Beauty-boosting foods for stronger nails and thicker hair

Thick hair and strong nails — they’re qualities many of us work for, but hair treatments and nail vitamins can only do so much.

A nutritional diet promotes healthy nails and hair, which means, you really are what you eat.

“Certain foods supply the nutrients, minerals and proteins needed to aid collagen formation, support connective tissue growth, facilitate cell replication and the transport of nutrients to cells, all of which are necessary to revitalise and maintain hair and nails,” explains celebrity chef and nutritionist Zoe Bingley-Pullin.

So what kind of foods should you look out for?

Zinc is great for hair and nail growth, Bingley-Pullin says. The mineral is believed to be essential for cell replication, which leads to healthier hair and nail growth.

Zinc is high in lean meats, seafood, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Eating enough protein can do wonders for your locks and nails. Our hair is largely made up from protein, and ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is vital for making it strong and healthy.

A lack of protein in the diet may slow the rate at which hair and nails grow, Bingley-Pullin explains. Great sources of protein include lean meat, eggs, fish, legumes, dairy, nuts and seeds.

When it comes to fat, there’s one type you don’t want to cut out completely — and that’s healthy fats. Healthy fats such as avocado, salmon and raw nuts have incredible beauty benefits, including shiny and full strands.

An iron deficiency can be underlying cause of thinning hair and brittle nails, so getting enough of this nutrient is key. Iron plays an important role in transporting oxygen around the body, and without it, “hair and nail cells can’t do their job”, Bingley-Pullin explains. Iron is in red meat, lentils, spinach and apricots.

Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients to help grow and strengthen hair and nails. This vitamin helps build collagen, which is highly important for hair growth, Bingley-Pullin says.

Vitamin C also plays an important role in absorbing iron, which keeps our locks strong and healthy. Great sources of vitamin C include berries, spinach, capsicum, tomato, cauliflower, kiwi fruit and papaya (paw paw).

If you’re looking to achieve luscious hair and strong nails, silica is a beauty trace mineral beneficial for strong connective tissues. “This explains why silica is a very common ingredient in hair and nail formulation,” she says. Silica is found in cucumber, berries, root vegetables, green beans and oats.

Vitamin B, also helps maintain the health of our hair and nails. Great sources of vitamin B include whole grains, legumes oats, banana, eggs and sweet potato.
So if you’re looking for thicker, shinier hair and stronger nails, eating nutrient-rich foods is key.

What do you think? What do you eat for healthy hair and nails?