Hair loss can be tough to deal with, and it can make you feel frustrated or upset. While things like your genes, stress, and health problems play a potent role in losing hair, what you eat can also cause severe hair loss. According to trichologists, here are foods that might lead to hair loss.

Sugary Foods

Sugary snacks, desserts, and drinks may taste great, but they can be bad for your hair. Eating too much sugar makes your blood sugar go up, which can lead to your body making more insulin. Health experts say this extra insulin can cause your body to produce more hormones called androgens, which can make hair follicles smaller and cause hair loss.

Too much sugar can also cause swelling in your body, including your scalp. This makes it harder for your hair to grow. To keep your hair healthy, try to eat fewer candies, sodas, and other sweet treats.

Salty Foods

Eating too much salt can dry out your body, including your scalp and hair. When your scalp gets too dry, it can become itchy, and hair can be lost more easily. Also, a lot of salt can keep your body from absorbing important nutrients like zinc and iron, which are needed for strong hair.

To lower the amount of salt you eat, avoid chips, canned soups, and salty snacks. Choose fresh, whole foods instead, which have less salt naturally.

Fried Foods

Fried foods like French fries, fried chicken, and doughnuts are full of unhealthy fats that can block your pores, even on your scalp. Some studies suggest that blocked pores can stop hair from growing and might even cause a condition called folliculitis, where the hair follicles get swollen and irritated.

Also, trans fats in fried foods can cause swelling in your body, which makes hair loss worse. Try baked or air-fried foods instead to avoid these problems.

Drinking Alcohol

Having a drink now and then is usually fine, but drinking a lot can cause problems for your hair. Alcohol can dry out your body and scalp and cause you to lose important nutrients like zinc, iron, and biotin, which your hair needs to grow strong.

If your hair is thinning, think about drinking less alcohol and eating foods rich in nutrients to help your hair grow.

Refined Carbs

Refined carbs, like white bread, pasta, and pastries, can make your blood sugar rise quickly, much like sugary foods do. This can lead to more androgens being produced, which can shrink your hair follicles and cause hair thinning.

Eating whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, or whole wheat bread instead can help keep your blood sugar stable and protect your hair.

Dairy Products

Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and butter are common in many diets, but eating too much dairy might cause problems for your scalp. Dairy can make your body produce more sebum, which is an oil your scalp naturally makes. While some oil is good, too much can block your hair follicles, leading to dandruff and hair loss.

Switching to plant-based milk, like almond or oat milk, might help keep your scalp less oily and improve your hair health. Plus, plant-based milk often contains nutrients like vitamin D and calcium, which support overall health.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, which is found in diet sodas and sugar-free snacks, have been linked to hair thinning. Some researchers think aspartame might cause your body’s immune system to react in a way that stops hair from growing.

If you want to help your hair, try using natural sweeteners like honey or stevia instead of artificial ones.

Summary

What you eat affects your whole body—and that includes your hair. Foods with too much sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, or artificial ingredients can throw off the balance your body needs for strong, healthy hair. While you might not be able to stop hair loss completely, choosing the right foods can help keep your scalp and hair in better shape. If you’re losing a lot of hair, talk to a doctor, trichologist, or dermatologist to find out what’s causing it and how to treat it.