Hair Supplements vs A Balanced Diet.
It is a common misconception regarding nutrition , especially for hair growth that you must invest in supplements in order to meet your nutritional needs. For the majority of the population, all nutritional requirements can be met by eating a balanced diet- this is known as the food first approach. The food first approach ensures that all of your nutritional needs can be met solely through a balanced diet. As part of a balanced diet, it is important to incorporate foods from all the different food groups (protein, carbohydrates, and fats).
Zinc
Zinc is one of the essential minerals your body needs in order to function optimally. It is responsible for cell division along with making protein (protein synthesis) which makes it a critical component for healthy hair growth. The recommended daily intake for zinc differs depending on the following factors: age, gender, along with whether one is pregnant or breastfeeding (lactating). The graph below depicts the zinc requirements at all phases of life:
| Age | male | female | pregnant | breastfeeding/lactating |
| 0-6 months | 2mg | 2mg | ||
| 7-12 months | 3mg | 3mg | ||
| 1-3 years | 3mg | 3mg | ||
| 4-8 years | 5mg | 5mg | ||
| 9-13 years | 8mg | 8mg | ||
| 14-18 years | 11mg | 9mg | 12mg | 13mg |
| 19+ years | 8mg | 11mg | 11mg | 12mg |
Putting these recommendations into practice can be confusing for the everyday person. The following breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack are simple meals which can assist you in meeting your zinc needs:
| Sex | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snack | Total |
| Male | 1.5oz breakfast cereals fortified with 25% daily value (2.8mg) Milk, low fat, 8oz( 1.0mg) | Beef patty, broiled, 3oz (5.3mg) 1 roll, wholewheat 1-2oz burger toppings | chicken breast, roasted (1.8mg)
1ozcup broccoli 2oz cup brown rice | 1 oz Almonds, dry, roasted (0.9mg)
| 11.8mg |
| Female | oats, 1 pkt, instant oats with water (1mg) milk, low fat, 8 oz. (1mg) | Chicken, dark meat, 3oz (2.4mg) | Chickpea curry, cooked, 1 cup (1.3mg) | plain yoghurt, 8oz (1.7mg) 1oz cashews, roasted (1.6mg) | 9mg |
Iron
Iron is an important mineral responsible for transporting oxygen around the body, the functioning, growth and development of cells. There are two types of iron: heme and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in animal products which include red meat such as ground beef, mince, chicken and organ meat like liver.
Non-heme iron is found from plant-based iron sources. These iron sources have a low bioavailability making it difficult for plant-based iron to be absorbed by the body. However there is a simple solution- vitamin C. The addition of vitamin C is crucial to ensure that plant-based iron sources are absorbed more efficiently.
The following graph shows the iron requirements in all phases of life:
| Age | male | female | pregnant | breastfeeding/lactating |
| 0-6 months | 0.27mg | 0.27mg | ||
| 7-12 months | 11mg | 11mg | ||
| 1-3 years | 7mg | 7mg | ||
| 4-8 years | 10mg | 10mg | ||
| 9-13 years | 8mg | 8mg | ||
| 14-18 years | 11mg | 15mg | 27mg | 10mg |
| 19+ years | 8mg | 18mg | 27mg | 9mg |
| 51+ years | 8mg | 8mg |
Females have higher iron requirements and are at a higher risk of developing an iron deficiency. It is therefore important to ensure that you are getting an adequate amount of iron through your diet.
The following options contain meals which can assist in meeting your iron needs regardless of your food preferences:
| Sex | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snack | Total |
| Male | oats (4.7mg iron per 13oz) blueberry (14mg vit c per 1/2 cup) | 2 slices wholewheat (2mg iron) Tuna, light, canned, 3 oz (1mg iron) (include 1-2oz salad) | Chicken, roasted, 3oz (1mg) | apple 3oz plain yoghurt | 8.7mg |
| Female | smoothie 1oz spinach, raw (1mg iron) blueberry (14mg vit c per 1oz) | 2 slices wholewheat bread (2 mg iron) 2 eggs, boiled egg (2mg iron) 1/2 tomato (8mg vit c)
(include 1-2oz salad) | Lentil bolognaise per 3oz (3mg) Tomato canned, stewed, 3oz (2mg iron) 2oz spaghetti, wholewheat (1mg iron) | Dark chocolate 3oz (7 mg) strawberries (49mg per 3oz cup) | 18mg |
Overall, incorporating variety into your diet as variety is key to sustain healthy hair growth. Always contact a health professional if you are concerned about any deficiencies.
