A well-nourished scalp contributes to healthy hair that is stronger, shinier and fuller. Unfortunately, an unhealthy diet can have the opposite effect on hair strands. Certain foods can strip your hair follicles of essential nutrients and weaken hair. If you’re noticing a surprising amount of hair loss, one of these six foods may be the culprit:
1. Swordfish
Swordfish has high levels of mercury. As a toxic metal, mercury in large amounts triggers many negative health effects, including hair loss, memory problems and high blood pressure. Shark, swordfish and bigeye tuna sit at the top of the list. To save your vibrant head of hair, either avoid swordfish completely or limit it to special occasions.
2. Oysters
There’s nothing wrong with eating oysters per se. In fact, these tender morsels are packed with lean protein, vitamin D, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, all positive nutrients for hair. Oysters also have a lot of selenium, a mineral your body needs for healthy thyroid function.
The problem is that getting too much selenium can trigger hair loss, dizziness and other health dangers. The good news is that most people never have to worry about this normally since they don’t eat oysters every day. However, if you absolutely love oysters and take supplements containing selenium or zinc, you can get into hair-loss trouble.
3. Brazil Nuts
Like oysters, brazil nuts are also very high in selenium. It's OK to munch on a few from time to time. If you overdo things with an extreme diet, your body may end up with too much up selenium, leading to hair loss.
4. Sugar
Sugar is a big cause of inflammation in the body. This inflammation can gradually damage hair follicles, preventing hair from growing normally. This doesn’t mean you have to swear off dessert for good. But if your regular eating habits include a lot of junk food and soft drinks, your hair can suffer the consequences.
5. Empty Carbs
Refined carbohydrates cause the same problems as a high-sugar diet. They may look different on the outside, but once inside your body, carbs turn into sugar immediately. Here are some examples:
White breads
Pasta noodles
Pastries
White rice
If the majority of your diet is carbs, you may lose more hair than you should. To avoid this problem, balance carbs with plenty of fresh veggies, whole grains and fruits.
6. Fast Food
The saturated fats and unhealthy oils used in frying clog the pores in your skin and scalp. This contributes to hair loss. You can grab a burger with friends sometimes, but your hair benefits from making healthier food choices most of the time. French fries, potato chips, fried chicken, pizza and burgers are all high in fat.
Essential Nutrients for Promoting Hair Growth
Vitamin deficiencies can prevent hair from growing strong and lustrous. When your diet is filled with a variety of natural foods, your body receives a lot of great nutrients to work with. Natural superfoods benefit your skin, joints, muscles and organs, so it’s not really surprising that a healthy diet contributes to great hair, too.
One secret to preventing hair loss is to get plenty of essentials such as vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, iron and omega-3 fatty acids. You can get these wonderful building blocks from leafy greens, lean protein, fruit, nuts and other healthy foods, as well as from high-quality supplements.
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