Beautiful hair doesn’t become beautiful one its own: it needs a little help. The foods we eat and what we drink profoundly affects the health of our hair, since this is how our tresses are infused with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to be strong and silky. In fact, limp, brittle and weak hair is usually a sign of poor diet. However, our hair also changes as we age and experience hormonal changes, so even a pretty exceptional diet doesn’t always guarantee super healthy hair. Then there’s the matter of colouring and styling your hair, which will take a toll on its structural integrity.

Fear not: all is not lost for your locks. Between making good dietary choices and selecting primo hair care products, you can immerse your tresses in the vitamin and nutrients it needs to get — and stay — beautiful.

Ready for a root to tip transformation? Read on to find out what essential nosh your locks need.

1) Vitamin E

Vitamin E is known for its healing powers, so it’s no surprise it’s a solid choice for creating strong hair. A lesser known benefit of vitamin E is that is also has antioxidant powers, meaning in addition to helping your body heal and your hair stay strong, it can prevent oxidative stress to your tresses and promote growth. This will not only empower your locks, but it will prevent damage, helping it be as long and strong as you’d like.

How to get it?

You can find vitamin E in foods like:

• Avocado
• Spinach
• Almonds
  Sweet Potato
• Sunflower Seeds
• Butternut Squash
• Wheat Germ

You can also topically get a healthy hit of this vitamin by using hair products with argan oil, which is rich in vitamin E.

2) Vitamin D

Insufficient levels of vitamin D have been linked to hair loss. Studies have indicated that getting enough vitamin D may promote creation of new hair follicles, with will facilitate more hair growth.

How to get it: 

You can get vitamin D from these foods:

Fatty fish

Mushrooms

Cod liver oil

Vitamin D drops

You can also seriously up your intake of vitamin D by getting outside, since vitamin D is also produced by our bodies when we are exposed to the sun. 

3) Vitamin A

It’s not just your hair that needs vitamin A: all cells need it to grow. What’s more, vitamin A facilitates production of sebum within the body — an oily substance that helps to hydrate and moisturise the scalp. Healthy scalp, healthy hair!

How to get it:

You can get vitamin A from these foods:

• Mangos
• Carrots
• Sweet Potato
• Milk
• Eggs
• Pumpkins
• Yogurt
• Spinach
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Butter
• Beef liver
  

4) Vitamin C

Like vitamin E, vitamin C is replete with antioxidants which help protect your cells against oxidative stress that result from exposure to free radicals. What makes it different from vitamin E is that vitamin C is also crucial to your body’s production of collagen: a building block of your hair’s structure. 

How to get it:

You can get vitamin C from foods, including:

Guava

Citrus fruits

Black currants

Strawberries

Red peppers

Kiwi

Green peppers

Papaya

You need to take care of your tresses if you want them to look beautiful and be healthy, so be sure to eat a balanced diet, and if you do style your hair regularly, invest in hair care products to protect your hair from heat damage.