by E L Swist

Created on: September 07, 2008

We all want to have healthy beautiful hair, right? People spend an astronomical amount of money on professional hair products and treatments year after year. The reality is that healthy hair is not only a result of what you put on your head, but more importantly what you put in your mouth. You do not have to break the bank to have gorgeous locks! There are several foods that you can eat that will significantly benefit the condition of your hair. And here is the best part, eating to promote healthy hair growth coincides with eating for a healthy body!

The key to promoting healthy hair growth through your diet is balance. There are many things that are good for your hair but as the saying goes, "Too much of a good thing can in fact be a bad thing". We tend to hear that something is good or beneficial and we dive in and overdo it. Balance is the secret, not only to healthy hair but an all around healthy body.

Protein is a very important component in a healthy hair so much so, that it has been called the building block of hair. Beef is a good source of protein because it also contains B vitamins, iron, and zinc, important minerals for healthy hair. Now keeping balance in mind, this does not mean you have to have a T-bone steak three meals a day. One serving (3.5 ounces) twice a week is a good amount. Now not all of us are meat eaters and some of us cannot eat red meat for health reasons so any other protein rich food will essentially serve the same purpose. Eggs are a great source of protein as are nuts and many soy products. There is no one magical protein source that is really that much better than the others, just make sure you get a decent amount from the foods that you eat.

Salmon is an excellent healthy hair food not only because of its high quality protein content but also because it is loaded with omeg-3 fatty acids. A healthy scalp is one of the first steps to healthy hair, and omega-3 fatty acids are very beneficial to scalp health. If you happen to be a vegetarian one of two tablespoons of ground flaxseed incorporated into your daily diet will provide you with a sufficient amount of plant based omega-3 fatty acids.

Green leafy vegetables have many beneficial qualities as well. Broccoli, Swiss chard, and spinach are rich vitamins A and C which are essential to the body for sebum production. Sebum is the oily substance secreted by your hair follicles and it acts as a natural conditioner. These dark green veggies are also an excellent source of both iron and

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