With over 35 years of looking after many heads of hair, we believe in taking a holistic approach to promote hair growth. We believe in 3 essentials for healthy hair growth:
- A healthy balanced diet; choose foods for hair growth and a healthy scalp.
- Take good care of your scalp. Keep it clean and free of build-up.
- Drink Water. Stay hydrated to promote hair growth.
Choose the Best Foods for Hair Growth
It’s true what they say; you really are what you eat. Your hair is made up of the same protein as your skin, keratin. A healthy balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and proteins is not only food for healthy skin, but it also shows in your hair too.
So here’s our list of favourite foods for hair growth.
Foods for Hair Growth: Healthy Hair
Leafy greens
Choose leafy greens, such as follicle-boosting spinach to up the iron levels in your diet. Iron is important to healthy, strong hair as it supports our red blood cells in carrying oxygen around the body for growth and repair. It’s vital to include it in your foods for hair growth.
Spinach also contains Vitamins A and C. Vitamin A helps the follicles produce sebum. Sebum moisturises the scalp and is important when thinking about how to promote hair growth. Vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron, helping you to grow healthy hair.
Spinach leaves are a great addition to a salad. Try them with a lemon and olive oil dressing. Lemon provides an additional dose of vitamin C to help your body absorb the iron.
Apricots
Apricots, another food that comes loaded with nutrients for hair growth. For starters, they have vitamin A. Normal levels of vitamin A in the body are associated with better blood circulation and good circulation helps the scalp to produce healthy hair.
Apricots contain vitamin C and magnesium. Along with Iron, Magnesium is another follicle-friendly mineral. It supports the health of the follicle. Maintaining the scalp and follicles in good health is the foundation of healthy hair.
Avocado
Avocados are a nutrition powerhouse. They contain potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and D, E and vitamin B6. Vitamin E plays an important role as an antioxidant, helping to reduce stress and free radicals that can impact the scalp. But there is more.
Avocados are rich in essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are a vital component in building our cells. Our bodies can’t produce them so it’s important to make sure we include foods with fatty acids as part of a balanced diet.
Avocado is not just for eating. It can also be used topically for the hair. Avocado oil is a key ingredient in our conditioners and our best hair mask. The fatty acids in the oil are combined with pro-vitamin b5 and other emollients to add moisture to the hair.
Raspberries and Blackberries
In fact, berries, in general, are a great addition to your healthy hair diet. They may be small but they pack a big punch of Vitamin C. We’ve mentioned that vitamin C helps your body absorb iron for strong hair, but it also helps your body produce collagen. Collagen is important for 2 reasons. It acts as an antioxidant, helping to reduce damage to the follicles, plus it plays in helping us to produce healthy hair.
Adding berries to your breakfast is an easy (and delicious!) way of making sure you get this nutrient-rich boost.
Oily fish, Meat and Dairy
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of vitamin B12 for hair. B12 is found in dairy products, meat and fish and it’s a supplement that is often recommended for hair loss. But there are some lesser known B vitamins that are definitely worth considering when it comes to taking care of your hair.
B vitamins convert food to energy to promote healthy hair growth and skin
There are eight B vitamins in total that help convert food into energy that in turn supports healthy skin and hair. Vitamin B6, for example, increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the hair follicle and scalp. Increasing blood flow helps with healthy hair growth. Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B2 also known as riboflavin help with hair growth.
Food for Hair Growth: Many vegetables contain vitamin B6
If the idea of getting all these vitamins into your diet sounds dull. Fear not! It’s easier than you might think. Vitamin B6, for example, is found in many vegetables. We made this tasty pea and leek risotto with a side of beetroot and fennel salad and managed to get a dose of B6 (fennel, leeks and peas) B2 and B1 (peas again!) and B12 (parmesan cheese). Peas are a real powerhouse of B vitamins.
Nuts and Seeds
Adding nuts and seeds to your diet is easy to do. Whether you sprinkle them on your breakfast or choose them as a healthy snack, they provide plenty of nutrients to promote hair growth. Take the pumpkin seeds sprinkled on this delicious sweet potato soup (sweet potato is packed with vitamin c); they contain iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. Zinc is important as it supports the oil glands around the follicle. Selenium protects the body from free radicals, another important nutrient for a healthy scalp.
Figs
Figs contain a variety of follicle-loving vitamins and minerals, including vitamin c, and our favourite hair-loving B vitamins. In the winter months, it can be tricky to get hold of fresh figs so try dried figs. Try adding them to a casserole. They are delicious with lamb.
Aubergine
Packed with potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin B6, aubergines are a powerhouse of nutrients for healthy hair growth. The dish in our photo also contains iron-rich tomatoes. Plus its got parmesan for a good dose of protein. We made this aubergine parmigiano recipe and served it with vitamin A-packed rocket. This dish is delish. Not to mention simple to make and good for your hair!
Eggs
When it comes to food for hair growth, protein and iron are essential. As we mentioned at the beginning, hair is made from a protein called keratin. In order to grow, hair needs a regular supply of protein. Without an adequate source of protein, hair can become dry and brittle. Eggs are a good source of protein. If you are vegan you can get your protein from nuts and other plant sources such as beans and lentils.
For healthy hair, we recommend a balanced diet with a mixture of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and proteins.
The foods above are some of our favourites. Our key message is that to promote hair growth and a healthy scalp, choosing a balanced diet with lots of nutrients will give you the best foundation for healthy, shiny hair.
As we mentioned at the beginning, keeping your body well-hydrated is essential for a healthy scalp and hair. Dehydration can prevent hair growth.
And finally, keep your scalp and follicles free of build-up to promote hair growth. Choose a gentle, cleansing shampoo that won’t strip the oils from your hair.
If you have concerns about excessive hair loss or scalp condition, we recommend seeking professional advice from your doctor or a trichologist.
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About Us
Ogario London is a salon developed range of natural hair care products.
As a niche brand, we are passionate about our hair products and delivering the best results is at the heart of what we do.
Whether you are searching for a hair mask for dry, damaged hair or a the best hair volume products we have the perfect hair products.
If you have any questions about our products, would like advice on the best products for your hair type, or have another question about how to look after your hair, please get in touch at info@ogariolondon.com
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