The 14 Best Foods for Hair Growth

1. Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein and biotin, two nutrients that may
promote hair growth.

Eating adequate protein is important for hair growth because hair follicles
are made of mostly protein. A lack of protein in the diet has been shown to
promote hair loss (1Trusted Source).

Biotin is essential for the production of a hair protein called keratin, which
is why biotin supplements are often marketed for hair growth. Research
has also shown that consuming more biotin can help improve hair growth
in people with a biotin deficiency (2).

However, biotin deficiencies are uncommon if you consume a balanced

diet. There is little evidence to show healthy people benefit from
consuming more biotin (3Trusted Source).

Eggs are also a great source of zinc, selenium and other hair-healthy

nutrients. This makes them one of the best foods to consume for optimal
hair health (4).

Summary Eggs are a great

source of protein and biotin, which are important for hair
health and growth. A
deficiency in either of these nutrients has been linked to hair
loss.

2. Berries
Berries are loaded with beneficial compounds and vitamins that may
promote hair growth.

This includes vitamin C, which has strong antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants can help protect hair follicles against damage from harmful
molecules called free radicals. These molecules exist naturally in the body
and the environment (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

For example, 1 cup (144 grams) of strawberries provides an impressive

141% of your daily vitamin C needs (7).

Also, the body uses vitamin C to produce collagen, a protein that helps
strengthen hair to prevent it from becoming brittle and breaking (8Trusted
Source, 9Trusted Source).

What’s more, vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from the diet. Low iron
levels may cause anemia, which has been linked to hair loss (10Trusted
Source).

Summary Berries are loaded

with compounds like antioxidants and vitamins that may
promote hair growth. For
example, strawberries are rich in vitamin C, which aids
collagen production and
iron absorption, two factors that may promote hair growth.

3. Spinach
Spinach is a healthy green vegetable that’s loaded with beneficial nutrients
like folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, all of which may promote hair
growth (11).
Vitamin A helps the skin glands produce sebum. This oily substance helps
moisturize the scalp to keep hair healthy (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted
Source).

A cup (30 grams) of spinach provides up to 54% of your daily vitamin A

needs (11).

Spinach is also a great plant-based source of iron, which is essential for hair

growth. Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body to fuel
your metabolism and aid growth and repair (14Trusted Source).

What’s more, iron deficiencies have been linked to hair loss (10Trusted
Source).

Summary Spinach is loaded with

folate, iron, and vitamins A and C, which may promote hair
growth. A deficiency
in these nutrients may result in hair loss.

4. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like salmon, herring and mackerel have nutrients that may
promote hair growth.

They are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked
to hair growth.

A study in 120 women found that taking a supplement containing omega-3

and omega-6 fatty acids as well as antioxidants reduced hair loss and
increased hair density (15Trusted Source).

Another study found that taking a fish oil supplement significantly reduced
hair loss and increased hair growth in women with thinning hair (16Trusted
Source).
However, there are only a handful of studies on omega-3 fatty acids and
hair growth. More studies are needed before health experts can make any
recommendations.

Fatty fish is also a great source of protein, selenium, vitamin D3 and B

vitamins, nutrients that may help promote strong and healthy hair (17).

Purchase salmon online.

Summary Fatty fish like

salmon, herring and mackerel are great sources of omega-3
fatty acids, which
have been linked to improved hair growth and density.
However, there are only a
few studies in this area, so more are needed.

5. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene. The body converts this
compound into vitamin A, which is linked to good hair health.

A medium sweet potato (about 114 grams) contains enough beta-carotene

to provide more than four times your daily vitamin A needs (18).

Research has shown that vitamin A promotes the production of sebum,

which helps keep hair healthy.

What’s more, vitamin A could also speed up the rate of hair growth and
encourage the growth of thicker hair, all while preventing other hair
follicles from regressing (19, 20).

Summary Sweet potatoes are

loaded with vitamin A, which helps aid sebum production.
Additionally, it has
other factors that may help speed up the rate of hair growth.
6. Avocados
Avocados are delicious, nutritious and a great source of healthy fats.

They are also an excellent source of vitamin E, which may promote hair
growth. One medium avocado (about 200 grams) provides 21% of your
daily vitamin E needs (21).

Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps combat oxidative

stress by neutralizing free radicals.

In one study, people with hair loss experienced 34.5% more hair growth
after taking a vitamin E supplement for eight months (22Trusted Source).

Vitamin E also protects areas of the skin, like the scalp, from oxidative
stress and damage. Damaged skin on the scalp can result in poor hair
quality and fewer hair follicles (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).

What’s more, avocados are a great source of essential fatty acids. These

fats cannot be produced by the body, but are essential building blocks of
your cells. A deficiency in essential fatty acids has been linked to hair loss
(25Trusted Source).

Summary Avocados are rich in

vitamin E, an antioxidant that may promote hair growth.
Additionally, they are a great source of
essential fatty acids, which appear to be crucial for hair
growth.

7. Nuts
Nuts are tasty, convenient and contain a variety of nutrients that may
promote hair growth.
For example, an ounce (28 grams) of almonds provides an impressive 37%
of your daily vitamin E needs (26).

What’s more, they also provide a wide variety of B vitamins, zinc and
essential fatty acids. A deficiency in any of these nutrients has been linked
to hair loss (9Trusted Source).

Nuts have also been linked to a wide variety of other health benefits

besides hair growth, including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of
heart disease (27Trusted Source).

This makes nuts an excellent and easy addition to your diet.

Buy almonds online.

Summary Nuts are packed with

nutrients like vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and essential fatty
acids, all of
which may promote hair growth and are linked to many other
health benefits.

8. Seeds
Seeds deliver a massive amount of nutrients with relatively few calories.
Many of these nutrients may also promote hair growth. These include
vitamin E, zinc and selenium.

An ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds provides nearly 50% of your daily
vitamin E needs, with a wide variety of hair-healthy B vitamins (28).

What’s more, certain seeds like flaxseeds and chia seeds also
provide omega-3 fatty acids.
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of flaxseeds provides 6,388 mg of omega-3
fatty acids. That’s more omega-3 fatty acids than half a fillet (178 grams) of
salmon (16, 29).

However, flaxseeds provide a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is not used by
the body as efficiently as the omega-3s found in fatty fish. Nonetheless, it’s
a great addition to the diet.

In order to get the widest variety of nutrients, it’s best to consume a

mixture of seeds.

Shop for sunflower, flax, and chia seeds online.

Summary Like nuts, seeds are

rich in vitamin E and other nutrients that may promote hair
growth. Some seeds
also contain omega-3s, which have been linked to hair
growth.

9. Sweet Peppers
Sweet peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which may aid hair
growth.

In fact, one yellow pepper provides nearly 5.5 times as much vitamin C as
an orange (30).

Vitamin C helps promote collagen production, which can help strengthen

your hair strands. It’s also a strong antioxidant, which can protect hair
strands against oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals overwhelm the body’s

antioxidant defense system. It has been linked to hair loss and the graying
of hair (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
What’s more, sweet peppers are also an excellent source of vitamin A.

This vitamin may help speed up hair growth while stimulating the
production of sebum, which helps keep hair healthy.

Summary Sweet peppers are a

rich source of vitamins A and C, two nutrients that help ensure
hair stays
healthy and that may aid hair growth.

10. Oysters
Oysters are one of the best food sources of zinc (31).

Zinc is a mineral that helps support the hair growth and repair cycle
(32Trusted Source).

A lack of zinc in the diet may promote telogen effluvium, a common but
reversible form of hair loss caused by a lack of nutrients in the diet
(33Trusted Source).

Studies have shown that taking a zinc supplement can reverse the effects of
hair loss caused by a zinc deficiency (34Trusted Source, 35).

However, taking too much zinc could also promote hair loss. That’s why
getting zinc from foods like oysters may be better than taking supplements,
since foods provide zinc in small but healthy doses (36Trusted Source).

Summary Oysters are one of the

best sources of zinc in the diet. This mineral helps support the
hair growth
and repair cycle.

11. Shrimp
Shrimp are popular shellfish rich in many nutrients that have the potential
to promote hair growth.

For example, shrimp are a great source of protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron and
vitamin D. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of shrimp provides 38% of your
daily vitamin D needs (37).

Interestingly, studies have linked vitamin D3 deficiency to hair loss

(38Trusted Source, 39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source).

Despite being very low in fat, shrimp also provide a small amount of

omega-3 fatty acids. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to
improved hair growth (16Trusted Source, 37).

Summary Shrimp are a great

source of protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron and vitamin D, which
may aid hair
growth. They also provide a small amount of healthy omega-3
fatty acids.

12. Beans
Beans are a great plant-based source of protein, which is essential to hair
growth.

Like oysters, beans are a good source of zinc, which aids the hair growth
and repair cycle. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of black beans provides
7% of your daily zinc needs (32Trusted Source).

They also provide many other hair-healthy nutrients, including iron, biotin
and folate (41).

On top of all these benefits, beans are highly versatile and inexpensive,

which makes them an easy addition to the diet.
Find a selection of beans online.

Summary Beans are a great

source of protein, iron, zinc and biotin, which are all essential
for optimal
hair health. Together, they may aid hair growth.

13. Soybeans
Studies have shown that compounds in soybeans may promote hair
growth. One of these compounds is spermidine, which is abundant in
soybeans (42Trusted Source).

For example, a study of 100 healthy people found that a spermidine-based

nutritional supplement prolonged a phase of active hair growth called the
anagen phase. The longer a hair follicle stays in the anagen phase, the
longer it will grow (43Trusted Source).

Test-tube studies have also shown that spermidine promotes human hair
growth (44Trusted Source).

However, the research on spermidine and hair growth is fairly new, so

more studies are needed before health experts can make
recommendations on spermidine intake.

Summary Soybeans are one of

the best sources of spermidine, a compound that may prolong
the active phase of
hair growth.

14. Meat
Meat is a staple in many people’s diet and is rich in nutrients that may aid
hair growth.
The protein in meat aids growth and helps repair and strengthen hair
follicles. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked sirloin steak provides as
much as 29 grams of protein (45).

Red meat, in particular, is rich in a type of iron that’s easy to absorb. This
mineral helps the red blood cells deliver oxygen to all cells in the body,
including hair follicles (14Trusted Source).

Deficiencies in protein and iron have been linked to hair loss (1Trusted
Source, 10Trusted Source).

Summary Meat is a great source

of protein, which is essential for healthy, strong hair. Red
meat, in
particular, is rich in iron, which may aid hair growth.