Beautify your hair through food? Everyone talks about it, but it's often difficult to get started... That's normal! With the flood of information offered to us, it is complicated to take stock and know how to go about it. Madam President sums it all up for you! And today we start with the benefits of vitamin A for hair. On your notes!
Vitamin A: its specificities
Vitamin A was the first vitamin to be discovered! It was found in the retina in 1913, giving it the sweet name retinol. Subsequently, it was also detected in the bones, mucous membranes and liver... Vitamin A is therefore everywhere! But what is it really?
Vitamin A, beta-carotene, provitamin A, retinol... What is the difference?
Vitamin A exists in two forms: beta-carotene (or provitamin A), which is generally found in foods of plant origin, and retinol, which is mainly consumed in foods of animal origin. Each of these forms has specific actions, which we will detail below.
How to consume it?
Vitamin A (like vitamins D, E and K) is a fat-soluble vitamin: that is, it is soluble in fats. This is why it is found in different organs, notably the liver, where it can be stored for up to several months. These reserves make vitamin A deficiency quite rare in European countries.
However, an excess of vitamin A can be harmful: this is why you should avoid taking two courses of food supplements at the same time. But don't panic, with a normal diet and just one treatment at a time, there is no risk of poisoning! As a guide, the recommended daily nutritional intake of vitamin A is 800 micrograms for men and 600 micrograms for women.
On the other hand, too much vitamin A intake in pregnant women can cause fetal malformations. This is why Madam President designed Mama , which does not contain vitamin A, to gently take care of the hair of pregnant and breastfeeding women... But you already knew that! ?
The benefits of vitamin A on the body
The benefits of vitamin A on the body are numerous... what if we took a quick look at them?
Antioxidant and healing, for new youth
As you may know, beta-carotene is above all a powerful antioxidant. To put it simply: goodbye wrinkles, hello peachy skin! Its healing action soothes the skin and thus reduces signs of age, scars and acne... In short, everything we would like to see disappear.
Explanation for the curious: our body secretes free radicals, whose action is oxidizing and which are the basis of the aging of the body. Antioxidants limit this action, thus fighting against this inconvenience, but also against certain cancers.
A lynx eye
Its name may have tipped you off: retinol is excellent for eyesight. It plays an essential role in triggering nerve impulses to the optic nerves (to put it simply: an essential role for vision). Vitamin A is therefore essential for night vision, for the eye's adaptation to darkness: you won't have the vision of a cat, but it can't do any harm!
Vitamin A: multifunctional vitamin
We would like to be exhaustive, but it would take us hours: immune system, growth, renewal of cells and tissues, protection against attacks on the skin... Vitamin A does everything! As you will have understood, it is therefore essential to be in good health.
The benefits of vitamin A on hair
As you've noticed, we haven't talked about our heads yet. Do the benefits of vitamin A extend to hair? ...The answer is a big YES ! Focus on these benefits.
First of all, vitamin A will be your best ally for more beautiful and stronger hair. The antioxidant properties of beta-carotene contribute to the suppleness and shine of the hair. In fact, vitamin A stimulates the production of sebum, which nourishes and protects the hair fiber. Goodbye damage! Your hair will thus be sheathed and better hydrated... All naturally. Isn't life beautiful?
But vitamin A will also help cleanse your scalp! You have understood, it has a protective, healing, moisturizing and regenerating action on the skin... And the scalp is no exception. Better still, the anti-infectious action of vitamin A intervenes in the fight against dandruff and against seborrheic dermatitis. In fact, it helps limit the abnormal multiplication of the superficial layers of the skin: no more itching and irritation!
Where to find vitamin A?
Has all this information made you want to take advantage of the benefits of vitamin A on your hair and your body? We understand you! But you still need to know where to find them. So we've done a little summary for you, and you'll see: it's easier to access than you think.
Beta-carotene is found in plant-based foods. As for vegetables , here are the richest:
- Yam,
- carrot,
- pumpkin,
- pumpkin,
- roman salad,
- spinach,
- lettuce...
Ideal for winter meals! You will also find some on the fruit side :
- apricot,
- mango,
- melon,
- nectarine...
Rather for summer, we grant you... And therefore ideal for turning all year round on foods rich in beta-carotene!
For retinol , you will need to turn more towards foods of animal origin :
- Cod liver oil,
- liver (poultry, veal, etc.),
- butter,
- sour cream,
- cheese (parmesan, roquefort, emmental...),
- eggs...
In short, you have the choice... Get to your stove!
Consuming vitamin A: our recipe ideas
You don't have time to think, let alone cook? Spending hours in front of your pots, very little for you? We have everything planned: here are our two recipe ideas rich in vitamin A. Pleasure guaranteed without the hassle!
Pumpkin stuffed with cheese
Preparation time: 15 minutes. For 2 people :
- 1 pumpkin
- 25 cl of crème fraîche
- 1 Saint-Félicien (or any other creamy cheese, according to your preference)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- herbs of your choice: Provençal herbs, thyme, rosemary, etc.
- salt and pepper
How to do it :
- Preheat your oven to 180°.
- Cut your pumpkin in half, vertically, and hollow it out.
- Cut the cheese into pieces.
- Peel and slice the garlic and onion.
- Mix the cheese, garlic, onion, crème fraîche and aromatics.
- Salt and pepper to your liking.
- Stuff each pumpkin half with the mixture.
- And presto, in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour!
Madam President's advice: you can also decide to make this delicious mixture into a good velouté... To do this, cut and cook the pumpkin before mixing everything together and blending. Enjoy your food !
Goat spinach lasagna
Preparation time: 20 minutes. For 2 people :
- 600 g spinach
- 6 sheets of lasagna
- 200 g of fresh goat’s cheese
- grated Emmental cheese
- 30g butter
- 30 g of milk
- 10 g of flour
- pepper, salt, nutmeg
How to do it :
- Preheat your oven to 180°.
- Make a béchamel sauce with the butter, flour and milk. If you don't know how to do it, here's a great tutorial ! Don't forget to salt, pepper, and add a touch of nutmeg!
- In a frying pan or sauté pan, brown the spinach with the cheese for 5 minutes over low heat.
- Your preparations are ready, all that remains is to shape the lasagna:
- Start with the lasagna sheets at the bottom of the dish, then alternate: lasagna, spinach, béchamel, lasagna, spinach, béchamel, ...
- Finish with a layer of béchamel, on which you can add grated Emmental cheese for finishing.
- 30 minutes in the oven, and it's ready!
With this, you are ready for 100% vitamin A meals!
In summary: the benefits of vitamin A on hair are numerous. But it also benefits your eyesight, your skin, your immune system: in short, everything is boosted by this super-vitamin, which is quite easily found in our diet. The subject fascinates you and you want to know more about vitamin A? Here is a very complete file !
To boost your vitamin A intake and thus enhance your hair and skin, you can turn to Hair boost or Resolution N°1 with your eyes closed.
So, when will vitamin A be available?
