When it comes to health, beauty, and wellness, nails are considered to be an essential part of the body. Your fingernails say a lot about your health and nutrition. The nail color and quality keep changing as per the food we eat and the amount of water that we consume. A lot goes behind maintaining good quality nails that look pink and grow perfectly.
Your nail health is a pretty strong indicator of your overall health. Good food can transform your nails, taking them from dry and brittle to healthy and strong. There are a number of food items that can improve your nails. Below listed are 6 foods that are good for your nails.
Some whole grains, like brown rice and oatmeal, contain biotin, silicon, and cysteine. These food items are great for your energy levels and overall dietary health. They keep your nail tips in their healthiest state. Whole grains do not contain complex carbohydrates like those present in white bread and flour. Oats contain micronutrients like zinc and copper, which make them equally important for nail health. Copper and zinc, present in oats, are important for healthy fingernails and bone maintenance. Manganese, silicon, and B-complex vitamins are also present in oats. They promote healthy fingernails and bones.
Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes like lentils and lima beans are a part of the plant-based diet which will make the nails look flawless when consumed for some time. Such foods never fail to prove that there are plenty of nutrient-rich sources of protein and biotin that are not meat-based. Beans are a rich source of biotin, a powerhouse of nail health, helping nails to grow longer and thicker with time. Legumes, like lentils, are said to be packed with numerous essential vitamins and minerals. You can add these to your diet to enjoy them in soups and stews year-round to reap their nail-enhancing benefits.
Eggs are rich in proteins which are easier for your body to digest as compared to the protein present in meat. Eggs, consumed in any form, are a nutritional powerhouse that gives your body so much good stuff. Eggs are beneficial for the body from head to toe, including the nails. The protein content in eggs is crucial for strong fingernails. These are highly digestible and easily taken up by the body. Along with proteins and Vitamin D, eggs also contain B12, vitamins A and E, iron, and biotin. Biotin is a very effective ingredient in increasing fingernail thickness and reducing brittleness and splitting.
Apart from lean meats, salmon also has high protein content. Salmon is a fatty fish rich in protein and also in biotin, and omega-3 fatty acids. These are the essential nutrients required for lush nails. Salmon is loaded with healthy fats and vitamins B6 and B12. They help in keeping nails from splitting, breaking, peeling, or otherwise falling apart.
Nuts and Seeds
Among all nuts and seeds, there are almonds and sunflower seeds which are very healthy and effective for human nails. Nuts and seeds are easy to incorporate into the diet as they provide a hefty dose of healthy fats that your nails might be craving. They are rich in proteins and magnesium, essential for nail growth. As a perfect antidote to weakened nails, sunflower seeds come to the rescue as they contain manganese and copper apart from magnesium.
Dark Leafy Green Vegetables
Dark leafy greens like spinach, broccoli, and kale provide iron, folate, and calcium to the body. While people are aware of the benefits of these vegetables, here is another piece of information. Dark leafy green veggies help make your nails strong. These vegetables help to get nails back into fighting shape.
The above-listed food items provide the much needs nutrients to the body that help to improve nail health. Some essential nutrients that are helpful in this aspect are Biotin, Vitamin B, Iron, Magnesium, Protein, Omega – 3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin C, and Zinc. Apart from these foods, you can also choose to consume lean meats like chicken, turkey, and beef, fruits, and berries, vegetables, fortified milk, and salmon.