Although afro-textured hair is beautiful and unique, its curly nature presents a few sets of challenges. Besides being more prone to dryness and breakage, afro hair is also difficult to maintain. Eating a healthy diet plays a huge role in nurturing your natural hair from within. Whether you are struggling with dryness, experiencing hair loss, or keeping your hair healthy, checking what you eat can be a start to resolving the problem.
Why a Nutrient-Rich Diet is Important for Afro-Textured Hair Growth
Your hair is extremely sensitive to internal changes within your body. This is because hair cells at the second fastest dividing cells in the body, after intestinal cells. Unfortunately, hair is deemed a non-essential tissue compared to others like kidneys or liver and is usually never given the priority it deserves. However, your natural hair is usually the first thing to suffer from bodily upset and will usually show when your body is deficient in nutrients.
For most Black people, they tend to struggle with fragile hair that is prone to injury and damage. While this is largely contributed by genetics and other external factors, the quality of the diet you consume could be a major contributing factor. Deficiencies in essential nutrients like protein, zinc, and vitamins can significantly impact Afro hair, causing excessive shedding, stunted hair growth, breakage, scalp issues like dandruff, and overall weakened hair strands.
Key Nutrients for Healthy Hair
While choosing the right shampoo and conditioner helps to keep your hair healthy and strong, your diet determines the strength of your afro hair from within. Keeping a healthy diet helps to prevent hair loss, promote hair growth, and improve the overall health of your hair. It provides our scalp with the essential nutrients that it needs to produce healthy hair strands. The key nutrients that your hair needs to thrive include:
Minerals
- Iron: Used by red blood cells in the transportation of oxygen to hair follicles. Iron deficiency is a major cause of hair loss. Sources of iron include red meat, spinach, and lentils
- Calcium: Promotes hair growth by supporting hair follicle health and the transportation of essential nutrients to the scalp. Sources include milk, yogurt, cheese, and leafy greens like broccoli and kale
- Zinc: Crucial in the growth and repair of tissues that make up hair follicles. Beef, poultry, oysters, and pumpkin seeds are packed with zinc
- Potassium: Helps in the regulation of fluid balance and blood circulation, which are crucial to the maintenance of a healthy scalp environment. Sources include sweet potatoes, bananas, spinach, and oranges
- Selenium: Provides antioxidant protection for your hair follicles. You can get selenium from Brazil nuts
Vitamins
- Vitamin A: Promotes sebum production, which is a natural oily substance that moisturizes your scalp and keeps the hair healthy. Sources of vitamin A include sweet potatoes, carrots, and spinach
- B Vitamins: Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is found in mushrooms, tuna, and chicken, and it helps to improve blood circulation to the scalp and nourishes hair follicles. Vitamin B7 (Biotin) is known as the hair growth vitamin because it helps in promoting hair strength and preventing hair loss. Biotin-rich food includes eggs, avocados, and almonds. Other vitamins such as B9 (folate), B6, and B12 also help in maintaining healthy hair, and they can be found in whole grains, dairy products, and meat
Proteins
Proteins are the building blocks of your hair, specifically keratin. When you eat enough protein, you nourish the hair with the building blocks, ensuring it stays strong and continues to grow. Good sources of protein include eggs, beans, lean meats, and nuts.
Collagen
Being the most abundant protein in your body, collage supports hair structure and growth. You can get collagen by taking on some skin-on chicken wings or rustling up a soap using bone broth.
Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates provide our hair with the energy it needs to grow and help in the formation of the hair structure. The best sources include whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
Fats
Essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 help in keeping the scalp and hair hydrated. These can be found in fatty fish, like salmon; walnuts, soybeans chia seeds, and flaxseeds.
To keep your hair healthy and flourishing, you need a balanced diet with a mix of lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. The combined benefits of the nutrients maximize the chances of maintaining shiny, healthy hair while preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.
Maintaining a well-balanced diet with a variety of nutrient-dense foods is essential in supporting optimal natural hair growth. Although hair loss and other hair health issues can be caused by factors like genetics, medication, hormonal imbalances, and underlying health conditions, a nutrient-rich diet promotes hair growth and helps to reduce the detrimental effects of such factors. If such concerns persist, it is advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian who can offer personalized guidance based on your specific hair needs.
Additional Resources
Keratin Kapital: Black Hair and the Economy of Otherness. https://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/server/api/core/bitstreams/d546007f-2289-40cb-aaf1-4a8a5f34c4e3/content
Afro Hair Care Secrets for Healthier, Happier Hair. https://www.mimietmina.com/blogs/news/12-afro-hair-care-secrets-for-healthier-happier-hair?srsltid=AfmBOopK9EgWPxhIx8yRJ95tru63fmR4mIqQGFHvIwew0xkpLe5gMaec
5 Common Hair Problems Black Women Face. https://tresseslagos.com/hair-problems-black-women-face-and-how-to-beat-them/
Understanding How Nutrition Impacts Hair Loss and Growth. https://www.cloudninehair.com.au/blogs/hair/how-nutrition-impacts-hair-loss?srsltid=AfmBOoq1mVpp6VbB18C4vmk38BnUfnsPqkkYdDs9afmMO0-P20n6kC_K
The Impact of Diet and Nutrition on Hair Health. https://www.meerazclinics.com/blog/impact-of-diet-and-nutrition-on-hair-health/
