Indian Foods for Hair Growth: What to Eat for Thicker Hair
Expert-reviewed guide for Indian diets
Walk into any dermatology clinic in India and at least half the patients are there for hair fall. This is not a coincidence. The combination of chronic stress, iron deficiency (especially in women who have heavy periods or follow vegetarian diets), low B12, borderline vitamin D, and crash dieting has made hair loss an epidemic in urban India. The good news is that for most people, the fix is genuinely on the plate — not in the shampoo bottle or the expensive supplement kit.
Hair follicles are among the fastest-dividing cells in your body. They need a constant, generous supply of protein, iron, zinc, biotin, and vitamins A, C, and D to produce the keratin that makes up your hair shaft. When any one of these is even mildly deficient, your body quietly redirects those nutrients to more critical functions — organs, immunity, wound healing — and your hair is the first casualty. You'll notice it 2 to 3 months after the deficiency begins, which is why people often can't connect the dots.
The most dangerous pattern I see is the crash diet cycle. A woman loses 8 kilos in two months on a soup-and-salad diet, feels great, then starts losing fistfuls of hair three months later. This is called telogen effluvium — rapid weight loss shocks hair follicles into the resting phase simultaneously. The hair fall can be dramatic and terrifying, and it's entirely preventable. Slow, steady fat loss with adequate protein is the only safe approach if hair health matters to you.
Below is a practical food guide built around what's available in Indian kitchens and markets. No exotic imports, no expensive supplements as a first resort — just the actual science of what your hair follicles need and where to find it in Indian food.
Foods to Eat
Best Indian Foods for Hair Growth
Eggs
If I had to pick one food for hair growth, it would be eggs. One whole egg gives you biotin, protein (all essential amino acids), zinc, selenium, and B12 in one package. Biotin deficiency is rare but when it occurs, it directly causes hair thinning. More importantly, eggs provide sulphur-containing amino acids — cysteine and methionine — which are the actual building blocks of keratin. Boiled, poached, scrambled — have 2 eggs daily and you've sorted a significant chunk of your hair nutrition. The yellow yolk matters — don't do egg whites only.
Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Amla is perhaps the most underrated hair food in the world, and it's been sitting in Indian kitchens for centuries. It has the highest vitamin C concentration of almost any food — around 600mg per 100g, compared to 40mg in a lemon. Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis, and collagen forms the structure of the dermal papilla — the base of each hair follicle. But here's the detail most people don't know: amla's tannins inhibit 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT — the hormone responsible for pattern baldness in both men and women. This is the same mechanism targeted by prescription hair loss medications. You need regular oral consumption for this — amla oil on your scalp won't do the same thing. Fresh amla, amla murabba, amla powder in water — pick any form and be consistent.
Palak (Spinach)
Iron deficiency is the single most common correctable cause of hair fall in Indian women. Palak provides non-haem iron along with folate, vitamin A (as beta-carotene), and vitamin C which improves iron absorption. Folate is needed for red blood cell formation — RBCs carry oxygen to scalp follicles. Deficiency slows follicle metabolism and shortens the growth phase of each hair. Have palak dal, palak paneer, palak sabzi, or add it raw to your chapati dough. Pair it with a squeeze of lemon (vitamin C) to double the iron absorption.
Walnuts (Akhrot)
Walnuts have a somewhat unique combination for hair: omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, and zinc — all three in one nut. Omega-3 keeps the scalp hydrated and reduces the inflammation that can damage follicles. Biotin contributes to keratin infrastructure. Zinc is needed for protein synthesis and for the oil glands next to follicles to function. 5-6 walnuts a day is enough. They're not cheap, but a small daily quantity goes a long way. If walnuts are outside your budget, flaxseeds (alsi) give you the omega-3 component at a fraction of the cost.
Til and Pumpkin Seeds
Zinc deficiency causes dry, brittle hair and can even cause the hair to lose colour prematurely. Most Indians don't get enough zinc because our plant-heavy diet is high in phytates that block zinc absorption. Til (sesame seeds) and pumpkin seeds are among the better plant sources of zinc. Pumpkin seeds also contain a compound called delta-7-stearine that may inhibit DHT similar to amla. Add til to your rotis, use til in chikki, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on your dahi — these are easy daily additions that add up over time.
Sweet Potato (Shakarkandi)
Sweet potato is rich in beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed for sebum production — the natural oil that keeps your scalp and hair shaft moisturised. Without enough sebum, hair becomes dry and brittle and breakage increases. But this is a two-edged sword — vitamin A in excess (from supplements, not food) actually causes hair loss. Sweet potato gives you a safe, body-regulated source. Roasted shakarkandi as a snack, sweet potato curry, or added to soups — it's also filling and low on the glycaemic index for a starchy food.
Rajma (Kidney Beans)
Rajma is one of the best plant sources of biotin and also provides iron, zinc, and protein in significant quantities. A katori of cooked rajma gives you roughly 6-7g of protein, meaningful iron, and B vitamins. For vegetarians who don't eat eggs, rajma is the closest dietary equivalent for hair-specific nutrients. The iron in rajma is non-haem iron, so always eat it with a vitamin C source — tomatoes in the curry count, or have it with a lime squeeze.
Dahi (Curd)
Dahi provides protein, B12 (crucial for hair follicle cell division), and probiotics that improve gut health. The gut-hair connection is more real than most people realise — poor gut health reduces absorption of iron, B12, zinc, and biotin even if you're eating them. B12 deficiency is extremely common in vegetarians and causes hair loss that looks very similar to other deficiencies. Two small katoris of full-fat dahi daily is a practical, affordable way to cover your B12 and protein needs alongside other sources.
Masoor Dal (Red Lentils)
Masoor dal cooks fast, is affordable everywhere in India, and provides a solid combination of protein, iron, and folate. A katori of cooked masoor gives roughly 9g protein. The folate in masoor supports red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis in rapidly dividing follicle cells. It's also one of the more bioavailable dals — the thin skin means less phytate interference compared to whole pulses. Regular dal consumption — masoor, moong, toor — is foundational to hair health for vegetarians.
Foods to Avoid
Foods That Damage Hair or Worsen Hair Fall
Crash Diets and Very Low Calorie Eating
This is the biggest dietary cause of hair fall that I see clinically. When you drop below roughly 1000-1200 calories, your body shunts protein away from hair follicles to protect vital organs. Hair follicles go into a forced resting phase — telogen effluvium — and 2-3 months later, you lose hair in alarming quantities. This can happen even with short crash diets of 4-6 weeks. The hair fall continues for months after you return to normal eating. If you need to lose weight, do it slowly — not more than 0.5kg per week — with adequate protein.
Excess Vitamin A Supplements
This one surprises people because vitamin A from food (beta-carotene in sweet potato, carrot) is safe — your body regulates conversion. But preformed vitamin A from supplements — retinol — in doses above 10,000 IU daily causes hair loss. Many "hair growth" supplements paradoxically contain high-dose vitamin A. Always check supplement labels. If your multivitamin + your fish oil + your hair supplement all contain vitamin A, the cumulative dose may actually be harming your hair.
Sugar and Refined Carbs
High sugar intake causes insulin spikes, which increase androgen levels. Elevated androgens (particularly DHT) are a primary driver of androgenetic alopecia. Maida-based foods, white rice in large quantities, sugary drinks, biscuits, bread — these chronically elevated insulin levels create a hormonal environment unfavourable to hair retention. This is particularly relevant for people with PCOS, where insulin resistance is already elevated and hair thinning is a common symptom.
Excessive Selenium from Supplements
Selenium is essential for hair growth — it's a component of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme in follicles. But selenium toxicity (selenosis) causes hair loss, brittle nails, and neurological symptoms. This typically happens when people take selenium supplements on top of a diet already adequate in selenium. Brazil nuts are very high in selenium — eating 6-8 Brazil nuts daily can push you into toxic territory. One Brazil nut a day is the upper safe limit if you're also taking multivitamins.
Alcohol
Chronic alcohol consumption depletes zinc, B vitamins (especially folate and biotin), and disrupts iron absorption — essentially depleting the exact nutrients your hair follicles need most. It also disrupts sleep quality, and poor sleep elevates cortisol, which further disrupts the hair growth cycle. Occasional drinking is unlikely to cause noticeable hair effects, but daily or heavy weekend drinking will show up in your hair over 3-6 months.
Practical Tips for the Indian Kitchen
Practical Tips for Indian Hair Nutrition
Get a Baseline Blood Test Before Spending on Supplements
Before buying biotin, collagen, or hair growth supplements, spend that money on a basic blood panel: serum ferritin (not just haemoglobin — ferritin is more sensitive for hair loss), vitamin B12, vitamin D, and thyroid function (TSH). Most hair fall in Indian women is explained by one or more of these being low. Targeted correction of an actual deficiency works far better than a generic hair supplement.
Pair Iron Foods with Vitamin C
Plant-based iron (non-haem iron from dal, palak, rajma) absorbs at about 2-5% without vitamin C, and up to 20% with it. This is a massive difference. Squeeze lime on your dal, add tomatoes to sabzis, have amla or guava alongside iron-rich meals. Avoid tea and coffee for 1 hour after iron-rich meals — tannins in both block iron absorption significantly.
Space Protein Across All Three Meals
Your body can only synthesise protein effectively when amino acids are available throughout the day. Having dahi at breakfast, dal at lunch, and eggs or paneer at dinner is more effective for hair keratin production than eating all your protein in one meal. Aim for at least 15-20g protein per meal if you're dealing with active hair fall.
Address Stress — Diet Alone Won't Be Enough If Cortisol Is Chronically Elevated
Elevated cortisol directly disrupts the hair growth cycle by pushing follicles into the resting phase. If you're eating well but under constant stress, your hair will still suffer. Magnesium-rich foods (pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, dals) help modulate cortisol. Ashwagandha has decent evidence for reducing cortisol levels. But ultimately, stress management — sleep, exercise, boundaries at work — matters as much as what you eat.
Be Patient: Hair Growth Is a 3-6 Month Process
Hair grows about 1-1.5cm per month. If you correct an iron or B12 deficiency today, you won't see new hair length for 3 months, and it won't be visible above the scalp for another 2 months after that. Most people give up on dietary changes after 4-6 weeks because they don't see results. Commit to the dietary changes for a minimum of 4-6 months before concluding they're not working. Take a photo of your hairline monthly to track actual progress.
Don't Ignore Thyroid
Hypothyroidism is among the most common causes of diffuse hair thinning in Indian women and is frequently missed or undertreated. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause hair fall. If you've corrected your iron and B12 and hair fall continues, get your TSH, free T3, and free T4 checked. No amount of dietary optimisation will fix hair fall caused by an untreated thyroid condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much biotin do I need for hair growth and should I take a supplement?
A: True biotin deficiency causing hair loss is actually rare. The daily requirement is only 30 micrograms, and if you're eating eggs, dals, and nuts regularly, you're almost certainly meeting it. The biotin supplements sold for hair growth typically contain 5,000-10,000 micrograms — hundreds of times the requirement. There's no good evidence that megadose biotin helps hair growth in people who aren't actually deficient. More importantly, very high biotin supplementation interferes with thyroid and troponin blood tests — it can give falsely normal or abnormal results. Get tested for actual deficiencies first.
Q: Does eating amla oil actually help hair growth or do you need to eat it?
A: Both have benefits but through different mechanisms. Topical amla oil nourishes the scalp, reduces dandruff, and the tannins may have some local DHT-inhibiting effect. But the systemic benefits — collagen synthesis, the vitamin C effect on iron absorption, the 5-alpha reductase inhibition that works throughout the body — require oral consumption. Ideally do both: eat 1-2 fresh amla or a teaspoon of amla powder daily, and use amla oil topically. The oral route is more impactful for internal hair follicle health.
Q: I lost a lot of hair after a crash diet. Will it grow back?
A: Most likely yes, completely. Telogen effluvium from crash dieting is typically reversible. Once you restore adequate nutrition — particularly protein and iron — the follicles re-enter the growth phase. However, re-growth takes 3-6 months to become visible. The process is: fix your diet → 1-2 months of stabilisation → new hair emerges → another 2-3 months before you notice thickness returning. Some people with genetic predisposition to hair loss may find that the crash diet episode accelerated an underlying condition, in which case growth will be partial. See a dermatologist if hair hasn't started recovering after 6 months of good nutrition.
Q: Which dal is best for hair growth?
A: All dals are good and eating a variety is better than fixating on one. That said, if ranking by hair-specific nutrients: masoor dal for iron and folate, moong dal for digestibility and zinc, rajma for biotin and protein density, and chana dal for overall protein content. The combination of two or more dals in a meal (dal tadka with mixed dals) or rotating dals through the week gives you a broader amino acid profile than relying on a single variety.
Q: My serum ferritin is 12 ng/mL. My doctor says it's "normal" but I'm losing hair. Who's right?
A: This is one of the most common and frustrating situations in clinical hair care. Standard lab "normal" for serum ferritin is often 12-150 ng/mL, so your doctor is technically correct by reference range. But hair loss research consistently shows that optimal ferritin for hair follicle health is above 40-70 ng/mL for women. Many women with ferritin between 12-30 lose hair even though they're not anaemic. This is a well-documented clinical phenomenon. Ask for a referral to a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss, or discuss with your doctor about trialling iron supplementation alongside dietary correction to see if it improves.
Get Your Personalised Diet Plan
Our certified dietitians create custom plans based on your health condition, food preferences, and lifestyle.
Download DietGhar App →Free consultation • 10,000+ success stories
