You gotta love a sweet potato - mash 'em, fry 'em, stick 'em in a stew. But did you know that this root vegetable is actually leading the fight against hair loss. In today's blog we check out how the humble sweet potato is you secret weapon against thinning hair.
1. Sweet Potatoes are high in Beta-carotene
Beta-carotene is the strongly colored red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits such as carrots and oranges. This carotenoid is rich in antioxidants and is converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is necessary for cell renewal and growth. A deficiency in Vitamin A can lead to an unhealthy scalp, dandruff and excessively dry hair which breaks easily.
2. Sweet Potatoes are rich in iron
Iron is vital in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.
As the UK's National Health Service points out, a lack of iron in your diet can lead to Iron deficiency anaemia, the symptoms of which include:
- hair loss
- tiredness and lack of energy
- shortness of breath /
- pale skin
Backing this up, this study published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science found not only a striking link between iron deficiency and hair loss, but that iron deficiency anaemia can actually cause hair to fall out in a fashion similar to that of genetic male pattern baldness. WOAH.
Sweet potatoes contain a whopping .68 milligrams of iron per 100 grams so it's vital that you pack these into your diet regularly.
3. Sweet Potatoes are supercharged with copper
Copper is a trace mineral found in your body and food such as seafood, kale, mushrooms, seeds, goats cheese and avocado. Sweet potatoes contain an average of 0.278 mg of Copper per 100g. This nifty trace element is an excellent weapon against hair loss. In this study on rodents, researchers discovered an increase in the rat's hair follicle size and concluded that copper works on hair growth in a similar way to minoxidil.
4. Sweet Potatoes are packed with Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin.
Vitamin C in foods such as Sweet Potato, assist in collagen production and can also helps to improve your immune system- poor immune function leads to hair loss and reduces its strength and condition,” highlights Rick Hay, registered nutritionist. Just like Sweet potatoes, It Really Works Vitamins are also hella rich in Vitamin C
5. Sweet Potato is rich in Vitamin B6 and B12
Let's talk about our favourite androgen, Dihydrotestosterone or DHT. As you may already know, DHT is synthesized from testosterone and is widely regarded as the culprit behind androgen-dependent alopecia. It's been found that immediate supplementation with B vitamins is needed to quickly reverse hair loss due to DHT B vitamins have been found to increase blood flow to the scalp, creating the perfect environment for healthy hair growth and stronger, nourished follicles. Our hair vitamins for hair growth are packed with 357% of your daily recommended serving of Vitamin B6.
So there you have it! Sweet potatoes really are a wonder vegetable, so don't forget to fill up your shopping cart with them next time you're at the store, and while you're at it, see what It Really Works Vitamins hair vitamins can do for you too.
