Your ear is a delicate instrument. Unfortunately, no matter how well you may take care of your hearing, it does deteriorate over time. But there are ways to improve your hearing at any age.
One key way to preserve your hearing and fight hearing loss is to choose the right foods. Your diet plays a major role in improving your hearing.
The link between nutrition and hearing loss prevention is important to keep in mind. Your body gets vital nutrients from the foods you consume. That helps it improve or preserve your hearing functionality.
Best Foods for Your Hearing
If you’re worried about hearing loss, you can try these foods to improve hearing:
1. Potassium-Rich Foods
First, potassium is essential to your inner ear health, and its levels decrease as we age. That can play a part in age-related hearing deterioration.
For adults, adequate potassium intakes start at 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women. So make sure you’re eating enough potassium-rich foods. Here is how much potassium is contained in some everyday meals:
- 2 cups of spinach – 334 mg
- 1 medium-sized baked potato – 610 mg
- 1 raw tomato – 292 mg
- Half a cup of dried apricots – 1,101 mg
- 1 banana – 422 mg
- 6 ounces of non-fat yogurt – 330 mg
- 1 cup of low-fat milk – 366 mg
2. Foods Rich in Folic Acid
Next, you may know that folic acid is a necessary nutrient for pregnant women. That’s because it helps your body generate new cell growth. But folic acid can also contribute to the health of the hair cells in your inner ear. A deficiency may result in premature hearing loss.
Recommended daily allowances for adults is 400 mcg dietary folate equivalents (DFE). Here’s one example of how you can consume enough folic acid in a day:
- 4 boiled asparagus spears – contain 89 mcg of DFE
- Half a cup of boiled spinach – 131 mcg
- Half a cup of boiled black-eyed peas – 105 mcg
- Fortified breakfast cereal – 100 mcg
3. Magnesium-Rich Foods
Lastly, magnesium is an essential mineral to prevent or limit hearing loss, especially noise-induced hearing loss. One study revealed that people treated with magnesium, along with other vitamins, were protected from noise-induced hearing loss. Researchers believe that magnesium acts like a protective barrier for the hair cells in the inner ear. Deficiencies can cause the blood vessels to shrink and deprive the cells of oxygen.
The recommended dose for adult males is 420 mg for males and slightly less for females at 320 mg. Some foods to incorporate into your diet include:
- 1 ounce of roasted almonds – contains 80 mg of magnesium
- Half a cup of boiled spinach – 78 mg
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter – 49 mg
- 3.5 ounces of baked potatoes – 43 mg
- 1 cup of avocado – 44 mg
The Takeaway on Foods to Improve Hearing
There’s a link between proper nutrition and hearing loss. In fact, deficiencies in certain minerals may lead to hearing loss conditions. By incorporating foods rich in potassium, folate, and magnesium into your diet, you can prevent serious hearing-related problems down the line.
