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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.

20 iron rich foods for optimal hair growth. Options for meat eaters and vegetarians to mix and match according to their diets

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

Reference

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