11 Of The Best Foods For Keeping Your Skin Healthy
Have you ever noticed that nasty blemishes like zits, cold sores and rashes tend to pop up after you have over-indulged in coffee, alcohol, junk food and “ageing foods”? Yes, you did read that right. Unhealthy foods age you faster! There is good news though. Some foods promote healthy skin and keep you looking younger for longer.
So, what’s the secret to preventing premature ageing? “Eat the rainbow!” …not our words but the advice of Dr Anthony Youn MD. He’s a trained professional. Check out this video.
Do you want to know what the rainbow of healthy foods are? Read on.
Fatty Fish
Not all fatty foods are bad for you. Take Omega-3 fatty acids, for example. These essential edible oils are found in certain types of fish and help to moisturize the skin, keep it supple and reduce inflammation. So if you suffer from acne on Sunday’s, ditch the roast beef and knock up a scrumptious dish with salmon, mackerel or herring.
Avocados
Healthy fats are also packed into avocados - this time vitamin E, a great source of antioxidants that help to protect skin for oxidative damage - an excess of free radicals in your skin cells. In the battle of the vitamins, E is just about beaten by C - vitamin C helps your skin to create collagen, the main structural protein for strong, healthy skin. Avocados have both. Plus vitamins A and D. Bonus.
Walnuts
Walnuts are another skin-healthy food amped in collagen and omega-3. In case you’re wondering what collagen is, it helps the elasticity of your skin, prevents sagging and provides volume that keeps skin looking plump and line-free. Collagen has been described as “the body’s scaffolding.”
Sunflower Seeds
A food with the words sun, flower and seeds is surely packed with proteins that promote vitality. And that’s the verdict health experts came up with when they discovered sunflower seeds boast a whopping 49% of the daily volume for vitamin E, 41% for selenium and 14% for zinc. This bevvy of natural ingredients neutralises free radicals that can threaten the health of your cells. As a result of the body’s natural extermination process, you are rewarded with glowing, youthful skin.
Sweet Potatoes
We recommend adding sweet potatoes alongside your roasted fatty fish on the basis that they contain beta-carotene. These warriors come from a branch of Carotenoids that act as a natural sunblock and prevent sunburn, skin-cell death and dried-up wrinkles. There is also evidence to support beta carotene adds a warm, healthy-looking glow to the colour of your skin.
Red or yellow bell peppers
Another tasty treat you can throw into scores of delicious meals are red and yellow bell peppers. These colourful veggies contain our friends vitamin C and beta-carotene alongside vitamin A - which promotes natural moisturising, prevent breakouts and supports the skin’s immune system to speed up healing.
Broccoli
Although broccoli is not the best tasting green you’ve ever tried, it is a known superfood and should be your best friend. Why? Broccoli is amped with vitamins, minerals and carotenoids together with sulforaphane, a powerful agent that protects your skin from sun damage. It’s even been linked with the prevention of skin cancer. Sulforaphane may also help maintain skin collagen levels. That’s what best friends are for!
Tomatoes
Together with vitamin C and all the major carotenoids, tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a potent antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from UV damage. It may not do much for sun-dried tomatoes, but a study in The Journal of Nutrition found that 40 grams of tomato paste a day will protect your skin against sunburn.
Dark Chocolate
No, this is not a curveball. Cocoa contains a potent antioxidant called flavonol which has been shown to stave off wrinkles and thick skin. Flavonol increases blood flow and hydration which helps to keep skin texture as smooth as a babies. Experts recommend that you should only eat dark chocolate above 70% cocoa because they have less sugar content.
Green Tea
Green tea contains the powerful antioxidants catechins and polyphenols. This ass-kicking combo reduce redness, improve hydration and flushes out toxins to help heal blemishes. Researchers also discovered that vitamin K in green tea help lighten the circles under the eyes. So once the bags have cooled down, reuse them for treating the bags under your eyes.
You are what you eat and when you devour healthy foods that work wonders for the skin, you glow more, have fewer blemishes on your skin and look younger for longer.
