Although fashion sensibility in recent years has been toward waxed-smooth chests like that of David Beckham, it wasn’t long ago that “real men” were those who sported a full chest of hair.
Despite the changing times, chest hair still symbolizes manliness today. However, not all men can sprout chest hair like a young Burt Reynolds or Tom Selleck. Thankfully, if you’re lacking a little machismo, there are a few foods you can eat that can help reassert your masculinity.Here are four foods for a hairy chest that'll make you feel like a man — even if that man is straight out of the '80s.
Raw Eggs
You’re not a true man until you down a cup of raw eggs — at least that’s the conventional wisdom passed on by bodybuilders as far back as 100 years ago. Even film icons like boxing superstar Rocky Balboa tell us that raw is best. But real boxers don’t actually eat raw eggs. In fact, consuming raw eggs can be dangerous to your health, and we recommend they be cooked. Not only does cooking eradicate Salmonella, a harmful bacteria that can be found in raw eggs, but cooking also greatly increases the bioavailability of the protein in our eggs, and it’s the protein content in eggs that makes them such a man’s meal. So skip the egg-drinking and take time to whip up some manly eggs Benedict — your body will thank you.
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Sardines
Loaded with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, sardines are renowned for their health benefits and they're among our four foods for a hairy chest. But their typical presentation, being packed tightly into tiny tin cans, is more than enough to turn off even the manliest of men. Excluding them from your diet, however, can be a huge mistake. Sardines are brimming with omega-3s, which are known to help the heart, but are also thought to be important for maintaining healthy hair. The list of positives doesn’t stop there. Sardines are also an incredible source of protein, packing 25 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Being at the bottom of the food chain also means that sardines aren’t full of concentrated heavy metals like mercury, as they feed only on plankton. With little to no preparation needed, sardines make for an incredibly easy snack, so peel back a tin and dig in.
Liver and Onions
Ever want to find out who among your friends is a real man? Separate the men from the boys by serving your buddies some liver ‘n onions and make note of who takes the first bite. Although the taste of this macho meal might send your friends screaming, the nutritional content is beyond comparison. Calf’s liver, for example, is loaded with protein, iron, zinc, vitamins A and C, and the B vitamins including biotin, folate, B2, and B12.The B vitamins are particularly important for actual hair growth. Biotin supplements are actually prescribed alongside medical treatments for hair loss. And it’s not just the liver that helps your hair — onions can put hair on your chest too. They’re an excellent source of sulfur, a mineral known for stimulating hair growth. So the next time you’re hungry for a macho meal, remember the old adage: Liver long and prosper.
Chili con Carne
Chili cook-offs have long been a part of American culture. Going back to the introduction of chili con carne to the U.S., sometime as far back as the 1850s, cooking chili has always been about one thing: Creating the most delicious — yet blazingly hot — bowl of chili possible. Whether or not you like it four-alarm hot, conventional chili culture has always held that a man isn’t a man unless he can handle the heat. Little did anyone know at the time, but studies are now finding that eating chili can literally put hair on your chest. Researchers now believe that chili peppers can promote hair growth. Capsaicin, the chemical in chili peppers that makes them spicy, appears to influence a biological pathway important for hair growth. Add in the fact that the beans and beef provide loads of protein, zinc and iron, and it becomes easy to see why chili con carne is a real man’s meal.
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