Preventing Grey Hair: Here's What You Should Eat & Avoid

Pigment cells in our hair follicles produce melanin, the chemical that gives our hair its colour. These cells start to deteriorate as we get older. When a pigment cell stops producing melanin, it can no longer produce coloured hair. Hence, the only way to slow down greying of hair is to prevent it from happening altogether. Keeping that in mind, we need to understand that our lifestyle plays an important role in maintaining the good health of our cells. Here are foods you should consume and avoid if you want to maintain the good health of these pigment cells.

What foods promote good melanin production?

Citrus fruits

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One of the main nutrients that have been proven to boost melanin production is vitamins. Vitamin D, B12, E, and A, promote the production of melanin in the hair. You can incorporate these vitamins into your diet by adding various citrus fruits into your diet. Oranges, lemons, limes, clementines, etc. are great sources of vitamins.

Cruciferous vegetables 

Cruciferous vegetables belong to the Brassicaceae family. Vegetables that are part of this family are cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and so on. Adding cruciferous vegetables to your diet can help your body produce adequate melanin for your hair.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are responsible for detoxifying the body of external radicals that might cause damage to our cells. They help combat the growth of dead damaged cells in the body. Hence, promoting the growth of healthy melanin levels in the hair. 

Berries

Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc. are all great source of antioxidants. As discussed above, eating foods high in antioxidants reduces the growth of damaged cells. Furthermore, berries are a great source of various other nutrients and a great addition to your diet. 

What factors poorly affect melanin production?

Sun (UV) exposure

Studies have shown, that prolonged exposure to the sun can cause irreversible damage to our skin. Excessive exposure to the sun can affect the levels of melanin in the hair follicles, causing premature greying of hair. 

Smoking

Smoking has various negative effects on the body. Excessive smoking can hinder the blood flow in the scalp which further, deteriorates the hair follicles' health. In fact, smoking might also cause hair fall along with premature greying.

Stress

Stress and other disorders such as anxiety can poorly affect your overall health. Excessive stress can result in lack of sleep, loss of appetite, and other issues. These combined, poorly affect the body and can cause premature greying of hair. 

Vitamins deficiency 

As mentioned earlier, vitamins are an important nutrient in promoting the production of melanin in hair follicles. Furthermore, vitamin B12 in particular is required by the body to sustain red blood cells. Shortage of vitamin B12 in the body can reduce the blood flow in the hair follicles. A vitamin deficiency may cause various health issues such as greying of the hair. 

In conclusion, incorporating these nutrient-rich foods can help boost the production of melanin in your hair. Greying of hair can be slowed down through these steps. Make sure to also avoid things that might negatively impact the production of melanin in your hair. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.