When it comes to healthy hair and nails, the importance of a balanced diet shouldn’t be underestimated. Foods rich in certain nutrients can help strengthen the health of the hair and nails from within and help fix common problems such as brittle nails or lackluster hair. Interested in what foods you should be focusing on ? Here’s a list of foods for healthy nails and hair you should consider making a regular part of your diet:
Nuts
Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium, a mineral that is believed to play an important role in maintaining the health of the scalp. Walnuts are another great choice if you’re looking to boost the health of your hair and nails since they are one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids and zinc. Omega 3 fatty acids help support the scalp’s health, while zinc plays an important role in the formation of your connective tissues, which is why deficiencies in both these elements can lead to beauty problems such as hair dryness, hair loss and brittle nails.
Lentils
A great diet staple for meat eaters and vegans alike, lentils are a great source of protein, iron, zinc and biotin, nutrients which are essential for both the skin and nails. Lentils have the third highest level of proteins of all legumes and nuts, and a single cup of lentils is enough to provide 38 percent of the amount of iron a woman needs daily.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin A, a vitamin which helps boost the body’s ability to manufacture keratin, a type of protein that is found in the skin, hair and nails. Moreover, sunflower seeds have a good source of vitamins from the B-complex vitamin group such as niacin, folic acid and thiamin.
Eggs
Eggs are definitely among the best and most affordable foods for healthy hair and nails as they are a great source of protein, biotin and vitamin B-12, zinc, selenium, sulfur and iron, all of which have an important role for both health and beauty.
Dark Leafy Greens
Spinach, kale, chard and collard greens are essentially nutritional power houses which also happen to be good sources of zinc and vitamins A, C, and B, vitamins which have a beneficial role for the skin, hair and nails.
Turkey
Turkey meat is a great source of high quality proteins which makes it a great choice for strengthening the hair and nails. Moreover, dark turkey meat is rich in heme iron, a type of iron that is easily absorbed by the body.
Tuna
A 100 grams serving of tuna is enough to provide 100% of the daily supply of vitamin B12, being also a great source of omega 3 fatty acids and proteins. However, to reap the full benefits, you shouldn’t be consuming it more than two times a week since it’s high in mercury.
See also:Foods for Beautiful Skin10 Healthy Hair Rules
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