Ever notice your nails chipping, flaking or peeling? Your diet may be to blame. Add a few simple foods and vitamins to your plate, and you’ll notice healthier hair and nails in no time.
1. Eat plenty of protein. Nails are made of protein and need it to be healthy and flake-free. Eating lean meats and low-mercury fish will help your nails regain their strength. However, if you prefer to go meat- free, blend a handful of spinach into a frozen fruit smoothie to add some protein-dense nutrition.
2. Avoid eating too much sugar or starch. When your blood sugar spikes, your body pumps out insulin. This raises your body’s androgen levels which can give you shrunken hair follicles and wimpy nails.
3. Drink plenty of water. We know you’ve heard it before, but you need 8 glasses of water a day to keep your body healthy. This goes for nails, too. Without proper hydration, your nails can become dry and brittle. Have 2 glasses of water with every meal to help curb your appetite and ensure you get enough water each day.
4. If you have brittle nails, it may be due to a vitamin deficiency. Your body requires a B-vitamin called biotin to maintain healthy fingernails. You can get more biotin in your diet by eating peanuts, almonds, Swiss chard, goat’s milk, yogurt, tomatoes and eggs.
5. Iron and zinc play a major role in nail health. If you have spotty or spoon shaped nails, you may have an iron or zinc deficiency. Get more of these essential nutrients by eating beans, lentils, spinach, red meat, seeds, oats, yogurt, and olives.
Find more foods to achieve healthy nails at the natural food blog, The Worlds Healthiest Foods.