IS A PLANT-BASED DIET GOOD FOR HAIR?

Hair problems often spring from nutritional deficiencies, especially as you age. You have to choose a diet that provides all the essential nutrients for the whole body, including your hair. So is a plant-based diet good for hair?

Plant-based diets have been around for centuries and are known for many health benefits. But one lesser-known benefit is preventing hair loss and fortifying growth. Animal proteins have long been regarded as the best solution for hair problems, but there’s evidence that a plant-based diet can do the same.

This is true that animal-based nutrients can also be good for the hair. However, what you essentially need is an overall healthy nutrient intake, which plant-based diet can easily provide. The special bonus is that you avoid the myriads of health issues that these animal proteins raise, such as heart disease, hypertension, and obesity.

Common Hair Problems

Before we discuss how a plant-based diet is good for hair, let’s talk a bit about common hair problems and the underlying causes behind them:

Hair Loss

Hair loss is the most common problem, especially among men. According to one survey, 35 million men in the US have some level of hair loss. That number amongst women is 21 million.

Men experience hair loss as early as in their twenties, and by the time they reach 50, as many as 85% of men have thinning hair or receding hairlines. So what causes hair loss? There are a number of reasons behind it.

While age and genetics play a major role in hair loss, a poor diet can also cause hair loss. When the hair follicles don’t get enough nutrients, they get weak, and as a result, the hair falls. Can hair loss be caused by stress? Absolutely!

Dandruff

Dandruff is a skin condition where the skin develops flakes on the scalp. It’s a genetic condition that occurs because the skin cells on the scalp are dying quicker than normal, resulting in a dry, flaky layer underneath the hair.

Dandruff can also be caused by poor diet, slow metabolism, or stress. Dandruff may not be cured completely, but controlled to the extent that it’s almost non-existent. One in five people have dandruff, and it’s more prevalent in men than women.

Dry Hair

Dry hair is another common problem, especially for women. It can result from exposure to pollution and from too frequent shampooing.

Your hair contains its own oils that keep it moisturized. If those oils wash away, the hair gets drier. This is an easily solvable problem with a healthy diet and proper hair maintenance.

Oily Hair

As opposed to dry hair, some people can have oily hair. It results from the production of sebum from sebaceous glands. Those glands can go into overtime and produce a lot more oil than normal, resulting in oily hair.

Gray Hair

Gray hair is a common occurrence as you age, but it can occur at any age. They usually appear when you’re deficient in certain Vitamins. Other causes include stress, smoking, medical conditions, or exposure to chemicals during hair treatment.

While gray hair is essentially a right of passage as you age, it can also be brittle or dry. Most people with gray hairs simply resort to dyeing their hair, but a healthy diet may also reverse gray hair growth.

Is a Plant-based Diet Good for Hair?

A plant-based diet may also benefit your hair and save you from many possible hair problems. However, it’s not the most popular diet for hair. There’s clearly a need for more education in regards to the benefits of a plant-based diet and hair.

A plant-based diet for hair loss can effectively stop hair loss and strengthen growth. The sooner you start taking care of your hair through diet, the better the results you will see. Here are some ways that a plant-based diet is good for your hair:

Reduces High Blood Pressure

According to some recent research, a gene that’s linked to hair is also linked with hypertension. It’s no surprise that hypertension or high blood pressure is linked with hair somehow. People with Androgenic Alopecia (AGA), also known as male pattern baldness, are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

The link between hypertension and hair loss is two-way, one may cause the other. A plant-based diet is known for reducing the risk of hypertension and even reversing it in some cases. With this diet, people, in general, and men, in particular, can reduce their risk of hypertension, and consequently escape AGA.

The research related to the common gene also sheds some light on this. We can infer that you can obstruct the progression of AGA with a plant-based diet, as it’s capable of lowering high blood pressure.

Anti-inflammatory Effect

Chronic inflammation is also linked to hair loss. The underlying cause is a sensitivity to DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) in the case of inflammation resulting in hair loss.

DHT, which is a hormone, weakens the hair follicle in individuals with AGA. It happens very slowly, but over time the hair loss can be quite extensive, resulting in permanent and total baldness.

One way to combat this problem is to first tackle inflammation. A plant-based diet for hair growth will reduce inflammation and ultimately stop the miniaturization of hair due to DHT. Multiple studies have shown that vegetarian diets can reduce and manage inflammation.

Controls Blood Sugar Levels

You would probably wonder what blood sugar or diabetes has to do with hair loss, but it does. Interestingly, a study has found a link between insulin resistance and hair loss. The exact link is not known, but it could be related to the DHT hormone.

If this study is anything to go by, diabetes can also be an underlying cause of hair loss. So by simply controlling your blood sugar levels, you can prevent hair loss, at least to some extent.

A plant-based diet is one of the best options for not only reducing the risk of type II diabetes but also to treat it and manage it. This is mainly because plant-based diets are rich in whole foods and fiber. Plant-based foods, in general, have a low glycemic index.

Reduces High Cholesterol

Cholesterol can also make AGA worse, in addition to causing a host of other deadly health problems. High levels of cholesterol can increase DHT, miniaturized follicles, and increase hair loss.

One study confirmed that cholesterol could produce cutaneous androgens. So it’s likely that they can also produce DHT, which will make your hair loss problem even worse. But with a plant-based diet, you can control that.

A plant-based diet is capable of lowering high cholesterol and preventing the diseases it causes, including coronary heart disease. So while you reduce your risk of life-threatening diseases, you also protect your hair from damage by lowering bad cholesterol levels.

Balanced Nutritional Intake

A plant-based diet provides all the essential nutrients and then some. Most plant-based foods have a higher nutrient density. What this means is that you get more nutrients in fewer calories. This is the reason why it helps you maintain a healthy weight.

Yes, you will have to go the extra mile in getting proteins and those B Vitamins that usually come from animal sources. However, it’s very much possible to get all those strictly from plant-based sources.

Can a Vegan Diet Cause Hair Loss?

Vegan diet or veganism is often considered not good for hair growth. Since it’s strictly plant-based, there’s no source of animal-based proteins, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids, that are known to improve hair growth. This is a misconception as a vegan diet can be fortifying for hair.

There are many plant-based foods that can make up for the nutrients you’re missing out by avoiding poultry, red meat, and fish. Plus, all those plant-based foods are good for hair regrowth if you’ve lost a considerable amount of hair.

It’s possible to have a negative impact on hair while following a strictly vegan diet. However, you can tweak your diet to make it nourishing for the hair.

Top 3 Plant-Based Tips to Healthy Hair:

Build your daily meals around protein and use natural plant-based proteins like beans, chickpeas, tempeh, and legumes. You can easily get as much protein from plant-based sources as you would with red meat in a day.
Choose whole food ingredients instead of processed foods. The more fiber you add in your diet, the better you protect yourself from many diseases, that may also stunt hair growth. Also, whole grains are rich in vitamins that will keep your hair strong.
Focus on getting enough iron and zinc. It’s easier to get deficient in iron if you’re not paying attention to what you’re eating in your vegan diet. Dark leafy greens, legumes, tofu, whole grains, and cashews are some of the examples of iron-rich plant-based foods.

What Plant-based Foods Benefit Hair?

Can a plant-based diet reverse hair loss? Yes, not only will plant-based foods reverse hair loss, the plant-based hair regrowth will be much more stable and stronger. You won’t have to worry about recurring hair loss issues.

Even if you don’t have a hair loss problem, it’s good to take preventive measures. If you’re following a plant-based diet, you should focus on the following foods to nurture your hair:

1. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are rich in every nutrient that your hair needs, be it iron or B Vitamins or calcium. In addition, they are also rich in protein, so you’ll get enough protein to stop hair loss. If you’re experiencing hair loss or are in your middle age, you should be adding more chia seeds to your diet.

2. Kale

Leafy greens are good for so many things, but kale, in particular, will be a saving grace for your losing hair. It has enough B Vitamins and iron to stop hair loss, not to mention prevent acidity and promote good heart health.

The alkalinity of kale also targets hair loss, because when there’s a lot of acidity in the body, it can result in hair loss. So don’t forget to eat kale a few times a week to do some damage repair.

3. Avocados

Avocados may just be a great but also delicious solution for people with dry hair. As you know, avocados are rich in healthy fats, and these healthy fats can moisturize your hair from the inside.

Those healthy fats from avocados can make hair stronger and less brittle. You might not even need to use expensive hair moisturizers and conditioners if you consume avocados often.

4. Cucumbers

You don’t have to guess how good cucumber is for your hair, skin, and nails when half the shelf in beauty stores has products made of it. Yes, cucumbers contain mineral silica, which improves the synthesis of collagen, a protein absolutely essential for hair.

Furthermore, cucumbers have a cooling effect, so eating more of these in the summers will protect your hair from all that extra heat and sunlight.

5. Acai

For all your omega-3 fatty acid needs, acai is the answer. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which keep your hair and skin perfectly moisturized. It also supplies your hair with protein and B Vitamins, so it’s exceptionally nutritional for hair. You can buy it in powder form, as that too would provide you the benefits.

6. Berries

Berries are a huge source of Vitamin C, which is essential for the production of collagen. This is the protein that will prevent hair from getting brittle and ultimately breaking. Moreover, it may also help in the absorption of iron.

Can hair loss be prevented? With berries in your diet, yes. In addition to Vitamin C, berries also contain antioxidants that will prevent free radicals from damaging the follicles.

Wrap Up

Is a plant-based diet good for hair? Yes, not only can it prevent hair loss, but it may also reverse gray hair. You just have to know the right things to add to your daily meals that will strengthen hair and prevent the common problems that occur with age.

If you have serious hair loss issues or any other hair problems for that matter, consult with a dermatologist. There could be underlying medical conditions as well, causing the problem.