Ever wondered why your hair isn’t growing as fast as you’d like? The answer could lie in your diet. Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is essential for hair growth. It helps your body produce new cells, including hair follicles. If you’re not getting enough folic acid from the foods you eat every day, your hair growth can slow down.
The good news is that boosting your folic acid intake is pretty easy. Here are 6 of the best folic acid foods you can add to your diet to nourish your hair and stimulate new growth.
Whether you blend them into smoothies, add them to salads or simply snack on them, these delicious folic acid rich foods will give your hair the nutritional boost it needs. With the help of these folic acid powerhouses, you’ll be well on your way to longer, stronger, and healthier hair in no time.
Why Folic Acid Foods are Essential for Healthy Hair Growth?
Folic acid, or vitamin B9, is essential for healthy hair growth. Here’s why you need to make sure you’re getting enough:
Natural Folic acid foods help your body produce new cells, including the hair follicles that grow your hair. Without it, your hair follicles won’t regenerate as quickly and your hair won’t grow at its normal rate.
Folic acid foods also help your body absorb and utilize iron in the body, which carries oxygen to your hair follicles and promotes hair growth. An iron deficiency, which folic acid helps prevent, is a common cause of hair loss and poor hair health.
This important B vitamin aids in DNA synthesis and cell division. Your hair follicles rely on this rapid cell regeneration to produce hair strands. Without adequate folic acid, your hair follicles can’t multiply and grow new hair effectively.
In addition to aiding hair growth, folic acid gives hair a healthy appearance and texture. It helps prevent hair from becoming dry, brittle and dull. Shiny, lustrous hair is a sign of good health and folic acid deficiency often results in lackluster, unhealthy-looking hair.
Clearly, consuming folic acid foods can help you get fast-growing, gorgeous hair.
Top 6 Natural Folic Acid Foods to Add to Your Diet
Some of the best natural folic acid foods are:
1. Leafy Green Vegetables
Spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, and Swiss chard are excellent options. Just one cup of cooked spinach contains over 250% of your daily folic acid needs. These greens are nutritional powerhouses for hair health.
2. Asparagus
Six spears of asparagus provide over 50% of your daily folic acid. Asparagus is also high in vitamin E, another important nutrient for hair growth.
3. Broccoli
Half a cup of cooked broccoli has over 50% of your folic acid for the day. Broccoli contains compounds like sulforaphane that may help support hair follicle health and prevent inflammation.
4. Brussels Sprouts
A half cup of cooked Brussels sprouts packs over 50% of your daily folic acid. Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts are part of the cruciferous vegetable family and provide many of the same hair health benefits.
5. Citrus Fruits
Oranges, grapefruit, and orange juice are all excellent sources of folic acid. Just one orange contains over 50% of your daily needs. Citrus fruits also provide vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps support collagen production for hair strength and growth.
6. Beans and Lentils
Black eyed peas, kidney beans, and lentils all provide at least 50-60% of your daily folic acid per half cup cooked. Legumes are also high in protein, iron, and zinc which promote hair health and growth.
Add more of these delicious folic acid foods to your diet, and you’ll be nourishing your hair from within in no time. Healthy, natural hair growth starts with the food on your plate!
Simple Recipes to Easily Incorporate Folic Acid Foods
Making folic acid-rich foods a regular part of your diet is easy with a few simple recipes. Try adding these ingredients to your meals and snacks a few times a week.
1. Spinach Salad
- Baby spinach, feta cheese, sliced strawberries, chopped walnuts
- Toss with a light raspberry vinaigrette dressing
- Add grilled chicken or salmon for a heart-healthy protein punch
2. Black Bean Burgers
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Mash beans and mix with remaining ingredients. Form into patties and sauté in a pan with oil until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Serve on buns with your favorite burger toppings.
3. Broccoli-Orange Smoothie
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 banana
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Broccoli provides folate, vitamin C and fiber. Orange juice is also high in folate and vitamin C.
4. Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms
- Whisk 3-4 eggs in a bowl and add 1 tbsp milk or water per egg. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté 1 cup spinach and 1/2 cup mushrooms in butter until soft.
- Add egg mixture to the pan and gently scramble until the eggs are set but still moist.
- Fold in spinach and mushrooms. Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Serve with whole grain toast to soak up the flavorful juices.
Conclusion
So there you have it, a list of best folic acid foods for hair growth. Eating folic acid rich foods may help you grow longer, stronger, and healthier hair over time. Folic acid, along with other B vitamins, provides your hair follicles with essential nutrients to support hair growth. Add more of these foods to your diet, and you’ll be well on your way to your best hair yet.
