Whether your hair is cropped short or long, pin-straight or tightly curled, the chances are you’ve probably looked into or purchased some store-bought products for hair growth and repair.
The problem is, many of these formulas are expensive and unsustainable to use in the long term.
What many people don’t know is that you can actually find most of the key nutrients your hair needs in a combination of everyday foods, some of which you may already have in your pantry, refrigerator, or fruit bowl at home!
You may already have heard that banana has several regenerative and growth-enhancing properties for hair since this fruit is one of the most popular natural ingredients for hair growth. However, there are plenty more beneficial foods to explore with regard to their hair care effects.
In today’s article, we’ll be discussing all the best foods to use for hair growth, so stay tuned to find your new favorite natural hair enhancer!
What does banana do for your hair?
Banana contributes to hair growth and repair in several different ways.
The main substance in bananas that makes them an effective hair growth and repair agent is silica, also known as silicon dioxide.
Silica is natural quartz, and while it can be dangerous in high quantities, the amounts in which it is found in foods like a banana has a strengthening effect on connective tissues in the human body. This includes bones and tendons as well as hair and skin.
Because silica is converted into collagen once it is absorbed by the body, the substance has been linked to stronger and faster-growing hair.
The reason for this is that collagen is one of the most important proteins for hair care. It improves the elasticity of individual hair strands to minimize breakage.
Banana is a fruit high in antioxidants, which is also highly beneficial for hair growth. Not only will antioxidants help to soothe your scalp and prevent a buildup of dandruff. These same antioxidants will build up a protective layer to minimize oxidation.
The most common way to apply bananas to your hair for growth and repair is by way of a hair mask. If your hair is still not growing then (as much as I love bananas) there are definitely some more things you can try.
Is apple good for hair growth?
We’ve all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but did you know that eating apples on a regular basis can also help your hair to grow longer and stronger?
Apples are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C acts in roughly the same way as the antioxidants in bananas, reducing the risk of oxidative damage over time.
Vitamin A stimulates growth in all tissues of the human body, and hair is no different. Plus, consumption of Vitamin A has been linked to increased production of sebum, which is important for scalp and hair moisturization.
Meanwhile, Vitamin B facilitates the transport of nutrients around the body, including to the scalp, so this will help your hair to benefit as much as possible from the other nutrients in apples.
If you would like to apply apple directly to your hair, you can press the juice from one apple and dilute it with warm water before massaging the mixture through your roots.
Alternatively, making a conscious effort to introduce more apples into your diet should produce noticeable results over some time.
Is peanut butter good for hair growth?
Peanut butter is possibly the last thing you’d instinctively think about putting on your hair when you’re spreading it over your PB+J sandwich, but this staple nut butter is actually one of the most useful ingredients you can use to stimulate hair growth.
The reason peanut butter (and peanuts themselves, for that matter) is so good for hair is that peanuts are high in biotin, better known as Vitamin B.
As we mentioned with regard to using apples for hair growth, Vitamin B is instrumental in helping to transport nutrients to the scalp.
In addition to being high in Vitamin B, peanut butter also has a very respectable antioxidant content. It’s high in protein and fiber as well. Given that protein is one of the main building blocks of healthy hair, making sure that your hair (as well as the rest of your body!) is getting enough protein is crucial.
With that being said, we’d mainly recommend using peanut butter to enhance your hair’s growth if you suffer from a Vitamin B deficiency. Consuming or exposing your scalp to too much Vitamin B can lead to vitamin toxicity, one of the side effects of which includes hair loss.
Please also bear in mind that peanut allergies can result in hair loss. So, if you’re allergic to peanuts, peanut butter hair care is definitely a no-go.
Even if you’re simply not sure how well your body will react to peanut butter, it’s best to err on the side of caution and choose a different method to avoid detrimental results.
Is watermelon good for hair?
Much like bananas and apples, watermelons boast a high Vitamin C content. Vitamin C helps to carry nutrients such as collagen to the scalp, which is vital if you want your hair to be strong and damage-resistant.
Moreover, watermelon contains Arginine, which is an essential amino acid and has been linked to circulation stimulation in the scalp. Proper circulation is one of the most important contributors to hair growth, so this is a huge bonus.
And it’s not only the flesh of the watermelon that can help your hair to grow healthy and strong. The oil from the seeds is also an excellent moisturizer that can help to remedy dry and brittle hair.
In order to make a moisturizing, strengthening, and stimulating hair mask out of watermelon, many hair care experts recommend mixing mashed watermelon with mayonnaise and massaging the resultant paste all over the scalp so that it can absorb into the roots.
What foods promote hair growth?
In addition to the foods we’ve already mentioned, there is actually a long list of food types that can help to speed up healthy hair growth.
Nuts, avocados, and oily fish are all excellent nourishing agents for hair because they are packed full of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Not only will fatty acids help to strengthen your hair and stimulate growth, but they are also highly moisturizing. This is helpful if you suffer from a dry or irritated scalp. In addition to this, fatty acids from various food groups will contribute a luscious shine to your hair.
If your hair has been feeling dry and dull recently, introducing more oily fish, nuts, and avocado into your diet could be the easy fix you need.
Sources of protein such as meat, beans, and eggs can also be highly beneficial when it comes to restoring and promoting growth in your hair. Hair is mostly made up of protein, so replenishing your body’s protein levels regularly will help to keep your hair strong and healthy. Strong, healthy hair is less likely to break, which means that it will grow faster and longer.
Your hair also needs plenty of antioxidants to maintain a protective barrier against damage. If you can keep your hair as undamaged as possible, it is likely to grow much faster and look much healthier as it gets longer.
Spinach, berries, and sweet peppers all have impressive antioxidant contents, so if you want to protect your hair’s collagen levels for increased damage resistance, these are the foods we would recommend. Spinach is also high in Vitamin A, which promotes growth all over the body as well as the hair follicles.
If you’re a fan of seafood, we have some good news for you: shrimp and oysters have been linked to healthier and faster-growing hair. This is because they both contain zinc, which promotes growth and repair while stimulating the secretion of oil from your hair follicles. This helps to keep your scalp and hair moisturized and naturally nourished.
Finally, one of the best foods to boost the levels of beta-carotene in your hair is sweet potato. Beta-carotene is converted by the body into Vitamin A on consumption. As we’ve mentioned, Vitamin A is crucial for tissue regeneration and growth as well as healthy oil production.
What is the best food for hair growth?
We’ve discussed so many highly effective food types for hair growth in today’s article that it’s difficult to pick the best one. However, science and general public opinion do point to one ingredient above others as the best food for hair growth.
Eggs typically feature at the top of ‘best foods for hair growth’ lists, and this is for very good reason. Egg yolk is highly moisturizing and contains many crucial vitamins and minerals for healthy hair, including Biotin (Vitamin B), Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and folate.
Vitamin A will strengthen your hair, while Vitamin E has antioxidant properties for protection. Folate encourages cell growth and repair. Meanwhile, Vitamin B will transport all of these nutrients to your scalp for absorption.
With that being said, the best food for hair growth can be different from person to person based on individual health conditions and requirements. Moreover, eggs will not be a suitable hair fix for vegans or people with egg allergies.
If you can’t or don’t want to use eggs to promote hair growth, we recommend going back through the many other foods we’ve suggested in today’s article and selecting the one that you feel best meets your needs.
If your hair feels very dry, for example, foods with high levels of fatty acids or a high Vitamin A content for scalp oil secretion may be your best bet.
On the other hand, if your hair is brittle and breaks easily, you should consider introducing more antioxidant foods into your diet or hair care routine for protection.
