Foods That Can Cause Hair Loss

I get a lot of people asking me: “What do you eat to make your hair grow so long?” – and I tell them of course. But what is asked a lot less is another important question: “what are the foods that can speed up and cause hair loss?” It’s an important question, as you’ll learn in a minute.

See, everything we put in our body has some kind of effect, either negative, neutral, or positive.

When we eat foods, the sugar, fats, and the protein, all get digested by the body, and various chemical reactions are happening, hormones are spiking, and this has a cascade effect on the cells in our body.

Below are some of the foods that you should either completely avoid (if you have the willpower) or you should limit to no more than say once or twice a week.

Foods that are bad for hair growth

Below I will share the categories of foods which you should try to stay clear from. Foods can have a real impact on how our hair looks, the rate at which it grows, and how much it sheds.

That doesn’t mean that you can’t have them every now and then, it’s just that you should limit your intake if you want to maintain your hair and prevent hair loss.

Eating a poor diet will show on the outside with your skin and your hair. If you eat the right foods and avoid the bad ones, you’re giving yourself the best possible chance to reach your genetic potential. Sometimes taking vitamin supplements can make up for the lack of nutrients in our diet, but it’s best to get them from food first.

Refined carbohydrates are bad for your hair

Whether they are from processed cereals, biscuits, cakes, candy bars, they are all bad news for your hair and skin.

High sugar intake is known to contribute to increased levels of stress hormones, inflammation and other negative effects that switch off the immune system, and dial down our ‘protective genes’ in our cells. High levels of glucose also cause glycation, which will age your skin.

If you can, stick to foods which have complex carbohydrates. With the fiber being intact, the body will release sugar slowly into the bloodstream and this will help keep your cells healthy and stop your hair from shedding and falling out.

Too much Alcohol can cause hair thinning

I personally never drink alcohol. I’ve never liked it. But if you’re the person who likes a drink, then make sure it’s not too much, or this can have bad consequences on your hair. Alcohol can actually decrease the absorption of some nutrients like thiamine, folic acid, zinc, and B12.

If you do like a drink,  may I recommend Red Wine?

Red wine has significant amounts of a compound known as Resveratrol, which is a powerful antioxidant and can partially mimic the effect that calorie restriction has on the body, which is known to increase lifespan in animals.

Fried foods are bad for your hair

Fried foods contain heated hydrogenated oils that are super bad for your body and for your hair.

If there is one food that will wreck your hair and health, it is fried foods.

Fried foods have been linked with oily skin and hair loss by increasing the rate at which testosterone is converted to DHT, which is the main hormone that causes hair loss in men.

Don’t go (Brazil) nuts! you might lose your hair

Brazil nuts are an excellent source of Selenium, which is super important for our immune system, nails, our hair, and many other things. But don’t go and eat the whole packet of Brazil nuts or you might see your hair falling out

Brazil nuts are packed full of selenium, you only need one or two to meet your daily requirement of the mineral. And while you don’t often hear about people overdosing on selenium from Brazil nuts, it’s entirely possible that there is some person out there who will, so I thought I’d add it to the list of foods to watch out for! 🙂

In conclusion

You have some power over how your hair grows, so try to feed your body well, and rest should take care of itself.

Aim to include a high percentage of natural and healthy foods in your diet, and your hair will grow much better with less shedding than if you if ate rubbish.