Eat Your Way to Healthier Hair

These tasty superfoods promise strong, silky strands.

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Beauty Inside and Out - As the saying goes, true beauty starts from within. Boosting your hair’s resistance to breakage, dryness and other pesky problems is as easy as starting with a healthy diet. Read on for the scoop on what to eat for your best hair yet. By Britt Middleton (Photo: Michael Poehlman/Getty Images)

Pomegranate - Have this juicy fruit for lunch and reap the benefit for polyphenol antioxidants, which work hard to fight free radicals that want nothing more than to attack your cells and dull your complexion.   (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

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Pomegranate - Sweet and tangy, pomegranates pack a powerful punch of antioxidants called polyphenols, which protect the body’s cells from damaging free-radicals. They have also been heralded for their natural hair silkening properties, along with other dark fruit such as blackberries and cherries.  (Photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Avocado  - Avocados are good for boosting your libido because they contain large amounts of potassium and vitamin B6. They also naturally help keep the vaginal walls well lubricated. (Photo: Michelle McMahon/Getty Images)

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Avocado - Here’s another reason to dig into that yummy bowl of guacamole: avocados are rich in biotin, which keeps hair strands strong, as well as protein and heart-healthy fats. Try smoothing avocado oil on damp or dry strands as a conditioning treatment to seal-in moisture. (Photo: Michelle McMahon/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Michelle McMahon/Getty Images

Walnuts - Get cracking: These nuts have omega-3 essential fatty acids, which make your skin more elastic, holding off wrinkles. And their copper stores boost your body’s production of collagen, which also improves your skin’s elasticity.  (Photo: 4kodiak/Getty Images) 

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Walnuts - You’ve probably noshed on a handful of walnuts for a healthy mid-day snack, but these fiber-packed nuggets are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, biotin and vitamin E. The combination is known to help protect hair cells from environmental damage from the sun, heat tools and other harsh conditions, as well serving as an all-natural shine-booster. (Photo: 4kodiak/Getty Images)

Red Bell Peppers - Packed with calcium and beta-carotene, a vitamin that strengthens our eye health, these sweet peppers are ideal for stir-fry, green salads, dipping in hummus or added to spaghetti sauce or chili.  (Photo: DAVID HECKER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Bell Peppers - While there is no quick fix for growing your hair faster (hair grows only about one centimeter each month), consuming enough vitamin C, which your body uses to produce collagen and grow hair, in your diet can help keep the process on track. Toss some red bell peppers in your salad or snack on some oranges or strawberries, which are all rich in vitamin C. (Photo: DAVID HECKER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Spinach - Spinach, which is high in iron, can help with your energy levels. So opt for a spinach salad for lunch. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Spinach - The green leafy vegetable has been called a superfood for good reason: it’s packed with iron, beta carotene, folateand vitamin C, which together help keep natural oils circulating throughout your scalp (a key function for healthy hair growth) and fight breakage. Try adding a handful to your morning smoothie or sauté some as a side dish for dinner to reap the daily benefits. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Eat Right - There are foods that you can eat that will help. From the omega 3s in salmon to the fat burning antioxidants in blueberries to the B6 found in sunflower seeds, all will help. Read more about foods that help banish cellulite at Womens.Day.Com. (Photo: Patrick Pleul/DPA/LANDOV)

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Blueberries - Like pomegranates and blackberries, blueberries contain damage-fighting anti-oxidants and can help soothe over-processed hair. They are also rich in vitamin C, a key nutrient for fighting further breakage. (Photo: Patrick Pleul/DPA/LANDOV)

Sweet Potato - Indulging in a few sweet potatoes help keep our uterine walls healthy and strong. They’re packed with vitamins A and C, which are vital to keeping us active, vibrant and well energized with an increased sex drive. (Photo: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

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Sweet Potatoes - They’re already a staple on your fall and winter holiday menu, but now think of sweet potatoes as your secret for super soft locks. They are rich in beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A, a vital nutrient that helps regulate the natural oils in your scalp to fight dandruff and keep locks shiny. (Photo: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Reducing Your Risk - The good news is that heart disease doesn’t have to be our destiny. Eating low fat and low calorie foods along with lean meats and more fresh veggies in addition to working out five days a week can slash your chances of developing heart disease. So can ditching the cigarettes and being easy on the salt. (Photo: GettyImages)  

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Poultry - Hair is composed of 97 percent protein, so look to add about two servings of healthy proteins like chicken, fish, lean red meats and legumes daily to help build strong strands. Poultry specifically has the added benefit of zinc, iron and vitamin B, which together help keep hair thick. (Photo: Cristina Cassinelli/FoodPix/Getty Images)

Hydrate, Hydrate - It’s important to make sure you drink a lot of H20 on your period. It sounds odd, but water keeps your body from retaining water and helps to avoid painful bloating during menstruation. Warm or hot water or tea is better for cramps as hot liquids increase blood flow and relax muscles. (Photo: Brian Hagiwara/Getty Images)

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Water - While water is not technically a superfood, staying hydrated is essential for overall health, regulating everything from digestion to keeping your skin and scalp supple. If you’ve been battling hair dryness, try upping your intake of water to the recommended 3 liters for men and 2.2 liters daily for women. (Photo: Brian Hagiwara/Getty Images)