Vegetarian Diets and Hair Health

In the world of hair science, vegetarian diets often get a bad reputation. Today, I want to explore why, share some hair science, and empower you to achieve your best hair day—no matter how you choose to eat. Hair is primarily made of keratin, a protein that requires specific amino acids as its building blocks. Whether you're vegetarian, vegan, or omnivorous, gaps in nutrition can impact hair growth, making it essential to eat intentionally.

There are many great reasons to choose vegetarian or vegan ways of eating—it can be a worthwhile compromise. But to avoid compromising your hair, it’s important to understand that growing healthy hair takes more than just eating vegetables. When I was 12, I decided to go vegetarian after reading Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. My mom, trying to teach me a lesson, served me a bag of frozen vegetables for dinner. I didn’t fully understand her point until years later during my trichology research, when I learned how critical proper nutrition is for hair health.

Vegetarians can face unique challenges, like not getting enough protein, vitamin B12, iron, or zinc—nutrients essential for strong, healthy hair. Hair-building amino acids like lysine, methionine, and cysteine are vital for keratin production. Without them, hair can become brittle, shed excessively, lose its shine, break prematurely, and grow slowly. While our bodies can synthesize some amino acids, others must come directly from our diet, making intentional eating crucial for vegetarians and vegans in a way that meat-eaters take for granted.

Some amino acids have specific roles in hair health. For example, histidine keeps hair strong, and the scalp balanced by supporting keratin production, regulating pH, and locking in moisture. Bonus: it also has anti-inflammatory benefits and protects skin from UV damage. Glutathione acts like a bodyguard for hair and skin, fighting oxidative stress, brightening the skin, and keeping follicles healthy for optimal growth. Hydroxyproline, a key amino acid bond in collagen, strengthens the scalp and skin, boosts hydration, and supports tissue repair while reducing signs of aging.

Amino acids interact with cells and neighboring aminos based on the shape of their chains. Our bodies can break these down and rebuild them to build us—and our hair. While some amino acids can be synthesized by the body, others must come directly from our diet. Key amino acids for hair growth include cystine, methionine, lysine, proline, glycine, arginine, and glutamine. In vegetarian diets, these may be lacking as plant sources often don’t provide enough of them to meet dietary needs. For example, rice is an incomplete protein. This is where classic pairings like rice and beans come in, combining to provide a complete protein profile that can ensure the keratin bonds of our hair aren’t missing links and are built strong.

Fortunately, there are also vegetarian-friendly foods that are complete proteins. Quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, tofu, and wild rice can be excellent options and make a great base for many meals. My advice to vegetarians is to prioritize meal planning and favor complete proteins to ensure your hair gets the building blocks it needs.

Some foods to keep in mind that help us eat the rainbow, containing hair healthy amino acids that are crucial for our hair health include broccoli, oats, nuts, sesame seeds, legumes, spinach, kale, lentils, and sesame seeds. A varied diet is crucial. Meals to be planned in advance to hit our goals could be for example, a high protein chili made with quinoa, beans, and lentils. Another could be an Asian Buckwheat Noodle salad, or a lentil veggie stir fry. Luckily in the modern world, if we are concerned about not achieving these goals, or if we have a busy day, we can also look to pea or hemp protein powders to fit in the proper amino acids and hit our protein goals. Many vegan protein powders can be found that contain a complete protein profile and aid you in obtaining nutrients. Choose wisely. Consistency and variety over time is key to hair health while eating the way we prefer.

Unfortunately, another hair nutrition detail we want our vegetarian friends to be aware of is that acquiring Iron, B12, and Zinc can be tricky in a vegetarian diet. This is because plants contain non-heme iron, which is harder for the body to break down and absorb than that found already combined in animal derived sources. Iron is necessary for our cells to carry oxygen to our tissues and our follicles. At the same time, we could be eating foods that block our iron absorption, inadvertently challenging our bodies to process these nutrients. Phytates are compounds that bind to iron and are found in grains, legumes, and seeds. High calcium foods consumed at the same time as iron rich sources can also block uptake when consumed at the same time. Our daily dose of coffee or tea can also do this, so we may contemplate enjoying our morning or afternoon beverages between meals and sticking to water during meals.

It is important to note that women of childbearing age require more iron than other demographics of people and lose iron every month during regular menstruation. Up to to 60% of ladies at this life stage are iron deficient. Supplements can be considered to bridge this gap, and taken with vitamin C (I prefer natural juices) to ensure easier absorption. I take my iron supplement with unsweetened cranberry juice, about 45 minutes before I begin drinking my morning green tea.

               The reasons that Zinc can be hard to obtain in a vegetarian diet is because it can be bound up in the phytates of grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts mentioned earlier. They are less bioavailable due to this and may need to be supplemented in some circumstances. We also benefit from keeping in mind that digestion begins in the mouth with the mechanical actions of chewing and the enzyme breakdown commenced by saliva. Chew food well and try to build a life that gives you a nice lunch break so you can benefit from this. Plant based diets can also be high in dietary fiber. While great for regular bowel movements, it can also bind to zinc during digestion. We need zinc to fight infections in our bodies as well as for the integrity of our skin and follicles.

We want to make sure we give our bodies the best possible chance of breaking down and utilizing these nutrients we eat in order to build our hair and bodies strong. Vegetarians can gain an increased zinc boost if they chose to eat eggs, a great source of zinc that is not limited by being bound like those in legumes, seeds, and whole grains. If you aren’t into supplementation, one of my favorite hair superfoods is pumpkin seeds, an excellent source of zinc, iron, and protein.  The recent trend in hair loss lately is also to supplement with pumpkin seed oil, so clearly the masses have caught on to this strategy.

               Vegetarian foods with zinc can be combined with acidic or fermented foods to aid absorption, as it is recommended that vegetarians eat 50% more zinc than people who eat a varied diet, due to these obstacles. Some plant-based milks may be fortified with zinc and other important minerals. If we choose to supplement with hair vitamins, many high-quality ones will contain zinc to promote scalp integrity. My favorite is The Xtreme Total Care DHT Inhibitor. It has reasonable amounts of vitamins for the hair, while allowing you to continue to take your favorite daily multivitamin, as this formula is exclusively for hair support. It also contains DHT blocking herbs, which can care for your hair if you are experiencing male or female pattern hair loss that is genetically inherited. Always talk with your doctor before beginning supplementation.

               B12 is also an important vitamin to keeping your body working properly that vegetarians can be deficient it, as it is absent from plant-based sources. Deficiencies can show up as numbness in the fingers or toes, as B12 is used by the nervous system as a protective covering of the nerves. It is a building block of nucleic acid, vital to the building and use of our DNA and RNA. Besides that, it is a building block of our red blood cells. Some people do suffer from a condition called Pernicious Anemia, an autoimmune condition where the body cannot create Intrinsic Factor in the stomach that is required to absorb B12 from food, leading to anemia symptoms. Sometimes this leads to needing B12 injections. In cases needing supplementation, this can be found as a sublingual (under tongue) supplement for better absorption. Ironically, another food containing B12 that is nutrient boosting to our diets are eggs, showing up again in our list of hair superfoods.

               Your doctor can request blood work for a variety of reasons. If you eat vegan or vegetarian, consider asking for a work up to ensure that you are hitting your food goals. Iron deficiency is serious, as iron plays a part in your cells carrying oxygen everywhere to the body, not only into the hair follicles. Zinc isn’t just for the condition of your scalp; it helps your immune system to fight infections and bugs. For those in Northern climates, consider testing vitamin D before supplementation, as it is a fat-soluble vitamin, you don’t simply want to just start taking it without knowing your baseline. Maybe even ask to throw a thyroid panel in there. There are Trichologists out there who know what to look for when it comes to bloodwork and can guide you on what levels will be optimal for hair growth.

               I hope this information can help you understand what your body needs in order to be able to build healthy strong hair, no matter what type of diet you choose to consume, but especially as a vegetarian who may face challenges in building their hair and not be entirely sure what the cause of hair woes is. I wish you luck and success on your vegetarian diet journey and in having your best hair day. If you need further guidance, please consult your friendly local neighborhood Clinically Certified Trichologist to help you solve your hair challenges and put you on the path to hair success!  

All information from this article is obtained from medically reputable sources, such as listening to doctors who are experts in their fields, from pharmacology books, and researched by Trichologist Kelsey Koldys. That being said, Trichology is a new paramedical specialty, and advice given here is not for medical purposes, but as things to keep in mind as part of holistic care for yourself, akin to the advice of a personal trainer in the gym. I can help you gain information on what to look out for, but doctors are the ultimate authority when it comes to the treatment and prevention of diseases and ailments. Consider hiring a nutritionist too when it comes to personal food recommendations.

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