Our hair is one of our most defining features and is unique to who we are.

Did you know? Approximately five million hair follicles grow on our body, spreading across our entire skin surface except for our palms, soles, and lips. Each hair rises from within a hair follicle, most of which produce tiny hairs that aren’t immediately visible.

Our hair keeps us warm, is part of our sense of touch and protects sensitive areas such as our nose and eyes from dust and other external elements. But how do we keep our hair healthy and strong?

Read on to find out what nutrients your hair needs.

Is your hair healthy?

Every strand of hair on our body rises out of the skin the same way. It starts at the hair root beneath the skin, from inside a small tube called a follicle where the skin cells form keratin, the protein that hair is made of.

Every follicle feeds nutrients to the hair root via tiny blood vessels connecting it to our body. They play a vital role in the process of hair production and hair growth.

Having healthy hair is an indicator of overall good health. Without a well-rounded diet full of foods containing appropriate nutrients, visible signs of this nutrient deficiency can surface.

Eating properly means you feed your body and hair with essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and proteins necessary for hair health.

Essential nutrients for healthy hair

A healthy diet is an ideal foundation for healthy hair. Nutrients for hair are found in many kinds of foods, but it can be challenging to eat these foods on a regular basis, because of lifestyle or dietary restrictions.

What are some foods that you should include in your diet?

• Iron rich foods such as clams, oysters, red meat, spinach, lentils promote hair growth;
• Sunflower seeds contain iron and zinc which help boost tissue growth and repair; and
• Beta carotene in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and kale turns into Vitamin A, essential for protection against dry, dull hair.

It’s a good idea to consider adding daily supplements to your hair health regimen — to complement a balanced diet.

4 key nutrients to add to your daily routine for healthy hair:

Zinc

One of the best nutrients for hair is zinc. It is an essential mineral that takes part in cellular growth, playing a crucial role in the treatment of many skin-related problems. You can get your fair share of zinc from high-protein foods such as meat, fish, and legumes such as nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Since zinc plays an important role in cellular growth, adding it to your diet can promote healthy hair growth. Zinc is best taken with copper, as taking zinc reduces the amount of copper absorbed by your body.

Biotin

Also known as vitamin B, Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that is involved in metabolic processes. Foods such as eggs, salmon, avocados, meats such as pork and beef liver, as well as nuts and seeds are rich in biotin.

Biotin promotes healthy hair growth as it plays a vital role in breaking down fats, carbohydrates and proteins in food, which is needed in cell generation. Consuming it as a supplement can help you fulfill the necessary nutrition your hair needs.

Cranberry

Cranberry bioactives contain nutrients for hair. Cranberries are very distinct from other berry fruits, as they are rich in A-type proanthocyanidins that contain high levels of nutrients with health-promoting properties. Cranberries also contain omega-6 fatty acids such as linoleic acids that work with other fatty acids to help boost hair health.

Maintain healthy hair by incorporating cranberries into your diet. You can consume it as a fruit, drink cranberry juice, or take cranberry supplements.

Collagen

Collagen is a protein that is most abundant in the body, and serves to connect many biological structures such as tissues, joints, bones, and our skin. It can be found in many protein-rich foods such as fish, egg whites, beef, or bone broth.

Collagen contains amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. They promote the healthy growth of our skin, hair and nails. You can encourage healthy hair growth by complementing your diet with collagen supplements.

Get the hair supplements you need from Vitable

You may not always get a sufficient intake of nutrients from your diet alone. Consider taking supplements as well to better support healthy hair growth.

If you don’t know where to start, why not take up a subscription with Vitable? All you have to do is complete a short online quiz, and you’ll get a vitamin combination personalised to your unique health needs (from over 1.2 million possible combinations) — how amazing is that!

Get home-compostable daily vitamin packs delivered straight to your doorstep monthly for fuss-free ease in getting your supplement intake sorted. Made from premium quality ingredients backed by science and proudly made in Australia, there’s no reason to say no to Vitable. Get your custom vitamin packs today so you can give your body the nutrients it needs.

Find out more about other areas that the above supplements can help you with:

Zinc | Biotin | Cranberry | Collagen Creamer | Collagen Plus HA

*Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Vitamin and/or mineral supplements should not replace a balanced diet.