There’s a reason Acai bowls are all over social media. Aside from its yummy color and tasty flavor, Acai or Euterpe oleracea is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients necessary for a healthy body – earning it the ‘superfood’ moniker.
But did you know this superfood is also super for treating various hair problems?
Acai Benefits for the Hair
Stimulates Hair Growth
Acai contains anthocyanin, a phytochemical that belongs to a group of flavonoids which are known to promote blood circulation. Proper blood circulation is important for stimulating hair growth because it ensures the hair follicles get the nutrition and oxygen they need to begin their growth cycle.
Applying Acai extract or hair care products containing this ingredient, like Momentum Men’s Rejuvenate Cleansing Shampoo, on the hair and scalp is said to be an effective way to revitalize the hair bulbs.
Reduces Hair Loss
To prevent hair from falling out, we need to have a healthy scalp. And to have a healthy scalp, we need sufficient amount of essential fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins in our system. Acai berries have these and more.
Rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 as well as vitamins B, C, and E, Acai is effective for reducing hair loss. The Omega fatty acids, along with Vitamin C, nourish the scalp by keeping it hydrated and creating a protective barrier against external aggressors, which often cause hair fall. Furthermore, Vitamins B and E contained in Acai berries work together to strengthen the root and hair shaft, and discourage thinning.
Strengthens Hair
Acai may not have the full Vitamin B complex, but what it does have is enough to keep the hair healthy. Vitamins B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), and B3 (Niacin) contribute to the nourishment of hair follicles by converting carbohydrates into energy, which is needed by the cells to continue functioning and delivering nutrients to all the other cells in the body, including the hair follicles.
When combined with Zinc, which is also present in Acai, the hair becomes stronger from roots to tips. This makes Acai an excellent ingredient when dealing with textured hair.
Oway’s Waveshaper Perm is infused with Fair Trade Acai to keep the hair nourished and protected while undergoing a perm or relaxing treatment.
Protects Against Free Radicals
Free radicals are dangerous compounds that damage our scalp and hair follicles in the form of oxidative stress.1
Rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, Acai helps fight off free radicals from the hair by creating a protective barrier. If the hair is constantly exposed to free radicals and harmful chemicals, the hair will begin to thin, causing premature aging and hair loss. With Acai, those dreaded toxins are kept at bay.
Prevents Premature Aging
Hair follicles are complex mini-organs of its own.2 And like other organs, it needs energy, nourishment, and protection against harmful toxins to function properly, otherwise it will start to age and break.
Acai is an ORAC-rich plant, which means it has high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Our bodies need between 2,400 and 3,000 units of ORAC to neutralize free radicals that’s causing our cells to age prematurely, and Acai alone contains a massive 3,800 units of ORAC.3
While the best way to receive all the health benefits of Acai is eating it, there’s definitely no harm in incorporating it in your hair care routine. After all, directly applying Acai berry extract on the scalp and hair is as effective as taking this wonder berry orally.
Sources
1 Trueb, RM. (2006). Pharmacologic interventions in aging hair. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2695167/
2 Blume-Peytavi, U. et al. (2008). Hair Growth and Disorders. Published by Springer.
3 Bird, SR. (2009). A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for the Body and Spirit. Published by Lawrence Hill Books.
