It's no surprise that eating well is literally the root of great hair health. After all, hair is the second fastest growing organ in the human body, topped only by our bone marrow. Hair grows on average around 1 cm per month, so it’s no wonder that gaps in nutrition are often accompanied by hair issues. Here at Sari Foods we get a lot of questions about which superfoods can best help support healthy hair. That’s why we’ve decided to share our favorite nutrition tips for keeping your hair looking absolutely naturalicious.

Dry Hair and Scalp

If your hair and scalp are constantly thirsty, they’re likely craving essential fats, as well as vitamin A—both of which encourage the production of hydrating natural oils.

The most commonly recommended way to introduce more fatty acids to your diet is by eating oily fish, and at least 2-3 portions a week of mackerel, sardines, anchovies, herring, or salmon are often recommended.  

There are other great (plant-based) ways to get more essential fats into your diet, though. Nuts and seeds (walnuts in particular) are an excellent way to up the healthy dietary fats that help maintain naturalicious hair. Avocados are also great, as well as coconut, flax oil, and olive oil. Your hair will thank you when you aim to eat at least 1 portion of these a day. 

Vitamin A also plays a key role in supporting healthy natural oil levels in the hair and skin. And since our bodies convert the beta carotene we consume into vitamin A, beta carotene is also an important nutrient for beautiful hair. This antioxidant is well known for its vibrant red and orange pigments, and it’s found in lots of delicious colorful produce like green vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash. For a vitamin A feast you can enjoy in an instant, try adding some  Sari Foods Organic Spirulina to your favorite smoothies and recipes—just one serving gives you a whopping dose of this hair-supporting vitamin!

Lifeless Hair

If your hair is looking limp, droopy, or thin—or is extremely dry and has split ends—it may be crying out for some additional protein. Since your hair is made of protein, one of the best ways to keep it long, strong, and healthy is to up your intake of this nutrient. There are plenty of wonderful plant-based protein options available. Organic dairy free yogurt, nuts, seeds, tempeh, beans, wild rice, and quinoa are all tasty, animal-free sources of protein.  

Another nutrient that helps support strong hair is vitamin C. That’s because one of vitamin C’s major functions is to help produce and maintain healthy collagen, the connective tissue type found in hair follicles. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, which helps keep both the follicle cells and those nearby blood vessels healthy. Foods like kakadu plums, acerola cherries, yellow peppers, and citrus fruits are yummy ways to add vitamin C to your diet. And when you want to give your hair some major vitamin C TLC, Sari Foods Organic Vitamin C Powder from Acerola Cherries provides 833% of your Vitamin C RDA in one teaspoon (yes, you read that right, 833%!).

Oily Hair

When excess oil drags your tresses down, your hair may be asking for more B vitamins. To complicate matters, B vitamins are used up by our body more quickly when we experience stress, which makes stress management really key for supporting lovely locks. Taking time out to relax with a book and a cup of tea, or doing some gentle exercise like yoga or walking, can help you make the most of your B vitamins, but it’s also important to make sure you’re getting plenty of B vitamins in your diet (particularly crucial for non meat eaters). Sari Foods Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast is a B vitamin superfood, supplying several important vitamins. When coupled with other healthy foods containing B vitamins—like watercress, mushrooms, broccoli, alfalfa sprouts, asparagus, and brown rice—you’ll be able to help keep oil production under control.  

Slow Growing Hair

It’s always smart to check with your doctor to make sure any hair issues aren’t a sign of something more serious, but if there aren’t any underlying medical reasons for sluggish hair growth, your body may simply be asking you to consume more zinc, iron, or lysine (an amino acid). Pumpkin seeds and cashews are tasty ways to bring more zinc into your diet, and dark chocolate, leafy greens, and organic dried apricots bring essential iron to the table. However, when it comes to hair nutrition superstars, spirulina really is a wonder. In addition to its vitamin A and protein content, Sari Foods Organic Spirulina supplies iron, zinc, and lysine—all in one convenient spoonful!

Additional Ways to Love Your Hair

Healthier eating and the addition of a few choice superfoods are great ways to support lush, gorgeous hair, but there are a few additional extras that can also help give your hair a boost:

• Ditch the harsh hair products. Switch to an organic shampoo and conditioner that gently washes and nourishes the hair rather than stripping away its natural oils, and avoid any hair products that contain sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). 

• Try scalp massage. Treat yourself to a relaxing head massage or spend some extra time when washing your hair to massage your scalp and stimulate blood flow.

• Use a hair mask once a week. We recommend making your own so you know exactly what’s gone into it. You can also try massaging some coconut oil into hair ends, leaving it in overnight, and washing out in the morning for super nourished hair that smells good enough to eat!

Peace, love. and totally naturalicious hair from the Sari Foods family!