What Causes Premature Grey Hair?

Although there is a large genetic component to when you start to get grey hair, premature greying (before thirty-five years of age) can also be linked to nutritional deficiencies.

Deficiencies could be caused by autoimmune conditions that might disrupt your bodies ability to absorb vitamins. Stress has been also linked with the onset of grey hair and particularly pregnancy and childbirth for women.

If you have good nutrition and are getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need usual everyday life events should not cause significant stress and ageing to your body.

Including practices in your day like yoga or meditation that help to reduce stress can also be beneficial to make sure that you are not leeching vital vitamins and minerals from your body unnecessarily!

Top 10 Vitamins/Minerals To Help Prevent And Reduce Hair Going Grey:

1. Zinc:

If you spot grey hairs the first mineral you need to think about increasing in your diet is zinc. My hairdresser swears by it! Plant-based sources of zinc include legumes like alfalfa, peas, beans and lentils (there are so many different varieties I recommend that you consistently mix it up!)

The only downside of legumes is that they also contain phytic acid which can impair our bodies ability to digest them and absorb all of the good stuff! Soaking overnight, sprouting and fermenting helps to reduce the phytic acid content. Soy products like tofu, tempeh and miso have been fermented and this process significantly helps with our bodies absorption.

Nuts and seeds also contain high levels of zinc and we should ideally be eating a small handful each day – remember to soak them overnight!

2. Copper:

Grey hair has also been linked with a deficiency in the mineral copper. If you plan to supplement please get advice as it is very tricky to get right and too much copper in your body can make you extremely sick.

Copper is specifically linked with reducing free radical damage and the production of melanin in our bodies. Melanin is what gives your hair it’s natural colour.

Plant-based sources of copper include kale, mushrooms, nuts and seeds, beans, dried fruit, avocados and fermented soy products like tofu, tempeh and miso.

There is a delicate balance in your body between zinc and copper. Many people have too much copper in their bodies from drinking unfiltered water from copper pipes which can over time deplete zinc levels.

Chronic stress can also interfere with your levels of zinc which can then also affect your levels of copper.

3. Iodine:

Many of us are deficient in iodine because our soils are deficient. Bananas are rich in iodine, have them in a smoothie! Carrots are also a good source of iodine. Carrots and apples together make a quick and easy juice.

Sea vegetables are also a valuable source of iodine for plant-based eaters. Cranberries, strawberries, beans and potatoes also contain iodine.

4. B Vitamins:

B12 is a big one particularly for plant-based eaters as it is mostly found in animal products. B12 is actually a type of bacteria.

When we were eating food straight from the ground we probably got plenty of it. Now that our food goes through so many processes it is best to supplement B12 if you are vegan.

B9 which is also known as Folate has been widely recommended and B5 and B6 are also considered beneficial in minimising stress and potential grey hairs.

Plant-based foods that are rich in folate are dark green leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, legumes like peas, beans and lentils, citrus, avocado, okra, cauliflower and nuts and seeds.

5. Vitamin C + E:

Vitamins C and E are considered the antioxidant vitamins and are necessary to reduce free-radical damage to cells!

Your bodies cannot produce vitamin C so it must be obtained from your diet. Vitamin C is really important also for your body to adequately absorb iron.

Vitamin C is found in all citrus fruits plus many colourful fruits.

Vitamin E is also found in many colourful fruits along with avocados, tomatoes and pumpkin. Dark green leafy vegetables also contain vitamin E along with corn, kumara and broccoli.

While I was researching I also came across some of these…

Weird And Wonderful Fixes For Grey Hair!

6. Nutritional yeast:

Nutritional yeast is a good plant-based source of B12. It also contains other vitamins that are beneficial to your body in fighting grey hair growth like zinc, protein, folate, selenium and those all-important B vitamins. You can also add a small amount when cooking to create a rich cheesy like flavour to your dishes.

7. Blackstrap Molasses:

A byproduct of the sugar cane industry this dark liquid product is extracted during processing. It is high in vitamins and minerals that are not found in regular sugar.

It contains large amounts of copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, potassium and calcium. It is widely used to thicken hair and encourage growth. Recommended intake is 1-2 tablespoons per day. I usually just pop this into my smoothie as it does not taste that great by itself!

8. Wheatgrass:

The creator of the ‘Living Foods Lifestyle’, Ann Wigmore healed herself from breast cancer through raw food and daily wheatgrass shots. She also developed a gut friendly, probiotic drink called Rejuvelac.

In her fifties, it is said that her hair colour started to return to its natural state. She believes that grey hair is linked to deficiency and a diet high in fresh, raw foods with lots of greens is the key to staying healthy and retaining our natural hair colour as we age.

9. Ho Sho Wu:

This is a powerful Chinese plant that is said to contain many anti-ageing benefits including reducing grey hair. Traditional Chinese Medicine aligns hair health with kidney health.

Grey hair is said to be a sign of weak kidneys and liver blood. Ho Sho Wu works on these areas and improves liver blood flow to the scalp thus reducing grey hair growth. You can usually purchase this powered to add into a tonic.

10. Onion juice:

Apparently, onions contain catalase which can help give pigment back to hair follicles – who knew? Grey hair has been linked with a build-up of hydrogen peroxide and our bodies not making enough catalase.

Onion juice is said to help restore our natural levels of catalase in the body thus reducing further damage to the hair follicle. Making a juice from onions and applying it directly to your scalp is said to help regenerate hair colour ♡

Photo by Rodolfo Sanches Carvalho on Unsplash

Last Page Update: 19/05/22