You Can’t Out-Oil a Bad Diet: How What You Eat Impacts Hair Growth

We love a good hair oil (obviously), but here’s the honest truth:

You can’t expect your scalp to bloom if your body is running on empty.

Hair is made of keratin, a protein your body builds from the nutrients you consume. So if you’re skipping meals, constantly snacking on processed foods, or low on key vitamins and minerals, your hair will feel it—before you do.

In this post, we’ll walk you through how your nutrition affects your hair, what to start adding into your daily meals, and the top foods that support longer, stronger, and faster-growing hair.

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1. Your Hair Is Fed by Blood, Not Product

Your scalp is alive—fed by tiny blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to your follicles.

If your diet is lacking in iron, protein, biotin, vitamin D, or zinc, the body prioritizes vital organs over your hair. The result?

    •    Thinning

    •    Shedding

    •    Slower regrowth

    •    Dullness or dryness

If your scalp is inflamed or your gut is struggling to absorb nutrients, even the best hair oil won’t fully solve the problem.

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2. Top Nutrients That Support Hair Growth

Here’s what your hair actually needs from the inside:

Nutrients & Why It Matters -- Best Food Sources

Protein

Builds keratin (hair structure)

Lentils, eggs, beans, fish

Iron

Carries oxygen to follicles

Spinach, red meat, pumpkin seeds

Zinc

Prevents breakage and shedding

Chickpeas, nuts, seeds

Biotin

Strengthens strands and supports regrowth

Sweet potatoes, egg yolks

Vitamin C

Boosts iron absorption + collagen

Citrus fruits, berries

Vitamin D

Triggers hair follicles

Sunshine, salmon, mushrooms

 

If you’re feeling tired, shedding hair, or getting frequent breakage, chances are your hair is nutrient-deficient—even if your routine is solid.

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3. Start Here: 5 Hair-Loving Foods to Add This Week

You don’t have to overhaul your whole diet. Just start adding these into your routine:

    1.    Pumpkin Seeds – zinc + iron

    2.    Avocados – healthy fats to moisturize from within

    3.    Berries – antioxidants + vitamin C

    4.    Salmon or walnuts – omega-3s for follicle strength

    5.    Leafy greens – iron + folate to oxygenate your scalp

 

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4. Don’t Forget Your Gut

If your gut is inflamed, your hair will be the first thing to suffer.

Bloating, fatigue, poor digestion = poor nutrient absorption.

Start incorporating:

    •    Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir)

    •    Aloe vera juice (internally + topically)

    •    Prebiotics (bananas, oats, flaxseeds)

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5. How Mend Co. Supports Internal + External Hair Healing

Our Relief + Regrowth Oil is formulated with ingredients that calm inflammation, boost circulation, and feed the follicle—but it’s most powerful when your body is supported from within.

We recommend pairing it with:

    •    A consistent sleep schedule

    •    Nutrient-rich meals

    •    Water and herbal teas

    •    Gentle, loving scalp care rituals

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🌱 Final Reminder:

You don’t have to eat perfect — you just have to eat intentionally.

Your scalp is skin. Your hair is a reflection. And healing doesn’t just happen on the outside.

It begins on your plate, in your gut, and in your nervous system.

Your crown deserves nourishment from every direction.

Let’s feed it.