Hair power house foods
Whole grains
Whole grain bread and pasta is high in fiber, protein and b vitamins. Many products also have a little iron in them. Oatmeal is easy to make and will leave you feeling full until lunch. Pastas like Barilla plus are made with ground flaxseeds and whole grain flour which adds a healthy amount of protein and omega fatty acids. When shopping for these products, look at the labels. Companies use the words “whole wheat†really liberally. Pick the products with the highest amount of fiber. Also try incorporate grains like spelt, barley, buckwheat and quinoa into your diet. Barley is high in niacin which belongs to the b-vitamin family. Buckwheat is one the most nutritious grains available. Quinoa is high in protein as well. If you are new to these grains, go your local health food store and sample foods that they have made with these grains. You can try different kinds of breads, salads, and soups that use these. I personally love using spelt to make great oatmeal cookies. By sampling items, you can get a feel of what flavors you like with out committing to buying a whole box of something that you might not like. Quinoa is really good as a side like rice pilaf or couscous. You can also buy little packets of ground flaxseeds that you can sprinkle on top of hot cereals and salads.
Salmon, Tuna and Shrimp
Salmon is a fatty fish that when eaten 2-3 times a week makes a nice omega fatty acid contribution. Tuna (without full fat mayo) also helps add omega fatty acids. Both are high in protein as well, and are not high in calories. Be sure that you make your own tuna salad. Many deli varieties have more calories and fat than a hamburger of equivalent size. Try a scoop of tuna on a whole grain English muffin, topped with a little shredded mozzarella cheese and toasted for 10 minutes. Add red onions and bell pepper to your tuna and up your veggie intake. Shrimp are a perfect source of low calorie protein that is high in iodine.
Nuts
Nuts like walnuts, almonds, peanuts, Brazilian nuts etc… are perfect hair foods. They have high amounts of fiber, vitamin E, zinc, and copper. Nuts, especially walnuts have high amounts of omega fatty acids. Nuts are high in fat but the fat in nuts is great for your heart and they absorb very differently in the body. A handful of nuts once a day makes a great snack. Almonds are high in fiber and help suppress the appetite so if you are trying to watch your weight and your hair, try those. Peanuts are high in copper which helps preserve hair pigment.
Eggs
Eggs are known as the perfect food and for good reason. Eggs have a high amount of protein, low calories, and can be made in a variety of ways. Scrambled, poached, sunny side up, doesn’t matter. The protein in eggs is easily assembled by your body and is high in sulfur bearing amino acids like L-cysteine. Now I know people have a fear of eggs because they do contain high amounts of dietary cholesterol but it is known now that most blood cholesterol is made by the body from dietary fat not dietary cholesterol. For a healthy person 1-2 eggs a day shouldn’t cause any major impacts in cholesterol levels. If you still have cholesterol concerns, alternate regular eggs with egg beaters. You can also buy eggs that have higher amounts of omega fatty acids.
Olive oil
I know most of us have already discovered the benefits of olive oil. At any given moment I am sure that one of us is preparing for a pre-poo with it or mixing it into a conditioner. Using olive oil in your cooking is another way to gain hair and skin benefits. Olive oil contains squalene and omega-9- fatty acids which help the hair and skin retain more moisture. Olive oil helps boost the immune system and lower cholesterol. It also helps fight heart disease and high blood pressure. Olive oil also helps your body burn more fat.
Onions, Garlic and the like
Onions, garlic and shallots are members of the Allium family. The members of this family have one distinctive characteristic; their pungent smell. This smell comes from the high levels of sulfur they contain. While the intensity of the smell can range from pretty mild with leeks and shallots to really intense with onions and garlic, they all contain valuable phyto-chemicals that are helpful in treating all kinds of conditions from heart problems to itchy, problem skin. Onions and garlic are not expensive and are easy to use in a variety of ways. Eating onions with your sandwiches, especially if you are using packaged sandwich meat, will help you absorb less of the nitrates they use in meats today. Many holistic remedies for hair loss involve using raw onion and garlic on the scalp to reduce shedding and strengthen hair follicles.
Spinach
This humble green is a powerhouse food in all aspects. Spinach can be eaten raw or cooked and can be mixed in just about anything. Spinach is rich in calcium, iron, b-vitamins, beta carotene and even omega fatty acids. Spinach is great for hair growth because it provide a vegetarian source of iron and calcium which most women lack. Low levels of these minerals can slow hair growth. Spinach releases more nutrients when lightly cooked so try just sautéing it lightly with olive oil and garlic.
Here are a couple of my favorite hair and skin healthy things to eat. These meals give you more bang for your buck when it comes to nutritional value. I love to cook but I don’t have the time to do it up all the time. I like things that are easy to make and can be made in limited space. Many of these things I would still be able to cook in my little dorm room with only a george forman grill, a griddle and a toaster oven.
Pumpkin Spice oatmeal: If you like warm creamy breakfast foods with an autumnal taste then you will like this. Make a cup of oatmeal like you usually do. I recommend that you use real oatmeal, not the instant stuff. After you oatmeal is cooked ( I make mine with a little milk and just a dash of half and half) mix in ½ a cup of canned pumpkin. Add a couple of dashes of pumpkin pie spice and honey to sweeten. This is extremely filling and tastes great. The oatmeal gives you iron, fiber and b-vitamins. The canned pumpkin gives you beta carotene, more fiber, and adds to you daily fruit and veggie count. To add to my protein intake, I brush just a touch of real maple syrup on two slices of turkey bacon and scramble 2 egg whites. If you don’t like pumpkin, try sautéing apple slices until they are soft, add a sprinkle of cinnamon, which can help stave off the effects of excess sugar consumption, and topping your oatmeal with that. I would often make this in a crock pot and share it with my suite mates when I stayed on campus.
Oven Fried Chicken
Mix ½ cup of parmesan cheese, ½ cup of wheat germ, ½ tsp of rosemary leave, onion powder, garlic salt, thyme and a couple of shakes of black pepper. Pour ¾ cup of buttermilk in a bowl. Dip 8 skinless chicken thighs in the buttermilk and roll in the wheat germ mixture. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. You can also use skinless chicken fingers to cut cooking time. The dark meat thighs are high in iron, protein and b-vitamins. Since they are skinless, you save a lot of fat. Each thigh is around 80 calories and has 3 grams of fat with 9 grams of protein. The wheat germ mix adds around 2 grams of fiber. I got this recipe out of a health magazine. I switch up the seasonings from time to time.
Tamari Salmon
Mix ¼ cup of tamari-soy sauce, 2 big spoonfuls of honey, ¼ cup of ginger-garlic paste, and a couple of shakes of pepper in a bowl. Brush the mix over the top of 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces a piece). Let stand for 10 minutes. Heat a nonstick pan or griddle to medium-high heat. Cook 4 minutes on each side and serve with brown rice. If you don’t need to cook 4 a time, buy the salmon fillets that are shrink wrapped separately and frozen. They usually come 8-10 in a bag. Each piece of salmon gives you omega fatty acids, 35 grams of protein and just 285 calories.
Stovetop leek and mushroom stuffed chicken
Using a small knife, cut a pocket into 2 skinless chicken breast. Don’t cut all the way through the chicken but be sure to make your pocket as big as possible. Season the chicken with garlic powder, thyme, pepper, and oregano. Sit aside. In a nonstick skillet, heat about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add in 12 sliced shiitake mushrooms and 1 thinly sliced 4-5 inch section of leek. Make sure you rinse the leek well, sand and grit can hide within the stalk. Cook, stirring constantly until tender. Remove from heat and sprinkle with thyme and salt and pepper. Fill your chicken pockets with the filling being careful not to overfill. Using the same skillet, heat up a little more olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Cook the chicken for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. I use a griddle when I am pressed for space to make this one. Its smells great when cooking. This dish will give you 35 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving.
You're the one who helped me get my vitamin regimen on point..thank you for doing an update.
