What to eat for healthier hair, skin and nails - five foods to add to your diet

If your locks, skin and nails are in need of some TLC, here are a few foods to include in your diet. Photo / 123RF

When it comes to looking good, you are what you eat. But did you know certain nutrients are particularly key when it comes to our “integumentary system”, the medical term for the body’s outer layer, made up of skin, nails, hair? So if your locks are lacklustre, your skin sallow and your nails in need of some TLC, here are a few foods to include in your diet that can help.

Carrots and spinach to protect the skin and promote keratin production

Carotenoids might sound like something you need to have removed by the doctor, but in fact they’re soluble plant pigments that function as antioxidants in the body, protecting from cancer-causing free radicals. These are the rogue molecules generated in the skin thanks to UV exposure and air pollutants. Beta-carotene is a carotenoid converted by the body into vitamin A, which is used to produce keratin, a protein essential to skin, nail and hair health. The best sources are orange fruits and vegetables such as squash, carrots, melons, mango and papaya, leafy greens like spinach and kale and some red fruits and vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

The best sources of vitamin A are orange fruits and vegetables. Photo / 123RF

This combination of orange fruits with a star anise dressing is the perfect summery way to top up your carotenoids. Place cubes of any orange fruit (mango, papaya, apricot, nectarine, peach, melon) in a large bowl. In a lidded jar, shake together the juice of an orange, one teaspoon of finely grated fresh ginger, one teaspoon honey and two of star anise. Pour the dressing over the fruit and top with finely grated lime zest.

Avocados to prevent inflammation and improve skin elasticity

Vitamins C and E are both powerful antioxidants, known to contribute to skin, nail and hair health. A 2017 study by scientists at the University of Otago in New Zealand found a synergy exists between vitamin C and vitamin E, with the combination being particularly effective for decreasing skin inflammation caused by excessive UV exposure.

Avocados are the perfect food for your skin. Photo / 123RF

Avocados are the perfect skin food, containing both of these vitamins and healthy monounsaturated fats. Including them in your diet has been shown to improve skin elasticity. Around 100g of avocado contains 2mg of vitamin E, with the recommended daily intake (known as RNI, or reference nutrient intake) being 3mg for women and 4mg for men. Avocados also contain 10mg of vitamin C (the RNI being 40mg).

A speedy guacamole is my favourite way to top up these key vitamins. Tip the juice of a large lime, a handful of roughly chopped coriander, one well-chopped ripe tomato, half a finely chopped, small red onion and one deseeded and finely chopped green chilli into a bowl. Add the flesh of two large ripe avocados and mash everything together, then season with salt and pepper. Best eaten straight away.

Walnuts and almonds to help skin healing and boost hair growth

Yes, it’s good old omega-3 again - is there nothing this fabulous fat cannot do? Omega-3 fatty acids occur naturally in the skin, where they help reduce the skin’s photosensitivity and improve its immune function by speeding up healing. Studies have also indicated omega-3 may also boost hair growth and reduce hair loss. We all know about eating oily fish once or twice a week to keep our omega-3 levels topped up, but other important sources include nuts and seeds, particularly flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts.

Make my omega-3 nut butter to have on your toast in the morning by placing 150g each of walnuts and almonds, 25g of sunflower seeds, 15g of flaxseed, 15g of chia seeds, and one teaspoon of salt in a food processor and process on low for one minute, slowing adding three tablespoons of cold-pressed rapeseed oil. Then increase the speed and process on high for at least 10 minutes until creamy. It will keep for two to three weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Eating whole grain seedy bread is a simple way to get more collagen. Photo / 123RF

Seeds for collagen production and prevention of hair loss

Remarkably, collagen comprises a third of the total protein in the human body and three-quarters of the dry weight of skin. As we get older, our ability to produce collagen declines, leading to sagging and wrinkling of the skin. Alongside vitamin C, there are two minerals that are also key in collagen production, magnesium and zinc. Seeds are an excellent source of both these skin-friendly minerals, and sunflower seeds in particular also contain biotin, or vitamin B7, which is vital for hair health and preventing hair loss. Indeed, a 2016 study found biotin deficiency was evident in 38 per cent of women complaining of hair loss.

Eating whole grain seedy bread, adding ground seeds to smoothies and adding toasted seeds to savoury dishes such as soups and salads are simple ways to add more to your diet. You can also make a mineral-rich snack mix by combining mixed seeds, mixed nuts and dark chocolate chips.

Green tea to repair skin, hair and nails

Plant polyphenols are known to reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. As far as our skin is concerned, polyphenols help repair the DNA in our skin cells that may have become damaged due to exposure to solar UV light. Studies have found that one particular polyphenol called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is abundant in green tea, helps with skin hydration, reduces hair loss and can prevent infections of the skin, hair and nails.

Matcha is a type of green tea made from the powdered leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Make a skin-boosting smoothie by placing 300g of mixed berries (e.g. raspberries, strawberries, blueberries) in a blender with 250ml of plain kefir (or 150ml milk and two tablespoons of plain yogurt) and one teaspoon of matcha powder. Blend well and serve (serves two).