Eat this and you'll naturally get vavavoom hair

‘As long as your hair is good’, I think everyone agrees with that, right? I am lucky to be blessed with a beautiful head of blonde locks. Okay, fine: bleached locks. Did you know that your hair changes color every seven years, but also in texture? In my younger years, my hair was naturally very blonde, healthy, and super straight. And now? If I do nothing to it: curls and as dry as straw. It really changes over the years and the older you get, the more work you have to put into it. No matter how well you take care of it on the outside with oils, masks, and shampoos, you can't escape it. You have to take care of it from the inside, for example by eating foods that are rich in nutrients that support the health of your hair. Every strand consists of protein (keratin) and you guessed it: to stimulate hair growth it’s wise to eat protein-rich foods. There are also a number of other foods you should get for those gorgeous locks. Here they come.

1. Fatty foods
I'm not talking about that delicious croquette, no, I'm talking about healthy fats like avocado, fatty fish, almonds, and walnuts, for example. These good fats – just be careful: everything in moderation, of course – nourish the hair follicles, making your hair shine more. Especially avocado contains a lot of vitamin E, which also keeps your scalp healthy.

2. Zinc
Do you like oysters? Then you’re in luck, because they contain the most zinc of all the foods we know. Prefer to skip them? Then mix hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or flaxseeds into your yogurt or smoothie. Zinc is important for our immune system, but it also helps against hair loss.

3. Bone broth
Now I hear you thinking: bone broth? It’s also called ‘bone broth’ and is very popular in the US. The Kardashian sisters swear by this organic superfood, for example. It contains a lot of collagen and vitamins, which are good for the recovery of skin, bones, but also your hair and nails. There are many recipes to make this broth yourself, but you have to be in the mood for that. You make it from more than a kilo of animal bones and it has to simmer for at least 12 hours, so it’s quite a task. I prefer to order it ready-made.

4. Vitamin C
At number one: Brussels sprouts. They are standard on our table at Christmas, and I don’t see them the rest of the year. That needs to change because they are packed with the vitamin we need. A raw red or green bell pepper, oranges, strawberries, but kiwis are also good. It’s definitely wise to eat or drink vitamin C with the bone broth or collagen powder, as this vitamin stimulates the absorption of collagen and thus protects hair growth. Win-win.

5. Folic acid
Also known as vitamin B11, and this is important to eat because your body does not produce it itself. This vitamin is also known as folic acid and is found in many hair supplements. It supports blood circulation, allowing vitamins and minerals to reach our hair follicles better, which prevents weak and thinning hair. You can find this vitamin mainly in broccoli, but also in dark leafy greens like spinach and arugula.