Importance of Protein in hair growth
You must have often seen advertisements of biotin supplements promising you healthier and shiny hair. Ever wondered why? This is because Hair is composed of a protein called keratin. And for Keratin production, Biotin is important. Keratin is the main material that forms the hair, nails, skin of our body. It is a protective protein because it is less likely to tear compared to the other cells in our body. The role of protein in hair growth is important since the structural unit of hair growth is keratin which is a protein.
How not having enough protein affects hair growth and health?
There are different vital functions that our body performs throughout the day. Protein is important for the body to carry these functions. When you don’t give enough protein to your body, it uses the protein only for the essential functions of the body. Therefore, the non-essential functions such as hair growth, healthy nails, and skin are affected.
Your hair can show retarded growth, appear dry, frizzy, and lifeless if you don’t have enough protein in your body. Protein is required to repair the damaged tissues of the hair and an inadequate quantity of this in the body can also lead to hair loss.
Benefits of Protein for Hair Growth and Health
- Provides longer, thicker, shinier, and softer hair that appears healthy
- Provides durability and fullness to the hair.
- It reduces the porosity of the hair. Thus, making it less prone to damage.
- Protects the hair from the harmful effects of chemicals and pollution
How to add more protein to your hair?
There are a lot of protein treatments available for hair. But they only act from the outside. Moreover, they are not effective in the long run.
Using Ayurvedic oils can help since they are composed of ingredients providing the essential nutrients to your hair.
But what’s vital is to add more protein internally, i.e. in your diet.
How to include more protein in your diet?
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the inclusion of protein in one’s diet. Some believe protein can make them too obese. Excess of anything is indeed bad. But taking protein within the required quantity doesn’t make you obese. In fact, it helps your body function better.
Some people believe that only non-vegetarians can have a protein-rich diet since proteins are found only in eggs, meat, etc. But this is a myth. There are a lot of foods rich in protein to choose from.
Here is a categorized list of foods rich in protein for the vegetarians and non-vegetarians to choose from:
For the Vegetarians
- Lentils: They are a rich source of protein. They can be used to prepare different dishes like dals, salads, and soups. For vegetarians, this is a great option.
- Chickpeas and Beans: Chickpeas are a kind of legumes with high protein content. They can be used to prepare different dishes. Beans provide proteins and nutrition to the body. Kidney, black, or pinto, you can include a variety of beans in your diet.
- Nutritional yeast: They are a source of plant protein. Because of its cheesy flavor, it can be used in a wide variety of dishes. You can consume nutritional Yeast as toppings over your favorite food for a cheesy flavor.
- Green Peas: Green peas are a rich source of proteins and other B vitamins. Including green peas in your diet can help to fulfill the protein requirement of your body.
- Spirulina: Spirulina, blue-green algae, is an extremely rich source of protein along with other benefits for the body. For vegetarians, this is a super protein-rich food.
- Oats: Oats are very delicious and super easy to make. They contain higher-quality protein and can be used in different dishes like oatmeal, burgers, or can be ground into flour.
For the Non-vegetarians
- Egg Whites: They are an easily available source of protein for everyday protein requirements of the body. You can consume it boiled or fried or even add it with other recipes.
- Seafood: Seafood is an extremely rich source of protein. They are low fat high-quality protein with multiple benefits.
- Dairy foods: Animal-based dairy products are a good source of protein for Non-vegetarians. There are different varieties of dairy products to choose from.
Closing Words
Including these protein-rich foods can ensure your body gets an adequate amount of protein as per the daily requirement. This can help you to grow and maintain long, healthy, and shiny hair.
The Indie Earth Natural Protein Hair Cleanser (Shampoo) comes loaded with vegan protein to provide an adequate amount of protein that your hair needs. Thus, the cleanser helps in strengthening the roots, smoothening the hair strands, and promoting the growth of hair while giving a sheen and lustrous look to your hair.