Foods Black Men with Braid Styles Need to Eat to Prevent Hair Loss

Beverly Barnett
3 min readDec 4, 2021

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Nutrient Rich Foods that Promote Healthy Hair

Many Black men wear braid hairstyles. Braid hairstyles can be harsh on your hair. Some braid styles can cause tension on your hair follicles which may lead to hair loss. Another thing that may lead to hair loss is Inflammation of hair follicles which can be caused by increased sebum production. Hair loss can also occur form a diet severely lacking in calories and nutrients. This type of hair loss is called telogen effluvium. As people age, they lose more hair. Most people lose up to 100 hairs a day with combing, brushing, and styling their hair. As you age you can lose more hair than this. This could be due in part to your genes. There are a few simple things to do to prevent hair loss. One of those things is to eat foods that can promote healthy hair and avoid foods that are detrimental to hair growth.

Certain foods can contribute to development of hair inflammation. Foods that indirectly cause inflammation of hair includes simple carbohydrates, fish high in mercury like tuna, fried foods, and red meats. Simple carbohydrates include sugary foods like candy, cakes, and cookies as well as white rice, past, and pasta.

Five Nutrients that Promote Healthy Hair

A diet severely lacking in calories and nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals can contribute to hair loss.

1. Proteins contain amino acids which are necessary for growth of hair. Food sources high in protein contain 21 essential amino acids. Protein sources for healthy hair include:

· Cottage cheese

· Yogurt

· Beans

· Chicken

· Nuts and seeds

· Eggs

· Seafood like oysters & shrimp

2. Unsaturated fats are healthy fats that can hydrate your hair as well as prevent hair loss. Food high in unsaturated fats include:

· Fatty fish like salmon. Herring, and mackerel

· avocados

· Flax seeds

· Walnuts

· Olive oil

3. Vitamin C helps with development of the protein in your hair and skin known as collagen. This vitamin helps reduce hair loss and promote hair growth and stimulates hair health. Foods containing Vitamin C include:

· Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons

· Strawberries

· Tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, kiwi, papaya

· Green, leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach

· Chili peppers and sweet peppers

4. Folate or Vitamin B facilitates hair rebuilding by stimulating red blood cell production. Some foods like cereal are fortified with folate. Folate rich foods include:

· Green leafy vegetables

· Fresh fruits

· Fortified cereals

· Peas

· Beets

· Asparagus

5. Biotin can make you hair grow. Sources of biotin include

· Eggs, mainly the yolk

· Sweet potatoes

· Salmon

· Sunflower seeds

· Almonds

6. Niacin is another B vitamin that promotes healthy hair. Food sources of niacin include:

· Salmon and tuna

· Marinara sauce

· Whole grain foods

· Peanuts

· seeds

7. Iron, mainly the lack of iron, can lead to hair loss. Food high in iron include:

· Beef

· Chicken

· Green leafy vegetable like spinach

· White beans

· Lentils

· Dried apricots

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Beverly Barnett

For some people nursing is more than a job, it is a “calling.” Beverly Barnett believes that is the case with her. She is a registered nurse, nurse educator, he