20 Iron-Rich Foods Guaranteed to Optimise Your Hair Growth

I discovered iron deficiency was contributing to my hair loss by accident a few years ago. I stumbled on a bald spot in my crown while taking hair pictures.

Subsequently, I booked an appointment with my doctor. I detailed this experience in Iron Deficiency Hair Loss Treatment & Regrowth.

One of the suggestions my doctor gave then was to significantly increase my intake of iron-rich foods. Iron is a vital mineral, which transports nutrients to the body including the scalp. Even a bit of deficiency can have your hair falling out.

If you aren’t anemic, kudos to you but you can still help your hair growth along by eating iron-rich foods. These are natural sources of iron so there’s no danger of an overload.

Different Forms of Dietary Iron for Hair Loss Recovery

Iron-rich foods fall into two categories – iron derived from meat (heme iron) and iron derived from plants (non-heme iron).

1. Heme Iron

Heme iron is derived from animal protein, which includes beef, poultry, seafood, and fish. Heme iron is more readily absorbed into the body.

2. Non-Heme Iron

Non-heme iron is derived from plant-based sources, which includes foods like grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Non-heme iron can also be found in dairy and eggs. 

Non-heme iron isn’t absorbed into the body as readily as heme iron, which is why vegetarians or vegans are at risk of low iron levels. 

You may want to get a mix of both sources into your diet to get but if you’re a strict vegetarian, ensure you replace what you don’t eat with something equally suitable.

The list below started as 20 iron-rich foods a few years ago but has now grown to over 30 foods today:-

20 Plus Iron Rich Foods for Optimal Hair Growth

1. Avocados
2. Apricots
3. Baked potatoes
4. Beans
5. Beetroot
6. Blackstrap molasses
7. Broccoli
8. Chickpeas
9. Clams
10. Dairy products
11. Dark chocolate
    
12. Eggs
13. Guava
14. Lamb 
15. Liver
16. Lean Meat
17. Lentils
18. Nuts
19. Oysters
20. Prunes
21. Pumpkins
22. Pumpkin seeds
23. Raisins
24. Soybeans
25. Sunflower seeds
26. Sweet Potatoes
27. Spinach
28. Turkey
29. Tofu
30. Whole grains

You don’t have to eat more or less of any of above. Including each one across the board in your diet is more than enough to see a change in your hair and general body health.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll be interested in The Ultimate Hair Growth Guide, a comprehensive tool for recovering from hair loss, regrowing bald spots and filling in thin areas of your scalp.

There’s a whole chapter in there dedicated to what you need to eat and in what amounts for optimal hair growth. Learn more and grab your discounted copy HERE. 

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