If you’re like most women, you take care of your hair.  You may even be somewhat obsessive about your hair—and who can blame you?  The thing is, healthy hair isn’t as difficult to get as people sometimes think; and one of the best ways to get there is through healthy eating.  So, this week, we’re finishing up our list of the top 10 healthy foods for your hair!

6.  Spinach:  Spinach is packed to the tips of its leaves with iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C, and all of these things help to keep hair follicles healthy and scalp oils doing their thing.  If you’re a spinach fan, this is great news for you!    Eat your spinach salads, sauté it with garlic and olive oil, bake it up in a calzone or quiche!  You may not get biceps like Popeye, but you’ll have the strongest hair around!

7.  Lentils:  Think of lentils as the Mighty Mouse of good-for-your-hair foods!  They’re tiny but they pack a punch! There’s always room on your plate for  protein, iron, zinc, and biotin, right?  Do yourself (and your lovely locks!) a favor and take two scoops!

8.  Greek Yogurt:  Greek yogurt has been making a splash in the last few years, and it’s no wonder why. If you’ve tried Greek yogurt, you’ve noticed the difference—both in texture and flavor—from regular yogurt.  Greek yogurt is thicker and more tart due to the process used to make it.  But did you know it’s also hair-friendly?  Greek yogurt has a higher protein count than regular yogurt; it also contains vitamin B5 pantothenic acid, which is an ingredient very often used in hair care products) and vitamin D. Some research suggests that vitamin D promotes hair follicle health, but the ways in which that work are still being examined.

9.  Blueberries:  Blueberries may as well wear tiny little capes.  They are a super food par excellence and tasty to boot!  These little blue heroes are bursting with vitamin C (among other things), and vitamin C is critical for circulation to the scalp; it also aids the tiny, little blood vessels that feed hair follicles. Scrimp on the C, and you might start seeing a lot of breakage. So, grab a blueberry smoothie (made with Greek yogurt!), toss a handful in your mouth between meals, or make them dessert, but keep the blueberries around!

10.  Poultry:  It’s really all about the protein.  Poultry (and lean cuts of beef and other meats) are loaded with it. The birds are also packing plenty of zinc,  iron, and B vitamins, as well, which keep your ‘do long and strong.  In case you didn’t know, hair is almost completely protein, so when you munch on foods high in protein, you’re giving your hair exactly what it needs.

A few more tips for you hair lovers out there:

Red meat is great for iron and iron deficiency has been linked to hair loss and baldness, especially in women.  Keep your iron levels up to keep what you’ve got and help re-grow what you’ve lost.

Bananas, beer, oats and raisins all contain silica, which is great for keeping hair thick and durable.

Vegetables oils, including, olive, sunflower, peanut and safflower, help keep hair shiny.  Researchers say about one teaspoon a day  is sufficient to stave off dullness.

If you’re struggling with your locks or just hoping to do some good while eating great, give some of these suggestions a try.  Changes to hair and skin aren’t overnight; be patient, come see us at Brown Bag and we’ll load your lunch with as many of these hair-healthy foods as possible.  Then, sit back and wait, Rapuzel!  Beautiful hair will be yours!

Thinking your locks could use a little luster but you’re not quite sure what to do about it? How about changing your diet?  Very often we see the effects of poor diet in our skin quickly; have a fast food weekend and watch a field of pimples erupt a few days later, etc.  Just because your hair didn’t go dull in a day doesn’t mean that your diet isn’t affecting its health.  Having healthy hair means having healthy hair follicles, and a healthy scalp and nutrients are the keys! So, do your hair a favor and load your plate up with some of these hair-healthy foods!

Salmon:  We all know salmon is a powerhouse source of omega-3 fatty acids (also Vitamin D and protein), but did you also know that about 3 percent of the hair shaft is made up of fatty acids?  And what’s more–your body can’t manufacture those on its own; you have to go out and get them!  The cell membranes in the skin of your scalp and the natural oils that keep your hair and scalp hydrated contain omega-3’s as well, so keep ‘em coming!

If salmon doesn’t float your boat, try pumpkin seeds, avocados and other fish.

Walnuts:  Walnuts are the only type of nut that has a significant amount of omega-3s—lucky for us, they also have loads of      biotin and vitamin E which helps protect your cells from damage (think sun).

Oysters:  Did you know that a lack of zinc can cause hair loss and even a dry, flaky scalp?  If this happens to you, break out the hot sauce and tip back some oysters! Oysters happen to be very rich in zinc, and just three ounces of oysters can give you 493% of your RDA of zinc!  Oysters are also loaded with protein, so while  you may be able to get some zinc from fortified cereals and whole grain breads, oysters give you that protein boost that grains can’t; and hair is 97% protein, so if you’re not getting enough protein, your hair may be dry, brittle and weak.

Sweet Potatoes:  Sweeter cousin of the famous spud, sweet potatoes are super-rich in beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A.  Basically, every cell in your body needs vitamin A, but in the case of your tresses, it helps to protect and produce the oils that keep your scalp healthy.  A vitamin A deficiency can leave you with a snow shower of dandruff all year long.

Eggs:  Easter is over but keep your basket out and stocked with these babies!  Eggs are rich in protein (which we already know is a hair bonus) but they also contain: zinc, selenium, sulfur, and iron.  We’ve already talked about zinc (see “Oysters” above), but we need to talk iron.  Iron carries oxygen to the hair follicles and anemia (anemia deficiency) is a major cause of hair loss (especially in the case of the ladies).  So, boil, poach, scramble or fry them, but eat your eggs!

In our next blog, we’ll tell you all about 5 more foods that are good for your hair.  In the meantime, eat up, research some recipes and let us know if you find some new and delicious ways to work some of these foods into your diet!

It used to be that if someone was brown-bagging, they’d probably throw a sandwich together at home and maybe toss in an apple or banana to finish out their mid-day meal, but Brown Bag has taken the modest paper sack and gone glam.  We’ve dressed up your lunchtime favorites–from sandwiches to salads–and given them a personal touch, namely, you. Customers can choose one of our signature menu items or create their own unique concoction.  Now, the ordinary, everyday rush of breakfast and lunch takes a step in the cuisine direction with a wealth of healthy, locally-grown ingredients.  Throw in a homemade soup and made-to-order omelets and your first two meals of the day just became your favorites.

We do all of this quickly—on the fly, we like to say—because our customers are busy and the world is moving fast, but that doesn’t mean that people want your standard fast food. One of the reasons Brown Bag is so successful is because we give people what they want—healthy breakfasts and lunches, fast—and we do it all while keeping a faithful eye on the environment.  It’s important to Brown Bag to be good stewards of the Earth, and our commitment to keeping our impact on the environment to a minimum is at the heart of what we do. To that end, we use plant-based, petroleum-free packaging that is biodegradable and compostable; we buy post-consumer products and strive to always choose recycled products; we purchase wind power to run our stores and buy Energy Star equipment; we choose locally-sourced products whenever possible; and we have recycling stations in all our stores.  When you eat at Brown Bag, you eat with a clean conscience—you’re doing something good for yourself and the world.  How many restaurants have that on the menu?

It’s not as hard as you might think to get into the Brown Bag family.  We’re pretty open people and we’ll take you, experience or not, because we know this business—and we know we can teach you everything you need to know to be successful.  If you decide the Brown Bag way is for you, we’ll train you, both in the classroom, and in one of our DC locations; and we’ll be with you when you open your own Brown Bag.  Promise!  We don’t leave our franchisees hanging because we know that your success is our success.  We’re in this together.

As a Brown Bag franchisee, you’ll not only be opening a restaurant with hours anyone would love, you’ll be tapping into a popular catering business. Brown Bag restaurants are well known in their respective areas for their catering.  Every day we’re busy with office breakfasts and lunches and corporate events.  Businesses are becoming more and more health conscious, and Brown Bag offers breakfast and lunch selections from vegetarian to gluten-free, all with the freshest ingredients.

Erich Fuldner opened the first Brown Bag opened in 2002; now there are 6 locations in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia.  Recently, Brown Bag launched its first food truck and Brown Bag word has hit the street!  In 2012, we brought on our first franchisee. Come grown with us!

For more info on franchising, see our franchising page!