The 11 best foods for hair growth

Recovering from a particularly heinous haircut? How fast and strong your hair grows depends on many factors like age, genetics, stress, and diet. While you may not be able to control things like your age and genes, you can eat a balanced diet full of nutrient-dense foods that support hair growth. 

Some of the best foods for hair growth include eggs, fatty fish, berries, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and more. Continue reading to learn more about how you can promote hair growth and healthy hair with food. 

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There is a connection between diet and hair growth–the foods you eat provide your body with the nutrients it needs to grow healthy hair.

Your hair follicles are constantly moving through different phases of growth, shedding, and rest. For follicles to continue developing and growing your hair, they need resources like protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.  

It’s worth mentioning that nutrients benefit hair growth to a point. It’s important to meet your needs and correct any possible nutrient deficiencies, but taking extra supplements beyond your daily needs doesn’t infinitely increase hair growth.  

Whether you eat meat or follow a plant-based diet, certain foods provide the nutrients that make your hair grow. Here are some of the best foods for hair growth:

1. Eggs

Eggs are a good source of hair-healthy nutrients like biotin and protein. 

Proteins, which play a key role in many bodily functions, are composed of smaller chemical building blocks called amino acids. The amino acids cysteine and methionine are especially important for hair growth because the body turns them into a protein called keratin, which hair, skin, and nails are made of (Goluch-Koniuszy, 2016). 

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is found in egg yolks. It plays a role in your metabolism and how your body breaks down proteins and fats. When you don’t have enough biotin, hair loss may result (Goluch-Koniuszy, 2016). 

Eggs are also a good source of other nutrients like selenium, zinc, B vitamins, and vitamins A, D, E, and K.  

2. Fatty fish

Fatty fish include salmon, herring, trout, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. They are full of beneficial nutrients like protein, niacin, iron, selenium, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids (Goluch-Koniuszy, 2016).  

Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help protect your cells from damage. One study found that people who took supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants for six months had thicker hair and fewer resting (not actively growing) hair follicles (Le Floc’h, 2015). 

3. Berries

Berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, are loaded with micronutrients and antioxidants. For example, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant found in berries and citrus fruits. 

Antioxidants help protect cells and hair follicles from damage caused by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when your body has too many harmful molecules called free radicals and not enough antioxidants to protect the body against them. 

The body also uses vitamin C to make a protein called collagen, which helps support the health of your scalp, hair follicles, and hair (Almonhanna, 2019). 

4. Spinach

Spinach and other leafy green vegetables are excellent sources of micronutrients, like vitamin C and iron. 

Iron helps your red blood cells grow and develop. Research shows there is also an association between low iron and hair loss, although the exact role iron plays is still unclear (Park, 2013). 

Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron. So, making sure you’re eating enough foods with vitamin C helps make sure you’re absorbing enough iron from the foods you eat. Eating leafy green vegetables like spinach provides iron and vitamin C together.

5. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.

Vitamin A plays an important role in cell growth and helps activate hair follicles. Having too little vitamin A can lead to hair loss (Guo, 2017).   

6. Avocados

Avocados provide a variety of nutrients like healthy fats and vitamin E.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress (Almohanna, 2019).

Oxidative stress from free radicals can play a role in the development of immune system diseases like alopecia areata. One study found that people with hair loss who took antioxidants in the vitamin E family had a significant increase in hair number (Beoy, 2010).   

7. Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of a variety of nutrients good for hair growth, such as: 

• Walnuts: Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E

• Sunflower seeds: Vitamin E and B complex vitamins 

• Flax seeds and chia seeds: Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants

• Brazil nuts: Selenium, zinc, and B vitamins

• Cashews: Vitamin C, B vitamins, and iron

• Almonds: Iron, zinc, vitamin E, and B vitamins

The type of omega-3 fatty acids found in nuts is different from the types found in fatty fish. While the body isn’t able to use this omega-3 as efficiently as the ones in fatty fish, nuts and seeds are a good source of omega-3s for people who don’t regularly eat fish. 

8. Bell peppers

Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, folate, and potassium. 

But not all bell peppers are the same. The amount and type of nutrients in a bell pepper depend on its color. Orange and red bell peppers have more vitamin A than green varieties, and peppers can lose vitamin C when they’re dried or frozen (Rahman, 2015).  

9. Shellfish

Shellfish are great sources of B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and zinc, a mineral that can influence hair growth and hair follicle development.  

People who are deficient in zinc may experience hair loss. In fact, a zinc deficiency may contribute to sudden patchy hair shedding (telogen effluvium) as well as alopecia areata and pattern hair loss (Guo, 2017). Fortunately, if a nutrient deficiency is the cause of your telogen effluvium, correcting the deficiency will usually reverse the hair loss.

Examples of shellfish include: 

• Oysters

• Shrimp

• Crab

• Lobster

• Clams

• Scallops

• Mussels

10. Beans

Beans and lentils are excellent sources of plant-based protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron, and folate. They belong to a group of plants called legumes, which are full of nutrients. They can be especially helpful for boosting the protein and zinc intake of people following vegetarian and vegan diets. 

A few types of legumes include:

• Black beans

• Chickpeas

• Kidney beans

• Soybeans

• Lentils

• Pinto beans

11. Meat

Meat is an excellent source of protein, iron, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, and other micronutrients. It contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs, making it a complete protein, whereas most plant-based proteins only contain a few. 

The type of iron from meat, called heme iron, is the form of iron used by the human body. The type of iron found in plants is called non-heme iron. The iron found in red meats is more easily absorbed since it’s already in the form the human body uses (Hooda, 2014).  

Your body uses the nutrients in foods to support healthy hair growth and overall wellness. 

You can’t control all of the factors that determine the texture, strength, and amount of hair you have. Still, eating a nutritious, balanced diet helps support your hair growth and prevent deficiencies that could lead to hair loss. 

If you think you lack any of the nutrients that support hair growth, try adding some of these foods to your diet. And if you’re considering taking a supplement to address any nutritional deficiencies, make an appointment with your healthcare provider first. Finally, if you notice any hair loss and want to discuss your options with a licensed healthcare provider, we offer free consultations at Ro. A provider can discuss your hair goals and prescribe medications to help, if indicated.

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

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Current version

February 10, 2023

Written by

Ashley Braun, RD, MPH

Fact checked by

Chimene Richa, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Chimene Richa, MD

Dr. Richa is a board-certified Ophthalmologist and medical writer for Ro.