Best Foods for Hair Growth - An Ayurvedic Diet for Strong, Thick, and Healthy Hair

Our hair is dear to all of us. However, not many of us take care of it as we should. Hair loss and dandruff are common hair problems encountered by people of all age groups. Every man and woman desires black, healthy, lustrous, and high-quality hair. 

But due to an unhealthy lifestyle and their unfamiliarity with the best foods for hair growth, they are unable to fulfill it.

Ever wondered what is stopping your hair from becoming strong and shiny? Poor hair growth can be the result of various factors such as alopecia areata, poor digestion, hormonal imbalance, and nutritional deficiency. Through this blog, we will discuss how you can get shiny and silky hair with the help of your diet. Consider the below list of the best foods for hair growth that can help you get the hair you desire. 

Add These Top 10 Best Foods for Hair Growth to Your Diet!

1. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato contains various hair-enriching nutrients such as

• Vitamin A 

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin E

• Beta-Carotene 

All these nutrients are essential for healthy, thick hair. A healthy and moisturized scalp is essential for healthy hair. By regulating the production of sebum, sweet potato prevents hair from dryness, breakage, and split ends. Sweet potato is considered one of the best foods for hair growth, as it prevents hair loss in women suffering from alopecia. 

How to eat sweet potato for healthy hair?

• Sweet Potato Smoothie: Take a sweet potato, amla, flaxseeds, and coconut milk, blend them, and your smoothie is ready to drink! 

• Mashed Sweet Potatoes—Boil sweet potatoes and mash them. Add ghee & cinnamon to it and serve it warm! 

• Sweet Potato Tikki- In a bowl, mix mashed sweet potatoes with bread crumbs, green chili, ginger paste, and spices. Add into it some coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix it well. Bake or air-fry for a low-oil version.

2. Moringa (Drumsticks)

Being a valuable source of iron, Moringa can be a great addition to your diet for healthy hair. It is useful in restoring weakened hair follicles, thus preventing hair loss. Hair often becomes dull and frizzy when exposed to sun and other particles. But moringa protects it against sun damage. It also helps with scalp oil secretion and enriches the hair texture. 

How to consume moringa for healthy hair?

• Moringa detox tea: Steep moringa in hot water for 5 minutes, strain, and add honey & lemon.

• Moringa powder drink: Mix well moringa and water; your drink is ready! 

• Moringa Soup: Sauté onion and garlic, and add moringa leaves. Pour in broth, and simmer for 10 minutes. Your soup is ready! 

3. Ragi (Finger Millet)

Premature greying and balding take away the natural beauty of hair. However, ragi prevents it by helping to maintain its natural quality. It also soothes the hair roots or follicles, thereby repairing damaged scalp as well as dry and brittle hair, besides giving relief from unnecessary itching. It also helps deal with dandruff-related issues.

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How to Consume Ragi for Healthy Hair? 

• Ragi Roti—Mix ragi flour, carrots, onions, and spices. Knead it into dough, roll it into flatbread, and cook it in a pan. 

• Ragi Porridge: Mix ragi flour with water, and cook on low flame. Stir it until thick, and add sweetener & cardamom. Serve it warm! 

4. Spinach 

Spinach is considered to be a valuable natural resource for fostering hair growth. It promotes a healthy scalp by encouraging hair follicle regeneration. It also protects the scalp and hair follicles from any oxidative damage. It has hair-enriching nutrients that mask the hair from dullness and damage, thus making it the best food for hair growth.

How to consume spinach for healthy hair?

• Spinach Soup—Sauté garlic, add spinach & broth, cook for 5 minutes, blend, and serve.

• Spinach Dal—Cook lentils with turmeric and salt, sauté cumin, tomato, and spinach, and mix with cooked dal, simmer, and serve.

• Spinach roti: Mix spinach puree, wheat flour, salt, and spices; knead it into dough; and cook it hot! 

5. Avocado 

Avocado has nutrients such as

• Vitamins A

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

• Vitamin B6

• Magnesium

All these nutrients contribute towards managing dry, frizzy, and brittle hair. Hydration is crucial for maintaining hair health. The magnesium in avocado is your hydration hero, which ensures your hair follicles stay hydrated. This keeps the scalp healthy, preventing any irritation and inflammation. Vitamins C & E in it promote shine and luster, giving your hair a natural glossy appearance.

How to consume avocado for healthy hair?

• Avocado toast: Mash the avocado and spread it on bread. Enjoy! 

• Avocado salad: Mix avocado, onion, and tomato; add salt and pepper; mix; and enjoy! 

6. Brown Rice

Brown rice is one of those whole grains that is packed with nutrients that protect hair follicles from free radical damage. It is one of those DHT blockers of food useful for androgenic alopecia. Other than brown rice, barley and millet are other whole grains considered to be the best food for hair growth due to their hair-enriching properties. 

How to Consume Brown Rice for Healthy Hair?

• Brown Rice Khichdi: Cook brown rice, moong dal, and veggies together. Now add turmeric, cumin, and black pepper to enhance the taste.

• Brown Rice Pulao: Sauté onions, carrots, peas, and spices in ghee. Add into it cooked brown rice and mix well.

7. Carrot 

Ayurveda classifies carrots as a tri-doshic vegetable, as it helps balance Vata and Kapha doshas. It has a rich composition of beta-carotene, vitamins, and antioxidants, making it one of the best foods for hair health. Your gut health plays an important role in ensuring healthy hair. Carrot improves gut health, leading to better nutrient absorption by hair. Beta-carotene in carrots helps the body convert it into vitamin A, helping to maintain a healthy scalp.

How to consume carrots for healthy hair?

• Carrot halwa—You can make carrot halwa with milk & sugar.

• Carrot smoothie: Blend carrot into a smoothie by complementing it with banana & milk.

• Stirred Carrot—Stir-fry with garlic & spices, steam, and season with salt & pepper.

8. Chickpeas 

Being rich in protein, chickpeas prevent hair fall. One cup of chickpeas has about 15 grams of protein. The protein in chickpeas helps stop hair fall, and manganese and zinc strengthen hair. Vitamin A and zinc work together to prevent dandruff and hair loss.

Chickpeas also have a good amount of folate, which plays an important role in hair growth by renewing the cells that aid in hair growth.

How to Consume Chickpeas for Healthy Hair?

• Chickpea salad: Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and lemon juice to chickpeas and make it into a salad. 

• Chickpea curry: Make chickpea curry with onions, tomatoes & spices.

• Chickpea soup—Blend chickpeas into protein-rich soup, and add spices as per your taste. 

9. Bottle Gourd (Lauki)

Bottle gourd has a high water content of about 92%, which helps in deeply hydrating the scalp, preventing dryness and dandruff. It soothes an irritated scalp and fights dandruff, itching, and other scalp conditions. It also works as a natural conditioner, making hair smooth, shiny, and frizz-free. All these benefits of lauki together contribute towards making it the best food for hair growth and health. 

How to consume lauki for healthy hair?

• Bottle gourd sabzi: Heat a pan and add chopped lauki with some water. Add the necessary spices.

• Bottle gourd halwa: Grate lauki and cook in a pan until the water evaporates. Add milk and cook until thick. You can sweeten it with jaggery.

10. Amla

Amla is considered to be one of the most effective Ayurvedic herbs for hair. It provides healthy hair by maintaining its natural color through melatonin production. It contains phytonutrients, antioxidants, and minerals that reduce the effect of UV radiation and pollution on hair. It improves the elasticity of hair strands and prevents hair thinning, thereby maintaining hair quality and health. 

How to consume amla for healthy hair?

• Amla juice: Blend chopped amla with some water, now strain and drink fresh. Add honey or black salt to enhance its taste.

• Amla murabba: Boil amla in water, then soak in honey or jaggery syrup; your murabba is ready to be served! 

• Raw Amla: You can also consume it raw to get its benefits; sprinkle some rock salt for a better taste. 

Follow This 7-day Diet Plan for Healthy Hair! 

Conclusion 

A hair-friendly diet plan is what you need if you are concerned with dry, frizzy, and damaged hair. Our 7-day diet plan is for everyone who is looking for a natural way to restore their hair beauty. Along with diet, align some lifestyle modifications and exercises to experience the best results. If you are suffering from any other hair-related issue, try consulting a medical expert for treatment. Remember, healthy hair isn’t magic; it’s about your efforts! So, make some efforts and fuel your body with the best food for hair growth.

References

Dhakad, G. G., Tambe, K. P., Shirsat, S. P., & Jaiswal, N. R. (2022). Review of the Study of Bottle Gourd on Human Health. Research Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, 14(3), 174–178. https://doi.org/10.52711/2321-5836.2022.00030

Yadav, M. S., Kushwaha, N., & Maurya, N. K. (2025). The Influence of Diet, Lifestyle, and Environmental Factors on Premature Hair Greying: An Evidence-Based Approach. Archives of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.31579/2834-8508/040

MedicineNet. (n.d.). Does Avocado Improve Your Skin and Hair? Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/does_avocado_improve_your_skin_and_hair/article.html

Journal of Community and Drug Research. (2024). Retrieved from https://jcdronline.org/admin/Uploads/Files/65b1fae6998129.09562426.pdf