We have all heard this before - beauty starts from within. Cheesy, but quite true. What we put into our body radiates into how we feel on the outside. Healthy food, regular exercise, kind words are all contributors to how we feel every day. Today, we will focus on food, and more specifically on food that makes more beautiful, healthier and longer!

1. Avocados

Avocados are pretty much perfection concentrated into one round green shell. It is a great source of healthy fats, which are very important to our overall health. Indeed, unsaturated fats can help control blood sugar levels, play an important role in cognitive function and emotional health, and if you didn't guess it already, avocados make our hair very happy! Avocados are amazing not just because of their creamy consistency and light flavor, but also due to the vitamins A, D and E and omega-9 fatty acids that they contain. When avocados are not in season, the best alternative is the oil extracted from them. Avocado oil can be easily drizzled on top of a summer gazpacho, or when sautéing vegetables. In addition, avocado oil can be directly applied to the hair in order to stimulate collagen and elastin production, which are both very beneficial to our hair growth. Here is a great blogpost on how to use hair oils.

2. Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds

Pumpkin and sunflower seeds, although tiny, are filled with lots of benefits that make our hair happy. These little shells are packed with iron, which is extremely important to the health of our hair. Hair loss is primarily caused from a lack of iron, so we want to make sure that our iron levels remain high and steady and make our hair say, '2018yay'! In addition, pumpkin seeds are very high in zinc, vitamins A, and K and omega-3 fatty acids.

Sunflower seeds are also high in vitamin E, which enhances our blood flow to the scalp and promotes faster hair growth. Whether sprinkled on top of a juicy summer salad or this crazy sunflower seed risotto packed with nutrients, your hair will thank you for including more of these wonderful little seeds into your diet.

3. Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables definitely lack some love :( Maybe because of their scary color, or bitter flavour, they are often underrated and under-eaten. Green leafy vegetables are extremely high in iron and allow us to battle brittle hair. A great example of this is spinach; rich in vitamin A, iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C. Greens ensure a healthy scalp and allow for hair to stay moisturized. There is a great variety of green leafy vegetables like swiss chard, kale, broccoli, arugula'2026the list goes on! There is one for every taste bud. Make your hair happy, eat more greens!

4. Hazelnut Butter

Hazelnut Butter is extremely high in biotin and can be added to any pancake or smoothie recipe for added creaminess, protein and biotin. Biotin is very important because these B7 vitamins are not only responsible for digestion (so for breaking down proteins, fats and amino acids), but also for promoting hair growth. Make sure to check out Mimi's biotin smoothie recipe here.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Vegetables and fruits are very high in vitamins and minerals, which help us nourish our bodies and promote the growth of our hair. Sweet potatoes are truly the bomb.com. Their incredible sweetness matched with the antioxidant Beta Carotene that they possess (our bodies convert it into vitamin A) make this a special food that we should include more into our diet. Baked in the oven with some cinnamon and rosemary, or grilled on the pan with some tomato sauce and cumin, sweet potatoes will help you get stronger and healthier hair!

Overall benefits

In addition to helping with hair growth, the above foods allow us to gain beautiful and youthful-looking skin and strong nails, as well as very happy bellies :) Make sure to check out Mimi's video here for additional tips on what to eat for healthy hair! I think you will love it as much as we do.

Let us know which of these foods are your favorite, as well as the ones you are excited to add to your diet. We love sharing with you and hearing your feedback.