The best foods for shiny hair are ones that are rich in proteins and omega-3 fatty acids because these nutrients help your hair cuticles lay flat creating the shiny effect. And if you don’t have oily hair, there’s another option. Some foods, especially ones with sugar, increase your body's sebum production. Sebum is your hair’s natural oil and with the right amount it can give your hair a shiny look.
But too much sebum can weigh your hair down and make it look dirty instead of shiny, so sugary foods could actually work against having shiny hair. The right amount of sebum will protect your hair strands and secure the cuticles flat making your hair shiny, so finding the right balance is key. And this post shares nine of the best foods for shiny hair and one to avoid.
Salmon
Salmon is a hair healthy food packed with protein and biotin, which your body uses to make keratin, the building block of hair. Biotin helps your body break down the fish’s protein into individual amino acids, and like a microscopic seamstress, your body weaves these aminos together into individual hair strands. Salmon is also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial for making sebum, which coats your hair to keep those cuticles lying flat.
Fun fact: Salmon gets its pink color from something called “astaxanthin,” which is a powerful antioxidant that fights inflammation and free radicals so your hair follicles don’t get interrupted while they’re doing their job.
Eggs
We all know eggs are associated with healthy hair because they pack a high dose of protein, omega-3 and biotin inside their tiny shell. Plus eggs are a great source of Vitamin A, which helps your body produce sebum. Plus, eggs have plenty of Iron, the critical nutrient you need to get oxygen to the hair follicles so they can “breathe.”
Hamburger
Another great food for shiny hair is hamburger, and hamburger meat is a hair superfood thanks to its supply of protein providing amino acids. These amino acids help create strong hair strands and work with omega-3s for cuticle flattening sebum production. Plus, burgers are a great source of Zinc, which plays a key role in keeping your body’s keratin production schedule running on time.
Oysters
These delicious foods are one of the best sources of zinc around, and zinc helps with a process called “cell proliferation.” This is the process that helps your body produce enough keratin cells to make your hair strand grow at a normal pace. And in addition to zinc, oysters are a great source of both protein and iron, so go ahead and indulge in a half or full dozen at dinner.
Spinach
Spinach is also a hair superfood that works to give you shiny hair as half its calories from protein. It also has lots of vitamin C, which your body needs to break down the protein into amino acids so your hair follicles can craft them into keratin. Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron, another thing that spinach has tons of. Iron helps your body carry oxygen to your hair follicles.
But wait, there’s more, vitamin C is also a potent antioxidant that fights inflammation and free radicals keeping your scalp healthy. This helps the sebum flow from the scalp down your hair keeping your cuticles lying flat and shining bright.
Avocado
Avocado is loaded with omega-3s and antioxidants that help with making sebum. In addition to being a great source of vitamin C, avocados have lots of folic acid, another important nutrient your body uses along with iron to bring oxygen to your hair follicles. So if you’re having a burger for lunch, add some avocado for even more healthy hair goodness.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are loaded with omega-3s to help make sebum and lock your cuticles in place. Plus they have a good amount of protein in them. Soak them overnight in orange juice and you’ll get a double dose of shiny hair foods with the vitamin C found naturally in the OJ.
Pâté
Whether it comes from chicken, beef, or even cod, eating pâté won’t just make you feel like a star, it’ll help give you that movie star hair shine as it is packed with proteins for strong locks. It also contains omega-3s and vitamin A for cuticle smoothing sebum. As a rich source of iron and folic acid, these nutrients work together in your body to bring oxygen to your hair follicles.
Water
According to the FDA, water is a food, and that comes from this act. And it’s especially important for shiny hair since dehydration lowers the amount of blood in your body and hurts circulation, which means you get fewer nutrients from your intestines to your hair follicles. This helps you grow strong hair and works with your sebaceous glands to produce sebum for lubricated, flat-lying cuticles. You could eat all of the delicious foods above, but it wouldn’t do you as much good if you don’t get enough water.
And “water” doesn’t just mean what you drink since you get about 20% of your daily intake from other foods. But if you’re following a special diet like keto, you’ll avoid many foods high in water, so you’ll want to drink more.
Now that you know some of the best foods for shiny hair, and how the nutrients packed in them help grow hair strong or help keep your cuticles lying flat, here’s something you should avoid in your diet.
Sugar
You don’t have to avoid sugar completely, just excess added sugar in foods can be bad for your hair. Too much sweetness causes inflammation and can deplete your body of the crucial nutrients from the foods above. The end result can cause you to grow thin, and brittle hair.
Excess added sugars can even weaken the protein bonds that hold your hair together. This leads to lots of premature breakage and easily frayed hair, making your hair appear dull vs. shiny since the cuticle layer no longer lays flat to reflect light evenly.
Now you have nine foods that are good for shiny hair, and what to look for to help prevent dull locks. Did you find this guide helpful? Subscribe to our blog for more content just like it.
