You might have heard the rumour that veganism causes hair loss. But is it true? Does veganism cause hair loss?
We’re here to set the record straight.
Veganism does not cause hair loss!
In fact, veganism might actually make your hair thicker and stronger than ever before!
However, there is a catch. You’ll only get these benefits if you’re getting the nutrients needed for healthy hair.
When Veganism COULD cause hair loss
The truth is;
Meat and dairy products do provide a fast and easy way to get all the nutrients essential for avoiding hair loss.
Does that mean that you have to choose between a full head of hair and eating ethically?
Nope! Veganism can provide all the nutrients needed for healthy hair too. You just need to plan your diet accordingly. So if you’ve been feeling like your vegan diet has caused your locks to fall out, it’s not veganism, it’s just that you haven’t been getting the right nutrients!
Not only is the link between veganism and hair loss a big myth! Many vegans have actually reported that their hair has become thicker, healthier, and more lustrous since switching up their diet. This is likely due to the increased intake of antioxidants and vitamins found in plant-based foods.
Now let’s get down to business. We’ve put together this handy list of 10 nutrients your strands need in order to stay put. Plus, how you can get them and still stay true to veganism.
10 Nutrients that prevent hair loss
- Protein
You might not know this, but protein is a crucial part of preventing hair loss. Protein is the building block of all living things, including your hair follicles. When you have a diet that’s too low in protein, it can lead to thinning hair and weakened follicles.
While it’s true that plant-based foods contain less protein than animal products do, this doesn’t mean that vegans can’t get enough protein. In fact, if you’re eating a well-balanced diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains, and soy products such as tofu or tempeh (to name just a few), you’ll be able to meet your daily protein needs without any trouble at all!
- B-12
B12 is an essential vitamin that has been shown to both prevent and treat hair loss, so it’s important that you pay attention to your intake if you want to keep your locks looking healthy and strong. As B-12 is typically found in meat, veganism makes getting your recommended daily allowance a bit tricky.
A good place to start is with fortified foods like; tempeh, nutritional yeast, spirulina, fortified vegan milk, fortified cereal, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, and seaweed. However, you should definitely consider taking a supplement if you’re not sure how much B-12 you’re getting in your diet.
- Iron
Hair loss is one of the most common side effects of iron deficiency. Iron helps build red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body—including to your scalp. If you don’t get enough iron from food, your body will take it from other places in order to meet its needs—which could include your hair follicles. This can lead to hair loss or thinning.
It’s true that vegans have higher rates of iron deficiency than non-vegans, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get enough. You just need to know where to look for it.
First and foremost, beans. Beans are packed full of iron; just one cup of cooked beans contains about 14% of your RDA. And, they also contain other nutrients like magnesium and potassium, which help your body absorb iron.
You can also find iron in leafy greens like spinach or kale; nuts like cashews or pistachios; seeds like sunflower seeds; some grains like quinoa or brown rice, and even some fruits like raisins or dried apricots.
Iron is most easily absorbed by the body when paired with foods high in vitamin C, such as bell peppers and citrus fruit. Try adding some to your next meal for an extra boost!
- Vitamin C
One of the lesser-known benefits of vitamin C is its ability to prevent hair loss. It does this by reducing inflammation and strengthening your hair follicles
It also helps to build collagen and elastin, which keep your hair strong and healthy.
Luckily, veganism makes getting this important nutrient for avoiding hair loss easy. The best source of vitamin C is citrus fruits. Other good sources include broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi fruit, papaya, and cabbage.
- Omega-3
If you’re new to veganism and struggling with hair loss, try adding more omega-3s into your diet! Omega-3s are very important for maintaining the health of your scalp and follicles, as well as keeping your hair healthy and shiny.
So how do you get omega-3s on a vegan diet? Omega 3s are found in many plant-based foods, including walnuts, flaxseed oil, chia seeds, and leafy greens like kale and spinach. If you’re looking to get more omega-3s into your diet, try adding some of these foods into your daily routine!
- Vitamin A
If you’re looking for some help in the hair-growth department, vitamin A is a nutrient you might want to look into.
Vitamin A is found in many foods, including carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes. This vitamin helps stimulate hair growth by promoting the production of sebum (the oily substance that protects your hair from damage). Sebum also helps keep your scalp clean and healthy by preventing infections and removing dirt from your hair follicles.
- Zinc
You might not think that zinc is a big deal. But it’s actually one of the most important nutrients for your body, and it can help you prevent hair loss—and keep your hair looking healthy and shiny—on a vegan diet.
Zinc plays an important role in the production of keratin, the protein that makes up 90 percent of all hair strands. When your body doesn’t have enough zinc available to produce keratin properly, it causes your hair to thin out and break off more easily. So getting enough zinc in your diet is actually one way to help prevent hair loss!
- Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that helps your body maintain its natural oils, which keep your hair and skin looking healthy. It also helps protect against the oxidative damage that causes hair loss by neutralising free radicals before they can cause damage to your follicles.
Vitamin E is especially abundant in avocados, but other plant-based sources include, leafy greens like spinach and kale; olives; sunflower seeds; and almonds.
- Biotin
Biotin is a hot topic in the world of beauty. The hair-growth supplement has been hailed as the best way to prevent hair loss and keep your follicles strong and healthy.
So, how do you get it on a vegan diet?
Biotin is found naturally in many plant foods, so it’s not hard to get if following a vegan diet. Sources include; whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, mushrooms, potatoes, bananas, and leafy greens like spinach and kale.
So if you’re concerned about getting enough biotin, just make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet!
- Selenium
One of the most important nutrients for hair health is selenium. It helps prevent hair loss by acting as an antioxidant, which means it combats the free radicals that cause damage and breakage in your cells. It also helps stimulate blood flow to the scalp, which keeps your follicles healthy.
Selenium deficiency can lead to hair loss and even baldness over time—but luckily, it’s easy to get your daily dose of this essential mineral without giving up on veganism!
Selenium-rich foods include; nuts (particularly brazil nuts), seeds, whole grains, and legumes like lentils and beans
And there you have it – Veganism CAN cause hair loss if not done right. But with these 10 nutrients in your diet, it’s nearly impossible to not have a healthy, thick head of hair.
To make sure your vegan diet is helping your hair grow to its fullest potential, consider adding some of these supplements from Hairburst to your routine. These tasty vegan hair supplements promise to give you longer, thicker hair in as little as three months—and they’re perfect for any health-conscious vegan who wants a little extra help with their hair health!
We hope this article has been helpful. If you want to learn more about the benefits of veganism, be sure to check out some of our other articles here!
