Graying hair is a natural part of aging, but what if certain foods could slow down the process? A new study published in Antioxidants suggests that luteolin, a yellow-pigmented flavone found in many fruits and vegetables, may help preserve your natural hair color by preventing the decline of melanocyte activity – the cells responsible for hair pigmentation.
Researchers tested three antioxidants – luteolin, hesperetin, and diosmetin – on mice and found that only luteolin successfully prevented gray hair. Mice treated with luteolin retained their natural black hair, while others turned gray. Scientists believe luteolin helps maintain endothelins, proteins that play a key role in hair pigmentation.
So, how can you naturally boost your luteolin intake? Fortunately, this powerful antioxidant is abundant in many everyday foods, including:
- Leafy greens: Spinach, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce
- Peppers: Sweet green peppers, sweet yellow peppers, serrano peppers, jalapeños
- Veggies: Broccoli, celery, chicory greens, kohlrabi, radicchio, artichokes
- Fruits: Lemons, navel oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin
Luteolin supplements are available, but incorporating these whole foods into your diet is a natural and healthy way to support hair pigmentation. More research is needed, but this discovery could be a game-changer – not just for gray hair but possibly for other age-related changes like balding.
