We interviewed Millie Padula, Dietician + Nutritionist to discuss the relationship between food and hair, from root to end. Millie shares her expertise + top secrets for transforming dull, unhealthy hair into the beautiful, healthy hair of your dreams - let's dive in!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1) The million dollar question: How does food influence our hair health?
Hey Jordan. Thank you for having me on the B. Wild Blog. I feel very honoured to be here!
Oh, I absolutely love this first question!
The food we eat every single day has a profound impact on almost every aspect of our bodies, including the hair on our head. Sure - shiny, luscious hair can be multifaceted and may be the result of genetical or environmental influences [or even a boujee 6-step hair-care routine], but your diet as a whole can significantly affect the look and feel of your hair.
How so? *Please forgive me, I’m about to get ‘sciency’*
Hair follicles are made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. This means that a diet high in lean sources of protein could be the key to healthy hair development. Protein can be found in meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, lentils and legumes. It is also present in fortified plant milks, certain grains and cereals and products such as protein powder and bone broth. As a dietitian, I encourage everyone to include a variety of different protein sources throughout their meals and snacks over the duration of the day.
Additionally, our hair relies on vitamins and minerals [also referred to as micronutrients] to maintain optimal strength, structure and integrity. Each nutrient plays a different role in our overall hair health [more on that later]. Failing to consume enough micronutrients to meet your nutritional needs can result in nutritional deficiencies. Nutritional deficiencies have been linked to poor hair health and hair loss in certain individuals.
This is why a healthy diet that encompasses a variety of foods and nutrients is so important for healthy hair!
*If you are experiencing hair loss, please seek advice from your doctor*
2) How can we eat our way to the luscious, healthy hair that we all want? What are the key foods and nutrients we should consider?
This would have to be my favourite question!
As I mentioned in the previous answer, consuming adequate amounts of protein each day will put you on the right path for luscious, healthy hair.
My favourite ways to consume protein are by adding greek yoghurt and nuts to my porridge in the morning, a source of legumes [chickpeas] and crumbled feta to a salad or sandwich for lunch and adding a piece of salmon, chicken or red meat to an evening meal with my favourite sides.
Collagen & Vitamin C
Off the back of my protein recommendation, we need to address collagen. It’s all the hype at the moment - and for good reason! Collagen is a type of protein; in fact - it’s the main structural protein found in our cartilage, skin and hair. Whilst collagen is naturally found in some foods, Vitamin C is our main nutrient of interest when it comes to collagen production. This is because Vitamin C plays an integral role in the biosynthesis of collagen, and is often why we see it present as an ingredient in hair care and skin care products.
Food sources of Vitamin C include capsicums [peppers], oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage and tomatoes.
Iron-rich foods
Iron is a micronutrient that is essential for hair health. Alarmingly, Iron Deficiency [ID] is the world’s most common nutritional deficiency and is a key culprit for hair loss.
Including iron-rich foods in your diet can help to prevent ID and associated hair loss. You can find Iron in lean meats, seafood, lentils, legumes, tofu, leafy green vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.
*If you suspect you have an Iron deficiency, please contact your doctor as soon as possible*
Vitamin C [mentioned above] also improves the absorption of Iron that is present in plant foods. My favourite ways to put this philosophy into practise is by pairing lentils, legumes and tofu with tomatoes and green vegetables or by adding a ‘citrus-pop’ into savoury meals. Don’t underestimate the power of lemon juice in a simple dressing!
Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids
Healthy fats - particularly omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids [EFA’s] have proven to be beneficial for scalp and hair health. The most prominent source of omega 3 EFA’s in the diet are oily fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel. However, they are also present in plant foods such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, canola oil and soybeans.
Biotin
I’m sure most of you have come across ‘Biotin’ [Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H] throughout your hair journey. It is the key nutrient added to hair-based supplements due to the integral role it plays in protein synthesis and keratin production. Some even refer to it as the ‘miracle hair vitamin’.
If you are looking to boost your intake of biotin, add foods such as beef liver, eggs, salmon, pork, sunflower seeds and almonds into your diet.
Zinc
According to the research, Zinc has proven to be pivotal for adequate hair growth and maintenance. Given that zinc also plays a key role in keratin production [one of the proteins that contributes to the structure of our hair follicles], one of the first signs of a zinc deficiency is hair loss. You can find zinc in oysters, beef, oats, pumpkin seeds, lentils, cheese and fortified breakfast cereals.
3) Why am I experiencing hair issues? Does it have something to do with what’s going on inside my body?
Hair issues can be incredibly frustrating, however the ‘root’ cause [pardon the pun] may be due to a number of factors.
Of course - and as I’ve mentioned throughout this blog - your hair concerns may be diet-related. They could be the case of a nutritional deficiency, failing to consume enough of a particular hair-loving food or nutrient or they could indicate that you aren’t eating enough food to meet your nutritional requirements and support optimal hair health.
Additionally, it could be due to an underlying gut health issue, which we will discuss in further detail - stay tuned!
Diet aside, our health may fall victim to an imbalance in hormones. If you believe this could be the case for you, further testing is always required by a specialist.
Hair concerns have also been linked to environmental factors, stress levels, the products we do/don’t use regularly and heat damage.
*I am of course not a doctor so if you are experiencing severe hair loss or hair-related problems that may indicate an underlying condition or hormonal imbalance, please see your doctor or specialist as soon as possible*
4) Let’s talk more about gut health! How is our hair health connected to our gut health? Can you explain why that is?
Great question!
Your gut can affect almost every function in the human body. No wonder google search results for ‘gut health’ have skyrocketed over the past few years! Recent studies have shown that a healthy gut microbiota enables different microorganisms to optimally carry out their systems and processes - which may have an impact on our mood, immune health, disease risk, and hair health.
Our gut is responsible for synthesizing and absorbing the nutrients we obtain from food. If we fuel our gut to possess a healthy array of beneficial bacteria, our bodies have a much greater chance of absorbing adequate amounts of the nutrients we consume. Poor gut health or gut disorders has been linked to the malabsorption of foods which may affect our hair health.
Whilst there needs to be much more research into the connection between our hair health, gut health and associated disorders, it’s important to note that 70% of our immune cells are also located in our gut. Certain hair disorders such as alopecia areata are actually autoimmune conditions. Again, the research is in its infancy - but an imbalance of gut bacteria may contribute to hair loss and such conditions
Lastly [and interestingly], the bacteria that reside in our gut are also capable of producing small amounts of the 'miracle hair vitamin’ Biotin. We don’t fully understand how our bodies utilise this form of biotin or how much is actually available, so always make sure you include food sources in your diet.
5) You mentioned Biotin as the miracle “hair vitamin”. Vitamins and minerals aside, what other elements within our diet that contribute to hair health often get overlooked?
Whilst you can certainly eat your way to healthier hair, you may in fact be able to drink your way to luscious locks too. This won’t surprise many of you, but remaining hydrated and aiming to meet your fluid requirements throughout the day could be the cherry on top you need for healthy hair! Reducing your intake of alcoholic beverages and substituting these for healthier alternatives could make the world of difference, too.
6) As a dietitian and nutritionist, what is your secret to great hair?
I know this sounds incredibly cliche, but consuming a healthy and balanced diet and drinking enough water really is my *secret weapon* to healthy hair. I try my best to incorporate a range of different foods every single day to ensure optimal nutrient consumption. I also make sure I eat a wide variety of plant foods to fuel my gut microbiome. Research has *actually* proven that including 30 different plant foods a week can have a significant impact on the health of your gut!
I also ensure that I’m only using hair products prescribed by my hairdresser that address my biggest hair concerns - being blonde and using heat to style my hair.
Thanks so much for having me on the blog Jordan.