Weight Loss Articles Directory

In this section you can find an extensive resource of weight loss, nutrition and fitness related articles. Plus some useful links to other sites.

Health related
Fitness related

Real Life Nutrition Questions Answered

Real Life Fitness Questions Answered

Emma Brown
Nutritionist

Janet Aylott
Nutritionist

Kelly Marshall
Fitness Consultant

Q.

What foods to eat to keep hair, skin & nails healthy?

Could you please tell me what food help to keep hair, skin and nails healthy. I know that it is about the vitamins that are in the foods but I don't quite know what i should eat mainly for my nails and hair to look healthier. My hair has always been nice and glossy but recently it seems to be lacking nutrients, didn't know whether it was because of changing my eating habits? Thank you

A.

Our expert says...

Hi,  You are right that healthy skin, hair and nails arise from eating a well balanced diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals. Eating your 5 fruit and veg a day is a good starting point for all the antioxidants and nutrients these contain – try and vary these each day, eating different types and colours to obtain different phytonutrients. This also keeps the fibre content of your diet high and helps reduce the build up of toxins in the body, which is not helpful in producing a healthy skin.  Zinc is an important mineral for skin health and can be found in foods such as turkey, eggs and shellfish. Other foods which also nourish the skin include onions and garlic. It is also important to keep the skin well hydrated with plenty of water (make full use of our water meter!) and to avoid too much sugar and saturated fat if you want to keep your skin in tip top condition.  Essential fats, found in oily fish and nuts and seeds, are good for the skin, so there is no need to avoid all fats.  For healthy hair, ensure that you are eating sufficient protein in your diet as insufficient protein can make hair appear thin and dull. Onions, garlic and leafy green veg contain silica, which can help make hair shine, so include these regularly in your diet.  Finally, your nails will benefit from everything suggested above, as healthy nails need plenty of protein, zinc and essential fatty acids. If your nails have white marks on them, this could be a sign that you are deficient in zinc. For extra zinc, include more lamb, haddock, eggs and almonds in your diet.  I hope this is helpful.

Disclaimer
You are advised to seek medical advice before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle with an aim of weight loss. This website and the content provided should not be used by persons under 18, by pregnant or nursing women, or individuals with any type of health condition, except under the direct supervision of a qualified medical professional. The information contained in these articles, and elsewhere on this website, is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to replace, and does not constitute legal, professional, medical or healthcare advice or diagnosis and may not be used for such purposes. Continue...

View nutrition questions >
< Return to nutrition questions

FREE diet profile

years
Sex female male
Click here to change to metric
Height
Weight

What is your goal weight?

Nutracheck Blog

Read about all things topical and trending in the world of calorie counting, weight loss and weight maintenance

Latest posts >

This site uses cookies to personalise content and ads, provide social media features and analyse our traffic. Find out more about how we use cookies.

Accept cookies Cookie information

Choose which cookies you allow us to use. You can read more about our Cookie Policy in our Privacy Policy.

Accept cookies Reject cookies