7 Foods To Turn Bad Hair Days Into History

The jig is up - there’s no magic elixir to grow luscious, vibrant hair that shines like the glowing locks in every shampoo commercial you’ve ever seen.

We’ve all had days when we feel like we need a hair transplant, but don’t fret because we have some tips and tricks that’ll have you loving your goddess-like locks. So, what’s the secret?

Eat your way to healthy hair.

The natural, wholesome goodness in your fridge and pantry can be the difference between a tangled, brittle or greasy mess and beautiful, strong locks.

There’s a lot of sciencey stuff behind it, but basically, your hair is made of living cells like every other part of your body and those cells require a nutrient-rich diet packed with vitamins and minerals to support hydrated, vibrant hair.

As the old saying goes, ‘You are what you eat’. So unless you want hair that’s greasy like deep fried donuts, it’s time to re-examine your diet.

Lean Meats / Eggs / Tofu and Vegan-Friendly Protein Options

If you remember your old school biology lessons, proteins are the ‘building blocks of life’. So what does that mean for your hair?

The main ingredient in your hair is a protein called keratin. A low protein diet can add up to brittle, thin hair. On the contrary, consuming adequate protein helps renew hair growth, produce strong hair and reduce breakage by fortifying the hair root, so if luscious long locks are what you’re going for, protein is essential.

Foods that are high in protein include meats such as chicken and beef, or eggs which are a powerhouse of protein and essential nutrients in a neat little package. 

Vegan-friendly options include tofu, nuts, seeds, legumes and seaweed which are amazing alternatives that are loaded with health benefits.

Salmon

Your body is amazing. It's a superhero in its own right with powers like transforming sunshine into vitamin D to strengthen your bones, but what it can’t do is create omega-3 fatty acids.  

Crispy skin salmon is totally on our mid-week dinner menu. Salmon, alongside other oily fish including herring, sardines, trout and mackerel are an incredible natural source of omega-3 fatty acids. They support hair growth and give hair a shinier appearance. And let’s not forgot they promote healthy brain function to match your luminous locks.

Having an optimal intake of omega-3 helps to keep your scalp healthy, hair hydrated and free from itching and flakiness. It may even help in reversing hair loss.

Vegetarian? No sweat! Give your body the benefits of omega-3s by consuming chia seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, acai berry fruit, canola oil, cauliflower and of course everyone’s favourite, brussel sprouts.

Greek Yoghurt

And don’t think you can swap it out for a double scoop of your favourite ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s.

Greek yoghurt is full of probiotics that keep your immune system happy and healthy, so you can shine from the inside out - and your hair and nails mirror that fact.   

Greek yoghurt is also rich in calcium. Calcium isn’t just for strong bones. If your calcium intake isn’t adequate, you may notice a decline in hair and nail health.

Make sure you get your vitamin D fix by getting enough sunshine or eating vitamin D rich foods (e.g. fatty fish such as salmon) to ensure the proper absorption of calcium.

Tip: Why eat yoghurt when you can massage it into your scalp? Try a yoghurt hair mask (google ‘yoghurt hair mask’ for tonnes of fun recipes) to soothe your scalp with the anti-fungal properties, freeing you from dandruff woes and cooling aggravated skin.

When applied to the hair for deep conditioning, yoghurt may minimise the clogging of hair follicles, reduce hair loss over time and keep frizz at bay with the moisturising benefits.

Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

There's a reason why your parents told you to eat your greens growing up.  

If you’ve ever had that freak out moment when you realise the fuzzy monster on the shower floor is made of your human hair (obviously the only good monster is blue and cookie obsessed), or have stared in horror as a tumbleweed of hair rolls by while your snuggling up to binge on your favourite flicks, iron may be what you’re missing. It’s a big suspect when it comes to hair loss.

Dark, green leafy vegetables are chock-full of iron and not to forget vitamin A, C, E and antioxidants.

Spinach is superb one and is easy to substitute for your standard iceberg lettuce when you’re looking for a nutrient boost. If spinach isn’t your thing, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, collards, kale and watercress are all great options.

Orange Vegetables

Orange is the new... orange! Ok, what can we say, orange veggies never go out of style. They are brimming with the body-loving antioxidant beta-carotene that is converted to vitamin A, to prevent your hair from becoming dull or dry.

Your body requires vitamin A to create sebum, an oily substance produced by your hair's sebaceous glands that functions like a natural conditioner. It promotes a healthy scalp, free of itchiness and minimises the risk of dry hair. A diet rich in vitamin A may even help keep nightmare dandruff under control.

Orange vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato or mangos if you’re feeling fruity, meet the cut for our eat-your-way-to-better-hair routine.

Red Capsicum

Don’t get us wrong, we love a large glass of OJ with our morning brekky, but did you know red capsicum is an even richer source of vitamin C than oranges?

What's so special about vitamin C? As an anti-oxidant, it combats the destruction caused by nasty free radicals to keep your hair protected from damage. It’s also key to the production of collagen, a protein that’s crucial to growing the locks you love.

Vitamin C assists in the absorption of iron to strengthen your hair and maintain hair health.

Red capsicum is one of our favourite veggies for its sweet, delicious taste, versatility and it’s very literal ability to brighten up a meal with a burst of colour. Toss it through salads, curries and stir fries on a regular basis - it’s also super yummy in burritos! The possibilities are endless.

Water

Water - most of your body is made of it! Every hair shaft is made of one-quarter water. 

8-10 cups a day (2.1-2.6 litres) of water is a common recommendation to fit your hydration needs, but of course everyone is different, and this may need to be adjusted depending on your activity levels and other factors.  

Think of your hair like a plant. The hair root soaks up water and transports it to the rest of the hair strand to keep it hydrated and healthy. But if you’re not drinking adequate water, you’ll find brittle and dry hair to be the norm.

Water supports hair growth and helps flush out toxins and other nasties. Its benefits are virtually endless.

Staying on top of your body’s hydration needs is an important way to keep your hair healthy from the inside out.

Tip: Having trouble drinking recommended daily water quantities? Flavour up your glass by adding a slice of lemon, lime or strawberry. Yum!

Big No-No - Sugar

Don’t get us wrong, we love indulging our sweet tooth, but let’s keep it to a minimum. 

Remember how much we raved on about how great protein is? Unfortunately, alongside being a party for our taste buds, sugar hinders the absorption of protein so it’s a big no-no when it comes to hair care.  

The Wrap Up

There’s no quick fix to put the va va voom back into your locks. A balanced diet is the golden ticket for a full, shiny, mermaid mane but compared to your skin, the results of living healthy takes a greater length of time before becoming truly visible in your hair - at least 3 months.

There’s a rabbit hole of information on the benefits of these hair-loving foods - we’ve just touched on the surface of how to turn your hair nightmare into a hair wonderland.