Hi beauty! One thing I love is trying new drinks and fun concoctions, especially when they are good for your body. This week, I thought I’d share some recipes that not only taste amazing, but also do wonders for your hair.
There’s a lot that goes into keeping your hair happy and vibrant, and nutrition is definitely a big factor. These tasty drink recipes you can make at home are packed full of nutrients that support hair growth and hair health.
You might be wondering… What nutrients are most important for hair? For a full breakdown of what vitamins and nutrients best support your hair health, check out our article on nutrition for hair growth. This is a great reference as you look to add more nutrients into your diet to support your hair health. Good news — all these drinks contain a mix of ingredients that work together to give your hair and scalp an extra boost.
6 DIY Drink Recipes for Healthy Hair
Peanut Butter Banana Protein Shake
Photo by Amanda Vick on Unsplash
First on the list is a classic drink — a peanut butter banana protein shake. The greek yogurt, milk, and peanut butter are the protein sources. You may not realize, but protein is vital for hair growth. When you eat protein, you're basically giving a boost to amino acids, the tiny building blocks that make up cells, including the ones hanging out in your hair follicles.
The other main ingredients to this drink are bananas (source of vitamin C) and chia seeds (source of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium). People often don’t consume enough omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote a healthy scalp and fight inflammation. Selenium is another trace mineral you may miss out on that helps shield your hair and scalp from oxidative stress and environmental damage. All in all, this is a great drink if you need to increase your protein intake.
Ingredients
2 medium-sized bananas
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 cups Greek yogurt or almond yogurt
½ cup full-fat milk or soy milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add bananas, yogurt, milk, and peanut butter to a blender.
- Blend to a smooth, thick smoothie.
- Add chia seeds and sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Enjoy!
*Recipe courtesy of StyleCraze.
Strawberry-Mint Tea
Photo by Kim Daniels on Unsplash
The perfect recipe heading into spring, this strawberry-mint tea is refreshing for your taste buds and your hair. Strawberries are the main ingredient here — and these berries are chock full of nutrients for your hair. They are one of the highest sources of vitamin C, with one cup of sliced strawberries providing 97 mg of vitamin C (108% of the recommended daily value). Besides being great for your immune system, vitamin C aids in collagen production. Collagen strengthens hair and prevents it from becoming brittle and breaking.
Along with vitamin C, strawberries are a good source of vitamin B9, or folate. Folate is an integral part of what your body needs to make new cells, including hair cells. The peppermint sprigs in this recipe also provide a variety of minerals, including iron, which supports oxygen delivery to your hair follicles. Overall, this drink is a fun treat to up your intake of strawberries and its many benefits for your hair.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
8 peppermint sprigs
6 cups chilled sparkling water
8 whole fresh strawberries with tops
Instructions
- Place strawberries and sugar (or sugar substitute) in a small saucepan; muddle using a wooden spoon. Cook mixture over low, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts, about 5 minutes.
- Place each peppermint sprig in the palm of your hand. Give it a good slap (this brings out the volatile oils). Stir peppermint sprigs into strawberry mixture; remove from heat. Let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- Remove and discard peppermint sprigs from strawberry mixture. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a half-gallon pitcher. Stir in sparkling water.
- Fill 6 highball glasses with ice; pour strawberry mixture evenly into glasses. Slice a small slit in each of the whole strawberries; garnish each glass rim with 1 strawberry.
*Recipe courtesy of Southern Living
The Best Green Smoothie
Next up is for all my green-loving girlies out there who want the benefits of a green smoothie with the added bonus of nutrients for your hair. This recipe features avocado and spinach for your “greens,” both of which are power foods for hair. Avocados are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Meanwhile, spinach has so many nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E, iron, and selenium. The ginger, mango, and pineapple provide a vitamin C boost. The optional seeds are great for extra omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.
Together, these ingredients help support a healthy environment for your scalp and hair growth. I’ve mentioned already how omega-3 fatty acids and selenium resist oxidative stress, vitamin C supports collagen production, and iron helps with oxygen delivery to your hair follicles. Add in the other vitamins — including vitamin B6, which stimulates new hair growth — and you have a winning combination!
Ingredients
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
½ cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 medium ripe avocado
1 inch knob of ginger, peeled
2 cups organic spinach
1 cup unsweetened almond milk, plus more as necessary
Optional: 1 tbsp hemp seeds or flaxseed meal
Instructions
- In a large high-powered blender, add in all ingredients and blend on high for 1-2 minutes, or until all ingredients are well combined.
- If necessary, add in more milk to thin the smoothie and blend again.
*Recipe courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen
Blueberry, Lemon, and Rosemary Infused Water
Photo by Jake Charles on Unsplash
Our bodies are about 60% water, and so maybe it’s no surprise that water is important for your hair health too. Water keeps your scalp moisturized and helps deliver nutrients to hair follicles. But sometimes drinking water itself can be boring. That’s where infused water drinks come in, like this blueberry, lemon, and rosemary infused water recipe.
Besides the water intake benefits, this recipe also has fruit and herbs with nutrients like vitamin C and vitamin B6. These together help aid in collagen and keratin production. And the best part — there’s lots of infused water recipes out there, and you can try out your favorite fruits until you find the best flavor for you.
Ingredients
5 cups water
1/2 pint blueberries
1 lemon thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, place the desired combination of fruit or herbs.
- Add ice and fill the container with water. Add additional fruit or herbs to garnish, if desired. Remove any fruit, vegetables, or herbs after 24 hours.
- For best results, infuse water the night before so it has plenty of time to flavor and chill the water.
*Recipe courtesy of Culinary Hill
Almond Milk Smoothie
Photo by Mohammad Lotfian on Unsplash
If you’re feeling extra nutty, this almond milk smoothie is the recipe for you! It calls for both almond milk and almonds, which are great for increasing your daily consumption of biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin E, and zinc. You may have heard of biotin before for hair health, and for good reason. Biotin aids in the production of keratin, the protein that makes up your hair.
Along with biotin, this smoothie helps with vitamin E, an important antioxidant for your scalp. It supports hair growth while also reducing oxidative stress on your scalp. Zinc rounds out this drink and has a ton of benefits for your hair. For one, it helps your oil glands produce sebum, your scalp’s natural moisturizer. Plus, zinc supports your body’s natural repair processes, which includes your hair follicles. Basically, almonds are a power food for hair health, and this drink is just one fun way to add it to your routine!
Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened almond milk, vanilla or plain
2 large bananas frozen and chopped
1/4 cup almonds unsalted
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 cup ice crushed
Instructions
- In a high speed blender or food processor, add your almond milk, frozen banana, and almonds. Blend very well, until thick and smooth.
- Add the cinnamon and ice and continue to blend, until your desired thickness is achieved.
- Pour the smoothie into a glass and enjoy.
*Recipe courtesy of The Big Man’s World
Homemade Orange Soda
Last but not least is this yummy orange soda drink for both flavor and nutrients. Oranges are a superfood and an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B9 (folate), etc. So what better than to make a delicious soda out of it?
As already mentioned, vitamin C is important for collagen production and folate for new cell production. Along with this, thiamine provides further hair health support by converting nutrients from food into energy that the body, and your hair, can use. Thiamine also helps lower blood vessel constriction, which is beneficial for a healthy scalp. All in all, oranges are a great everyday fruit for your hair, and this is a fun recipe to enjoy in the warm days ahead.
Ingredients
4 oranges juiced to make 2 cups
Zest from 4 oranges
Zest from 1 lime
2/3 cup honey (use a light honey) or 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Place the orange juice, orange zest, lime zest, and the honey/sugar into a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by 1/3, stirring frequently.
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Strain the syrup through a cheesecloth to remove any large pieces of zest and pulp. Place in a bottle and keep refrigerated.
- To enjoy the orange soda, mix 1 part orange syrup with approximately 3 parts sparkling water or club soda depending on personal preference. Serve over ice.
*Recipe courtesy of Simple Bites
Our Growth Complex for an Extra Hair Boost
For even more love for your hair, you can also try adding in our Growth Complex to these drinks. Growth Complex is our revolutionary daily vitamin with many of these powerful nutrients, and more like it, to promote strong strands and hair growth.
To add Growth Complex to your drinks, open 1–2 capsules and pour it into your drink. For smoothies, this can blend easily right in with your drink. For other drinks, try using a milk frother or similar tool to mix the ingredients better.
For more fun recipe ideas, check out my summer recipe article and fall recipe article.
Wishing you the best of luck on your hair journey and hope you enjoy these delicious drinks! Cheers to luscious locks!
XO,
Kaley
