HEALTH &BEAUTY
Feel good inside and out with tips, tricks and cutting-edge advice from the experts.
Words: Ellie Smith. Recipe photo: Dan Jones.
Mane event
Three essential nutrients for healthy, happy locks.
Hair is at the bottom of our body’s nutrition pecking order.
This means that if our diet is lacking in the essentials, what we do eat will nourish our vital organs first and any non-essential tissue (including our hair) last. It’s no surprise, then, that hair can look lacklustre if our diet isn’t quite as well-rounded as we’d like. Here are the key nutrients to keep an eye on.
IRON
Iron plays a key role in our hair’s growth or ‘anagen’ phase. If we don’t get enough of this mighty mineral from our diet, the body pulls iron from our hair follicles to support essential organs such as the heart. This can leave hair brittle and prone to shedding. Low iron levels can also reduce blood flow to the scalp, resulting in dry and undernourished hair.
EAT ME: Red meat, liver, dark leafy greens, pulses, nuts and seeds.
PROTEIN
Proteins are the building blocks of hair. If we don’t eat enough day-to-day we may experience excessive hair shedding, find our hair can’t grow past a certain length or that it’s more prone to breakage. In the UK, the reference nutrient intake (RNI) for protein is 0.75g per kg of bodyweight. Higher levels of protein are likely needed for those who exercise frequently. The International Olympic Committee recommends 1.2-1.8g per kg of bodyweight for strength and endurance athletes, for instance. In practice, this looks like including a good-quality protein source with every meal.
EAT ME: Red meat, poultry, fish, tofu, tempeh, milk, eggs and legumes.
B VITAMINS
B vitamins are needed to create red blood cells, which help carry essential nutrients and oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles. If our hair is looking dull or we have a dry, flaky scalp, low levels of B vitamins may be the culprit. Biotin (vitamin B7) is particularly important for hair health, as it’s needed to break down proteins in our diet into the amino acids needed to grow healthy new hair.
EAT ME: Liver, fish, leafy greens, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts and seeds.
TOP UP
Supplements to support longer, healthier locks.
Philip Kingsley Tricho Complex
Trichologist-designed and packed with iron, biotin and amino acids (broken-down proteins) to support healthy hair.
£46 (45-day supply), philipkingsley.co.uk
Holland & Barrett Skin, Hair & Nails Formula
This budget-friendly supplement contains iron, B vitamins and amino acids, as well as zinc and selenium.
£4 (30-day supply), hollandandb
