Nails Need More Than Polish to Stay Strong

There are a lot of ways we can keep our nails from breaking, but many of them are only temporary. Shellacking and polishing only get us so far in the quest for strong nails, and manicures can get expensive. The best way to keep your nails long and strong is to keep them healthy, and luckily the journey to nail health is pretty tasty.

Like hair, nails need some key nutrients to grow. Made up of a protein called keratin, nails are an indicator of your overall health, and how they look can tell you what they need to be healthy. Basically, all nails need protein, biotin, zinc, iron and vitamin E to be in their best shape. You don’t need supplements, though. All these nutrients can be found in foods at the grocery store or your local farmer’s market.

If you want smooth, strong nails, here’s what you should stock in your fridge:

Greek yogurt

A cup of creamy Greek yogurt is a delicious treat, but it’s also awesome for your nails. Greek yogurt is packed with protein, which is absolutely essential to nail health. Since nails are made of protein, they need a good dose from your diet to keep going.

One container of Greek yogurt contains more than 17 grams of protein, that’s double what you’d get from a regular cup of yogurt, which is about 8.5 grams. Greek yogurt has more protein because it’s strained multiple times. The straining process leaves behind a concentrated product that’s filled with healthy protein.

Steak

Steak is obviously a great source of protein, but according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), steak also contains iron and zinc, which are vital for nail health.

Your iron levels definitely manifest in your nails. According to the National Institutes of Health, brittle nails can point to an iron deficiency. If your nails are flat and have concaved spots you may need to up your iron intake. This is a condition called koilonychia. In addition to a spoon-like shape, your nails could also show raised ridges. While koilonychia is a sign of iron deficiency, it can also point to something more serious, so if you’re eating enough iron and you’re still seeing these symptoms, head to a doctor.

A 3-ounce serving of lean steak, like a flank or tenderloin, provides 1.5 grams of iron, 3 grams of zinc and 19.6 grams of protein. The USDA recommends women aged 19–30 on a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet eat 46 grams of protein a day, while men the same age eat 56 grams of protein. It also doesn’t hurt that there’s nothing quite as delicious as a steak freshly sizzled on the grill. Other sources of lean protein include chicken, turkey, pork tenderloin, lamb chops and extra lean ground beef.

Seafood

If steak isn’t your thing, you can still get the necessary amount of zinc in your diet through seafood.

If you’re not getting zinc in your diet, you’ll notice the same effects as if you’re missing protein. Your nails will either grow slowly or not at all, and you’ll probably notice your hair growth is slowed too.

Oysters are by far the best source of zinc, giving you 74 milligrams per serving (about six oysters). Other seafood options such as Alaska king crab, lobster or flounder can get you the zinc you need.

Almonds

We all know that 23 almonds (one ounce) is practically the holy grail of snack foods. Just 23 of those little guys contain 6 grams of energizing protein and provide you with a dose of healthy fats and, it turns out, make your nails strong.

Almonds are a good source of vitamin E, which is a great antioxidant that helps your body fight off free radicals according to nutri-facts.org. Free radicals can encourage the aging process, and with aging can come brittle nails.

In a one-ounce serving of almonds, you get 7.27 milligrams of vitamin E. It also doesn’t hurt that almonds even contain some zinc and iron.

Applying vitamin E topically to your nails is also found to be Beneficial, especially with yellow discolorations, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Eggs

Egg yolks contain a B complex vitamin, according to the American Egg Board, called biotin that is awesome for your nails. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, your body needs biotin to metabolize important nutrients like carbohydrates, fats and amino acids — the building blocks of protein. As protein plays a critical role in nail health, biotin helps your body to make protein and keep your nails super strong.

While a lot of cosmetics contain biotin, you can find it naturally in eggs. Whether you hard boil them, scramble them or prefer them poached, eating eggs will help you not only have strong nails, but lustrous hair.

Eggs are also a great source of protein packing 5.5 grams in one medium egg.

Bottom Line:

If you always find yourself filing cutting, or buffing your nails due to breaks and chips, you might want to consider your manicure strategies. Instead of thick gels or chemical-packed top coats, crack open an egg or reach for a handful of almonds. It’s tastier that way.