Is eating clean and maintaining your nutrition only important for your health? Does eating right not affect your body and its physical aspects like skin, hair, and nails? Of course, it does! To look good on the outside, you need to be healthy on the inside. And, if you look after what goes on your plate and in your body, it has all the nutritional impacts on your appearance too.
Haven’t we always heard that drinking more water makes our skin glow and eating a more protein-rich diet makes our hair healthy? Similarly, if you consume the right vitamins and nutrients, you can get the stronger and healthier nails you have been dreaming of. No, you don’t always need to consume supplements to fulfill your nutritional deficiencies. Then how can you do it? Let’s check out the top 10 ‘superfoods’ that ensure strong, healthy nails.
Can Your Diet Fix Unhealthy Nails?
How to know whether your nails are unhealthy? Look at the texture of your nail surface and the shape. The overall appearance of your nails says a lot about your nail health and the nutrient deficiencies prevalent in your body that hinder natural growth.
‘Healthy nails’ doesn’t always mean stronger or longer nails. Nail health is much more than its appearance. And when there is something unhealthy or if there is some underlying problem, your body has a way of communicating it with you.
If you look carefully, your nails will also ‘tell’ you if your eating habits are unhealthy. Though certain skin and nail issues aren’t related to your diet, a healthy eating habit can surely help fix unhealthy nails. Problems like nail fungus, weak nails due to diabetes, black toenails, genetic brittleness, etc. cannot be treated completely with food. These are serious issues and you need professional medical help to overcome them.
But you can surely do good for your nail health by staying aware of what ‘superfoods’ can be consumed to get the vitamins and nutrients needed for healthy nails.
5 Vitamins and Nutrients Needed for Healthy Nails
Just like your skin and hair, nutrient deficiencies can affect your fingernail growth and the health and strength of your nail tissues. Nail beds continuously nurture and give rise to nail tissues from within resulting in the nails growing out.
So if you want strong growth and healthier new nail cells, it is crucial to focus on adequate vitamin, mineral, and nutrient intake. Some of them are the bare minimum need of your nails:
1) Protein
Not just your hair but your nails are also made of ‘keratin’ protein. Eating more protein not only helps you build muscle but also boosts keratin production resulting in stronger nails. Most foods like eggs, lean meat, and fish as well as nuts, seeds, and lentils have protein in them.
2) Iron
Just like the other organs, nails also need red blood cells (RBCs) for growth. Iron in the RBSc helps carry oxygen to these organs. If you have iron deficiency, it is reflected in your nails forming vertical ridges or misshapen nails. You can get iron from animal foods like eggs, fish, and chicken as well as plant food like leafy greens, berries, and peanuts.
3) B Vitamins
B vitamins like B12, B9, and Folate play an important role in nail growth and health. They help in iron absorption and the development of new cells assisting RBC formation. Deficiency of B vitamins may result in brittleness or pigmentation. These vitamins can be found in animal produce like eggs, poultry, and fish as well as dairy produce besides plant foods like leafy greens, avocados, and citrus fruits.
4) Biotin
One important type of B vitamin is Biotin, also known as B-12. It aids in the metabolism of protein-building amino acids and helps strengthen brittle nails. The rare deficiency can be overcome by consuming biotin-rich foods like egg yolk, salmon, avocado, yeast, cauliflower, etc.
5) Omega-3 Fatty Acids
We know these ‘good fats’ for giving health and nutrition to almost all parts of the body. But did you know, that omega-3 fatty acids also help overcome nail dryness and brittleness? Yes, they provide moisturization and nourishment to the nail cells resulting in strong and shiny nails. These are found in walnuts, flaxseeds, eggs, salmon, etc.
Besides, you also need other vitamins and nutrients like magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, etc. to boost healthy nail growth.
Top 10 Foods to Eat if You Want Stronger and Healthier Nails
These top 10 superfoods can help you strengthen dry and brittle nails and give you healthier nails that are strong, shiny, and beautiful:
1) Eggs
Eggs are not just for those gym freaks who want to build muscle. They are also for the nail lover in you if you spend hours at the salon getting expensive and fake nail enhancements just for that added strength. You can now DIY your manicures and flaunt your naturally strong and healthy nails without burning your pockets!
Eggs are a great source of all the necessary vitamins and nutrients needed for nail growth like proteins, iron, and B vitamins. Eggs are a great source of vitamin D that helps your bones and even nails grow strong. The bright yellow sun-like yolk is also a source of biotin and healthy fats. Eggs also have sulfur which is important for nail growth. So, go fry an egg now or boil it to get all things healthy!
2) Meat, Fish, Salmon
If you are someone who loves consuming meat or fish every day, congratulations! You are providing good health and beauty to your nails unknowingly. Consuming lean meat provides protein and boosts collagen both of which are crucial in your nail health. For seafood lovers, salmon can be your best friend! It will give you a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids which will not just make you brainy but will also give you strong and shiny nails.
3) Leafy Greens
If you are a vegetarian by any chance, don’t feel left out that you cannot consume eggs and flesh. Green leafy vegetables can be your savior any day! Eating your greens – spinach, kale, broccoli – doesn’t just give your body good shape but also keeps your nails in check providing them with all the essential nutrients like calcium, iron, folate, and whatnot.
You can even help with your nail fungus problem if you focus on eating clean. No, we are not saying you can treat fungal infections with these veggies but they promote natural nail growth that will help get rid of the infections faster.
4) Water and Water-Rich Foods
Stay hydrated, queen! Drinking enough water does more wonders for you than a magic wand! It is the most important aspect whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or achieve flawless skin and nails. Drinking 90-100 ounces of water (for an average adult) not only helps you stay hydrated but also encourages healthier and stronger nail growth.
You can even consider consuming water-rich foods like cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, and watermelons to fulfill your daily water requirement. These will aid nail growth and will make them stronger and shinier making them beautiful.
5) Healthy Fats
As we mentioned, salmon is a great source of healthy fats for seafood lovers. But what about vegetarians? Are there any other sources of healthy fats if you don’t like salmon? Of course, there are! If you are looking for healthy fats, nuts and seeds can be your best bets. You can also consume avocados to add healthier fats to your body which will give moisture and shine to your nails.
Healthy fats are a great source of magnesium that helps in building bone and nail strength. Don’t confuse consuming fats with saturated ones. Healthy fats are the unsaturated fats that your body needs for growth and strength. If you struggle with brittle nails or have ridges on them, adding more ‘good’ fats to your diet will help.
6) Lentils and Beans
Not just vegetarian, there are vegan superfood options for your nail health too! B vitamins and biotin are not just found in eggs and dairy but also vegan products like lentils and beans. Biotin present in them helps maintain longer, thicker, and healthier nails. Besides, beans and lentils also have iron which is beneficial for nail health and protects against anemia which can affect the nails too. These superfoods also boost keratin besides providing all these nutrients.
7) Almonds
Almonds are not just for nail shapes but for nail health too! The teardrop-shaped nuts are a great source of vitamin E. 60% of the daily need of this ‘beauty vitamin’ can be fulfilled from a single serving of almonds! That’s how rich they are not just in vitamin E but also in zinc and biotin.
Zinc in almonds contributes to nail growth and the biotin in roasted almonds enhances strength and shine of the nails. Incorporating a handful of almonds into your daily routine can be a good idea if you are looking for long term health benefits for your nails.
8) Orange and Yellow Veggies
Bright orange yellows and red are not just for your summer nail polishes. Adding all the colorful veggies – carrots, bell peppers, corn, pumpkins – to your salad enhances the consumption of essential nutrients needed for your nails too.
A high concentration of ‘beta carotene’ in these bright colored vegetables gets converted into vitamin A on entering the body. And vitamin A is a source of strength and growth for your natural nails promoting overall healthy growth.
9) Flaxseed
Have we already spoken enough about good fats? There is more to healthy, unsaturated fats than just seeds, nuts, and salmon. Besides being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseeds are also a good source of thiamine and magnesium. These nutrients are linked to improved health when it comes to hair, nails, and even teeth. When you consume flaxseeds regularly as a part of your diet, the magnesium in the seed prevents ridges from being formed on the nail bed thereby maintaining nail health.
10) Beer
Saving the best for the last! You don’t need to feel guilty when you chug a glass of beer at your weekend parties and can blame it on your nail needs! Jokes apart, we don’t recommend overconsumption of alcohol in any form.
But the reason beer is known for giving stronger hair and nails is the presence of silicon in it. Silicon is needed for strength not only in your nails but for the bones and cartilages. So if you are occasionally consuming a limited amount of beer, you are going to help your nails become strong besides the booze!
Wrap Up
As we wrap up our exploration of the top 10 foods for stronger, healthier nails, let’s remember that beauty starts from within. Each food on our list plays a role in fortifying your nails. Incorporating these ‘superfoods’ into your diet can significantly improve the strength and health of your nails. From protein-rich eggs to antioxidant-packed berries, each food item plays a vital role in strengthening your nails from within. Whether you’re enjoying almonds or savoring a salmon fillet, you’re not just treating your taste buds—you’re nourishing your nails.
Remember, achieving strong and healthy nails is not just about external care; it’s also about what you put into your body. So, next time you’re at the grocery store, be sure to pick up these superfoods and watch your nails transform into strong, beautiful assets that reflect your overall health and well-being. Here’s to a lifetime of strong, beautiful nails!
