Baldness and Fast Foods: A Beginner's Guide
08 / 23 / 17

Baldness and Fast Foods: A Beginner's Guide

Nutrients are an essential part of hair health, and as such an individual's diet plays a central role in contributing to baldness. Getting a sufficient amount of protein, vitamins A, B5, C, D, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, copper, zinc, iron, potassium, folic acid, biotin, among other vitamins, is vital in maintaining a full mane. Considering this research, it's clear that deficiencies in nutrients, vitamins, and essential oils can cause hair loss. 

Fast Food and Baldness

It's widely known that Americans are fast food fiends. Americans consume millions of fast food meals everyday with university studies showing that up to 20% of Americans eat their meals inside a car, and 25% of Americans fast food at least once a day. Fast food is often the most inexpensive and quickest option for people on the go, and the convenience convinces many that fast food is worth the trip to the drive-thru. In fact, fast food is so prominent, that it has become a symbol of American culture. It's also a largely unknown cause of baldness for many Americans.

What many are unaware of is the link between fast food consumption and nutritional deficiency. The lack of nutrients in fast food are many times exactly the nutrients our bodies need to keep thick hair on a healthy scalp. 

Fast food restaurants often show up on health studies as lacking these micronutrients. Eating food is our main source of micronutrients and even taking supplements will not cover the necessary nutrient intake recommendations our bodies, and scalps, need to stay healthy.

Although eating fast food once in a while may not negatively affective health, the problem is this type of food, due to high salt and saturated fat content, is very often addicting and eaten in excess. It's wide popularity and availability often mask the negative realities surrounding consuming this type of food in our diet. Excessive consumption of this food will create the nutrient deficiencies which can lead to hair loss. 

Changing Your Diet

Luckily, if you have concerns about hair loss and are looking for simple ways to avoid hair loss and promote a healthy scalp, your diet is the first place you can look. Changes in your diet, including eating a variety of well-balanced foods, can lead to the immediate intake of many important nutrients which will prevent hair loss. 

Researches have identified five key nutrients that are central to our scalp health. These are all nutrients from inside the foods we eat on a daily basis, foods central to a healthy diet. The nutrients which stand out as most important for our hair is Iron, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Biotin. 

Iron

Let's start with Iron. Incorporating Iron into your diet is easy. Eating leafy greens like spinach, most nuts, and natural, fresh red meats are the best and most convenient way to get this essential nutrient. Without Iron, hair can start to dry out and eventually thin.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids are commonly found in fish products. Fresh fish like tuna and salmon are high in this type of fatty acid. The Omega-3 Fatty Acid is central to keep hair looking its fullest.

Vitamin C

Most people know Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits such as the orange. Did you also know you can find Vitamin C in dark leafy vegetables, peppers, and cauliflower? Potatoes, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and a variety of other fruits and veggies rich in the vitamin as well. In addition to preventing hair loss, the right intake of Vitamin C can also encourage new growth on the scalp.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is often found in food products with a healthy dose of plant fat such as almonds, avocados, and olive oil. Sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes are also identified as a good source of Vitamin E as well. Studies show that incorporating these foods into your diet can increase hair growth and keep existing hair healthy.

Biotin

The nutrient biotin reduces hair loss and slows balding. Biotin, like Vitamin E, are found in almonds, sweet potatoes, and avocados. Biotin can also be found in bananas and peanut butter.

Although sometimes balding is inevitable, eating fast food will accelerate hair loss and damage healthy hair. Fast food is often deficient in the nutrients we need. With that said, having a healthy diet, and incorporating nutrient rich foods into a diet makes it easy to keep your hair healthy and prevent early or unnecessary balding.

You may still experience hair loss even with a healthy diet. Balding is sometimes genetic or hormonal and is sometimes unavoidable. If this occurs, you can pursue other options with us, your hair restoration expert. At New Look Institute we work with individuals face-to-face to address options for confronting your hair loss concerns. You can contact us today for a free, private consultation!