Main Dishes Rich in Hair Health Promoting Nutrients (Cont'd)

Here's a compilation of recipes for hair-friendly main dishes that feature foods like broccoli, salmon, chicken, apples, eggs and barley which are known to be rich in hair health promoting nutrients. Note that this is the second recipe page focused on hair health boosting main dishes. You can view the first page by clicking here.

Super-Nutritious Broccoli Salad with Apples and Cranberries

This super nutritious salad combines ingredients that are crammed with hair health promoting nutrients such as B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, iron, sulphur, and copper. It also provides a decent amount of protein.

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Romaine and Smoked Salmon Salad

Romaine lettuce is an excellent, low-calorie source of numerous hair health promoting nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, and iron. Salmon contains astaxanthin, a carotenoid that is responsible for the pink color of salmon and that can act as a potent antioxidant. Also the radishes in this salad help maintain strong and shiny hair as they are rich in sulphur, silica, and vitamin C. Radishes are also thought to promote hair growth due to their ability to stimulate circulation to the scalp.

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Chicken Soup with Rice and Green Peas

Skinless chicken provides high-quality protein which is vital for healthy hair growth. This nutritious chicken soup also features carrots, which are rich in both beta-carotene and vitamin C, two key nutrients for maintaining healthy hair.

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Shrimp and Eggs on Romaine Lettuce

Both shrimp and eggs supply iron, a mineral that is vital for healthy hair and scalp. Iron carries oxygen to the hair, and an inadequate intake of iron may cause the hair follicles to starve of oxygen. The watercress and tomatoes featured in this dish provide antioxidants.

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Barley Soup with Carrots and Parsley

Barley is loaded with copper which helps prevent hair loss and premature graying of hair. Carrots are rich in both beta-carotene and vitamin C, both of which help maintain healthy hair. Yoghurt contributes to the hair health promoting powers of this soup by delivering zinc, a trace mineral that plays a role in the production of new cells (including hair cells) and the maintenance of the oil-secreting glands of the scalp that help keep hair shiny.

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Salmon Salad

Salmon also contains astaxanthin, a carotenoid that is responsible for the pink color of salmon and that can act as a potent antioxidant. Also tomatoes are brimming with hair health promoting nutrients, including copper, iron, carotenoids, and B vitamins, and onions are rich in sulphur, a mineral that is often referred to as "nature's beauty mineral" because of its capability to aid in good blood circulation, reduce skin inflammation, and promote hair growth. It also plays a role in the metabolism of several important B-vitamins including B1, B5 and B7. First signs of a sulphur deficiency often include brittle hair and hair loss.

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Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

Tomatoes are an excellent source of hair health promoting nutrients, including copper, iron, carotenoids, and B vitamins. Red onions, on the other hand, are rich in sulphur, a mineral that is found in all cells of the human body and that is particularly abundant in our hair, skin, and nails. Sulfur is often referred to as "nature's beauty mineral" because of its capability to aid in good blood circulation, reduce skin inflammation, and promote hair growth. It also plays a role in the metabolism of several important B-vitamins including vitamins B1, B5 and B7. First signs of a sulphur deficiency often include loss of hair, brittle hair and nails, and dry skin.

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Barley Soup with Beans and Basil

Beans are a valuable vegetable source of protein which is necessary for normal hair growth. Barley, on the other hand, is brimming with copper. Sufficient levels of copper help prevent hair loss and contribute to hair thickness. Copper is also thought to intensify hair color and prevent premature graying of hair.

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Chicken and Barley Soup

Skinless chicken provides high-quality protein which is vital for healthy hair growth. The barley and spinach in this soup are loaded with copper. Sufficient levels of copper help prevent hair loss and thinning hair as well as premature graying of hair.

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Broccoli and Barley Soup

Barley is packed with copper, which helps prevent hair loss and contributes to hair thickness, while the broccoli in this soup is jam-packed with antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta-carotene. Also thyme and marjoram, which add flavor to this soup, supply antioxidants.

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Chicken and Apple Salad

This recipe pairs chicken with crunchy apples and appetizing grapes to create a culinary sensation that will tickle your taste buds. But the benefits of this salad are not purely culinary; it is also great for your hair. Chicken delivers plenty of high-quality protein which is necessary for healthy hair growth, while apples provide antioxidant protection.

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Scandinavian Spinach Soup with Boiled Eggs

This delicious, vibrant green spinach soup is brimming with copper. Sufficient levels of copper help prevent hair loss and thinning hair as well as premature graying of hair. Also the eggs in this healthy soup are beneficial as they are loaded with readily digestible protein. In addition, eggs pack a slew of other nutrients known to promote hair health, including iron, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, folate, and sulphur.

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Nourishing Nettle Soup

Nettle—which is the key ingredient in this beautiful jade green dish—is one of the best sources of iron in the plant kingdom, providing more than four times the iron found in spinach. Iron carries oxygen to the hair, and an inadequate intake of this important mineral may cause the hair follicles to starve of oxygen. Depleted iron stores appears to be one of the most common causes of hair loss in pre-menopausal women.

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For more recipes that can help you maintain healthy hair, visit the main recipe directory of HealWithFood.org's Guide to Healthy Hair.

If you are interested in more general information about how the way you eat affects your hair, check out the section diet tips for growing strong, healthy hair. Be also sure to check out the list of the best hair health promoting foods.