Strand loving foods to perk up your crowning glory
It's actually possible to eat your way to glossy, healthy strands. If dry, brittle hair and falling hair are ruining your looks, it's time to take remedial action right away. Besides excessive heat and chemical treatments, a deficient diet can weaken strands. In fact experts insist that what you eat on a daily basis has a huge role in how drab or fab your mane is. Eating a balanced diet with adequate whole grain, daal, brightly colored veggies and fruits, nuts, seeds and fish oils are crucial to keeping hair healthy and happy.
Sadly there aren't any magic foods that can instantly grant you Katrina Kaif's beachy tresses but there are some hair loving foods that can make your strands silkier, softer and healthier than ever. Read on for Nykaa's Top Ten hair friendly foods you should include in your diet ASAP.
Cottage cheese
Good old fashioned paneer is choc-a-bloc with protein and calcium, two of the main building blocks of shiny strands. To keep the fat content down, make your own from low fat milk. Eat with whole grain bread or crackers or stir fry with red and yellow peppers for a power packed sabji.
Yellow-orange delights
Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, peaches and papaya are bursting with beta-carotene that converts to vitamin A when digested. Eating these veggies improves the circulation of oxygen to hair follicles through the scalp, giving you healthy, strong locks. In fact a vitamin A deficiency hinders sebum production, slows down hair growth and causes hair loss. Try these versatile, delicious and low calorie treats. Indulge in a sweet potato chaat, carrot-pumpkin soup or a peach smoothie
Bananas
A lack of potassium can lead to many health risks, some more serious than others. The best sources of potassium are citrus fruit likes oranges and sweet lime, and bananas. In fact bananas are a quick and easy snack, an instant energy booster and a great way of upping your body's potassium levels.
Dark chocolate
As if you needed one more reason to have this deliciously decadent treat! Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that prevent hair damage. Choose a dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa to ensure you're getting maximum hair benefits.
Walnuts, Almonds and Brazil nuts
Get your daily dose of these protein, alpha linoleic acid and vitamin E rich snacks daily. Keep your stash in your handbag and grab a small handful when post-lunch hunger pangs strike. These essential fatty acids and vitamin E are key ingredients for moisturized, shiny hair and supple skin. In fact these nutrients also prevent graying; that means spending less time and money at the salon.
Brown rice
Now you have another reason to switch to it. Besides not causing bloating and being more hip friendly, brown rice is packed with minerals and vitamins that directly impact the rate of growth and thickness of strands. Rich in magnesium, selenium, zinc and fiber, brown rice also prevents a host of diseases from colon cancer and stroke to heart disease and migraines.
Lentils
Lentils or daals are a great source of protein and iron especially for vegetarians. Eat together with brown rice and you have a complete protein-rich meal as good as any non-vegetarian dish minus the heart clogging saturated fat. You can make chillas, have it as a soup or just regular daal. Add chopped spinach or methi leaves to make it even more colorful and nutritious. Daals are an important food for transporting oxygen from blood to the hair follicles, strengthening strands and improving hair growth
Eggs
Now you have another reason to switch to it. Besides not causing bloating and being more hip friendly, brown rice is packed with minerals and vitamins that directly impact the rate of growth and thickness of strands. Rich in magnesium, selenium, zinc and fiber, brown rice also prevents a host of diseases from colon cancer and stroke to heart disease and migraines.
Green tea
Anti-oxidant and polyphenol-rich green tea is a multi-benefit beauty drink. From keeping you slim and improving your skin to keeping your scalp and hair healthy and happy. Aim to drink three cups a day. You could also apply it topically. Washing your hair with green tea or applying it directly to the scalp can effectively banish dandruff and add shine. Nykaa suggests Jay Green Tea or Gaia Green Tea Assorted.
Leafy greens
Have your fill of spinach, fenugreek (methi), fresh mint, fresh corriander and kale. Add it to daals, meats or stir fry with a rainbow array of veggies to derive maximum benefits. Leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, folic acid zinc and natural collagen. Have at least two servings a day for lustrous locks.
