If you’ve ever heard the saying “you are what you eat”, then you probably already know that your diet can have significant impacts on your body. However, those impacts may be more far-reaching than you’d think.
Since beard growth is primarily regulated by the production of the male hormones testosterone and DHT, our diets can actually boost facial hair growth when we ingest foods that promote the synthesis of these two androgens and make it easier for our bodies to utilize them.
In addition to hormone production, multiple other factors, including vitamins and minerals, can cause chemical changes in our bodies that can make it easier to grow a thicker beard.
While eating your way to a fuller beard may seem too good to be true, there’s science to back up the strategy. If you are searching for an easy and natural way speed up beard growth, try incorporating these 10 foods into your diet.
10 Foods That Promote Beard Growth
- Brazilian Nuts
With as little as two Brazilian nuts per day, you can naturally speed up your beard growth. Here’s the science that makes it possible:
When you ingest 100 grams of organic Brazilian nuts, you are getting 1,917mcg’s of selenium, an important mineral for hair growth, which is equivalent to almost 3000% of your recommended daily value.
This means that with just 2 nuts a day, you can fulfill your daily value of selenium, to ensure that you do not have a deficit of this important mineral.
To get the most value out of your Brazilian nuts, make sure you always buy organic varieties with the skin still intact, as this is where most of the selenium is found.
Here is the best choice for Brazilian nuts on Amazon.
- Eggs
Eggs are an excellent source of both protein and other essential micronutrients that are necessary for facial hair growth.
In addition, eggs are also a rich source of biotin, which is a vitamin that is necessary for healthy hair.
In fact, a study conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that biotin deficiencies resulted in hair loss for human subjects, so it is very important that you receive your daily value of this vitamin for healthy hair.
Lastly, because eggs are high in saturated and monounsaturated fats, but low in polyunsaturated fats, they offer a fair fatty-acid ratio that is expedient to the production of testosterone and DHT.
- Potatoes
While some will claim that a diet rich in protein is the true key to healthy facial hair growth, other studies suggest that a diet consisting of more carbohydrates will actually produce stronger results.
In fact, one study found that a high-carb low-protein diet is superior for the producing of DHT, the main hormone responsible for facial hair growth. This is because high carb intake can increase your body’s production of 5-alpha reductase enzymes. which is responsible for converting testosterone to DHT.
Because potatoes are a rich source of carbohydrates, they are an easy supplement to your diet that can boost DHT.
- Raisins
These little, dried grapes may just seem like an innocent snack, but they are actually one of the most powerful natural sources of boron, a trace mineral that has been found to boost the synthesis of testosterone and DHT.
Few men are aware of the powerful nature of boron to speed up facial hair growth, but the impact that this mineral can have on your body is definitely worth paying attention to.
In fact, one study conducted by the University of Medical Sciences found that with only 10mg of boron per day, subjects experienced a 28% increase in testosterone production and a 10% increase in DHT.
Now considering that 100 grams of raisins typically contain 3mg’s of boron, this mineral-rich snack may be one of the best-kept secrets to minimizing beard patchiness.
Here is Amazon’s best seller for raisins.
- Sorghum
This gluten-free grain is also a highly powerful, and little-known, hack to achieve a fuller beard. This is because it has been scientifically proven to increase the synthesis of 5-alpha reductase enzymes that convert testosterone to DHT—the hormone responsible for facial hair growth—by 54%.
- Beef
Red meats are generally high in saturated fat, which is the most essential fatty-acid for the production of testosterone. Adding beef to your diet, therefore, can give your body the fats it needs for healthier hair growth.
- Gelatin
Gelatin is a rich source of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. For those looking to boost facial hair growth, the amino acids glycine and proline are especially important, as they are collagen proteins which is what your body uses to build hair, skin, and nails.
Because nearly half of the amino acids in gelatin is collagen protein, this is an easyway to stimulate hair growth.
- Orange Juice
Orange juice is a rich source of Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that can stimulate the synthesis of collagen and help reverse the effects of free radicals that could cause damage to your skin and facial hair.
In addition, the high levels of fructose minimize SHBG, a protein that binds DHT and testosterone, making it harder for the body to utilize them.
- Kale
Kale is a high source of vitamin A, which the body uses to repair skin tissues. This is an important vitamin for facial hair growth, as you need your skin to be healthy in order to minimize beard patchiness and brittleness.
- Fish
Fish offer a healthy variety of multiple micronutrients that your body needs. It is a good source of protein and B vitamins which help your body produce hair and skin. In addition, fish is a good source of omega-3s, which help protect the cell membrane so that your whiskers are healthy and strong.
Other Supplements
To achieve an even more beautiful, full and healthy beard, taking a daily multivitamin and applying beard oil to your facial hair can provide your facial hair with the nourishment and support it needs.
Photos from: Rodrigo De Souza Mendes Junqueira © 123RF.com, Yelenayemchuk © 123RF.com, Srapulsar38 © 123RF.com, Photodee © 123RF.com, Joannawnuk Laimdota Grivane © 123RF.com, Karandaev © 123RF.com, Christian Jung © 123RF.com, Oleg Dudko © 123RF.com and Margouillat © 123RF.com.
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