7 Foods for Healthy Hair and Lashes
What do avocados, salmon and Greek yogurt all have in common? They promote healthy lash and hair growth! Your lashes, hair and even fingernails are made of a protein called keratin and over time, this keratin can weaken, making your hair and nails more prone to breakage.
No one wants weak lashes and split ends, which is why it’s a MUST to keep in mind the food and nutrients you eat and how they play a major role in keeping that keratin strong.
Why Aren’t My Lashes Growing?
In a dream world, lashes would naturally look full and voluptuous without any effort. But genetics, age AND lifestyle are all factors that can play a role in the growth of your hair and lashes. Deficiencies in vitamin D, biotin (a form of vitamin B) and iron can lead to slow hair growth.
Of course, vitamin supplements and growth serums help, but so can something as simple as your diet.
What Foods Make Your Eyelashes Grow?
The best foods for healthy hair and lashes are rich in certain vitamins, healthy fats and protein.
For superior lashes, add these 7 foods to your diet:
1. Avocados 🥑
If you love guacamole or avocado toast, you’re already on the right track. Packed with vitamin E, avocados have antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress in our bodies. This is good because stress can contribute to hair loss. The rich fatty acids in this superfood also help hair grow faster AND stronger. Since we don’t produce fatty acids in our body naturally, eating avocado for hair and eyelash growth is a nutrition win!
2. Sweet potatoes 🍠
Did you know that biotin, vitamin A, vitamin B5 (among many more) are found in sweet potatoes? These vitamins keep your hair and lashes healthy and growing! If you’ve heard of biotin, you probably remember hearing it in conversations about hair. In fact, biotin is often referred to as the “H” vitamin, which comes from the German words haar and haut. What do these two words mean? Hair and skin! Sweet potato fries, here we come!
3. Nuts 🥜
Nuts are spectacular for hair and lash growth. Adding nuts of all kinds to your daily diet is an easy way to get the vitamin E, fatty acids and amino acids that your lashes and hair need to stay healthy and grow. One amino acid in particular called l-arginine is a form of protein often used to help treat hair loss and even baldness. With fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins, it’s no wonder nuts are some of the best foods for growing hair and lashes!
4. Salmon 🐟
This seafood favorite is highly rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is good for our eyes, bones, brain function and so much more. When consumed often, it can be truly incredible when it comes to the thickness and overall growth of our lashes and hair. Along with the many other minerals and vital vitamins our bodies need, salmon is rich in vitamins B and D, which promote the growth of hair and eyelashes.
5. Mushrooms 🍄
If you’re a mushroom fan, then you’re in luck! For every cup of cooked mushrooms, you could get approximately 40% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin B3, which is known to rehydrate and nourish the hair follicles to make them stronger. If you have brittle hair, then foods like mushrooms are a no-brainer! Whether you sauté them or throw them in a salad, add some mushrooms to the mix. Your hair and lashes WILL thank you!
7. Eggs 🍳
Scrambled, hard-boiled, poached—how do you like your eggs? If you love this protein-rich food, then you’re already in the hair-growth game. That’s because our hair (and lashes) are mostly made up of proteins. If our bodies are protein-deficient, then our hair and lashes can greatly suffer. So, eat those eggs!
8. Greek yogurt (with a dash of cinnamon, too!) 🍨
One vitamin you’ll see a lot in hair products is vitamin B5. It’s no accident: B5 promotes the overall health of hair as well as its growth! Greek yogurt is full of B5. Enjoy it with your favorite fruit or add it to a smoothie to get that serving in each day. No matter how you like to eat it, you’ll also be giving your body an extra boost of vitamin D, known to help our lashes and lovely locks grow longer and stay healthy.
BONUS Superfood: Like cinnamon? If you do, then dash some of this delicious spice on your Greek yogurt. Cinnamon supports the increase of blood flow in our bodies.
When more oxygen and nutrients are getting to our hair follicles, they can grow faster and stronger.
Get the Healthy Lash Line You Deserve!
We can’t encourage you enough to add more foods for eyelash growth into your diet. You’ll love your strong lashes because they’ll make the PERFECT base for your favorite lash services like lash extensions or a lash lift.
So, have your splurges here and there (hello, ice cream sundae) but try to add some of these lash superfoods to your daily routine. Everything from your hair, health and wellness will reap the benefits!
