Nails are made of a protein called keratin. Their normal growth rate is about 1.5 inches a year.

However, if your nails aren’t growing as fast as you’d like, one possible reason is that you’re not getting the proper nutrition to promote nail growth. In this article, you’ll learn which nutrients help nails grow and how to add more of them to your diet.

1. Protein

Since the keratin that nails are made of is a protein, your body needs a lot of protein to build them. If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, the “crescents” that should appear near the nail cuticles will be missing.

The best sources of protein are meats such as poultry, beef, venison, lamb, pork, and fish. Other good, healthy options include nuts, peanut butter, and other nut, lentil, and bean butters.

2. Vitamin B

This vitamin is very important for nail health: without enough vitamin B, nails can become excessively dry and develop ridges, and nail tips can curl.

Vitamin B12 is a particularly beneficial nutrient for healthy nail growth. You can get it from dairy products like milk and yogurt, as well as salmon, trout, tuna, clams, beef, and pork.

3.Vitamin C

Ingrown toenails and hangnails can sometimes be symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency.

To correct this vitamin deficiency, try berries and fruits such as black currants, guavas, kiwis, strawberries, cherries, and oranges. Red bell peppers and spinach also contain vitamin C.

4.Vitamin E

Vitamins C and E work together to promote healthy blood circulation, which ensures that the nail beds receive enough oxygen. A healthy supply of oxygen helps strengthen nail materials and improves nail growth.

Good sources of vitamin E include vitamin-fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, walnuts, tomatoes, avocados, and turnip greens.

5. Iron

In the long term, an iron deficiency can cause wrinkles, dryness and brittleness in the nails, as well as causing the nails to grow in strange shapes. Be sure to eat iron-rich foods like red meat, liver, eggs, tuna, salmon, poultry, spinach, and whole grains.

6. Zinc

Zinc is not a well known or highly promoted nutrient, but it is a very important nutrient to have in your diet if you want to keep your fingernails and toenails healthy and strong. If you have a zinc deficiency, you may have ridges and white spots on your nails.

Zinc can be found in foods such as nuts, vegetables, grains, poultry, red meat, and oysters.