient lacks clinical support. 

That said, people with biotin deficiency can improve hair health and growth with vitamin and dietary supplementation to rectify the deficiency. Because of this, biotin is glorified as a hair-growth snake oil of sorts. 

But if you aren’t biotin deficient, focus on whipping up eggs in the morning for a protein boost with a side of biotin, zinc, and selenium.

2. Fatty Fish

If you’re a sucker for slow-cooked salmon, you’re in luck. Fatty fish work as a vital source for omega-3 fatty acids, which are equally satisfying to your hair as to your appetite.

For hair to thrive, dermal papilla cells need to mingle with cells inside the hair follicles. Omega fatty acids activate the connection between cells to increase the length of hair fibers and send hair into the anagen (growth phase) of the hair growth cycle.

Don’t love salmon? Try other fatty fish like mackerel, halibut, and herring, which all boast a hearty serving size of omega fatty acids. Swap your chicken dinner with fatty fish a few times a week and let your follicles go to work.

3. Berries

Berries might be small and sweet, but they are nutrient powerhouses packed with vitamin C, a rockstar antioxidant. These healthy compounds support hair growth by protecting your hair follicles from free radicals.

Do antioxidant supplements work? 

One study found that plant foods high in antioxidants, such as berries, maybe safer and healthier than isolated nutrient supplements. This is because the high dose of supplements can disrupt your body’s balance. No, thank you.

We’ll stick to the blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, oh my! Ready for a supercharged hit of antioxidants? Load up on açaí berries, a nutrient powerhouse loaded with antioxidants and omegas 3, 6, and 9? It’s no wonder they’re a superfood!

4. Greek Yogurt

Dreaming of Greece? Yeah, us too. Greek yogurt, that is! 

Greek yogurt is another protein-packed essential for healthy hair. With probiotics that help improve the health of your gut and keep your body in balance, Greek yogurt also has vitamin B5, a nutrient known as pantothenic acid that helps promote healthy hair – you might even find it on the list of ingredients in your favorite hair care products. 

Want to double down on the hair growth foods? Add a handful of mixed berries to your Greek yogurt for a hair-healthy snack your follicles will love.

5. Spinach

The greener, the better! Add spinach to your salads, mix it in with your smoothies, or sauté it with dinner – however you take your spinach, it’s doing wonders for your hair. Spinach is bursting with nutrients that promote hair growth, including vitamins A and C, iron, and folate. 

Vitamin A gets an A-plus in our book. The potent vitamin is essential to hair growth and healthy maintenance. 

You’ve likely seen hair growth products promoting retinoids in the ingredients, and that’s because retinoids are Vitamin A derivatives that balance the retinoid acid level in your epithelial tissues like skin and hair.

Next time you order a salad, swap the romaine for spinach. Or, add a handful to your smoothie if you’re like me and aren’t a fan of the grainy texture.

6. Sweet Potatoes

This delicious vegetable is sweet in more ways than one. Sweet potatoes contain a nutrient called beta-carotene. Beta-huh? 

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid, a pigment that gives veggies and fruits bright colors. But it does far more than coloring. Once inside the body, beta carotene converts into vitamin A (retinol), that hair growth essential nutrient we love to love! 

Next time you grab a comfort meal on the go, swap out regular fries with sweet potato fries. These savory alternatives are just as good (if not better), and simple changes like this can lead to thicker, healthier, and more beautiful hair. 

For healthier incorporation, bake sweet potatoes as a dinner side.

7. Avocados

Avocado lovers, rejoice! Whether you slather it on toast, mix it into zesty guac, or add it to your salad or eggs, avocados are a dynamic hair growth food. 

Remember how healthy fats like omegas promote cellular connection and send hair into the growth phase? They also contain loads of the hair-healthy antioxidant vitamin C, which protects the skin and scalp from stress and toxins. In addition to promoting hair growth, avocados kick dandruff and dry scalp to the curb. 

So the next time a server asks if you’d like to add avocado to your salad, burger, or sandwich, the answer is yes!

8. Nuts