GUEST POST: 6 Super Foods for Fabulous Skin
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat!” It’s no secret a healthy diet can do wonders for skin, but did you know there are specific foods out there that offer a super serving of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant that your skin absolutely loves! In this guide we’ll be speaking about 6 foods that you can easily find in any pantry that will make your skin the healthiest it’s ever been! Incorporating these foods into your diet can be a sure-fire way to improve and maintain your skin’s condition and appearance.
Fatty Fish
Omega - 3 fats do a great job at keeping
your skin moisturized, supple and maintain a proper layer of thickness. Including fish such as Herring, Salmon or Mackerel on your dinner plate is a great step towards maintaining healthy looking skin as fatty fish contain rich sources of Omega - 3 fat.
Fish that contain Omega - 3 fats reduce inflammation which can subsequently prevent acne and redness. One study found regular ingestion of Omega 3 fats can even help against the sun's UV rays. Another very important antioxidant for your skin is Vitamin E, fatty fish is a great source of vitamin E.
Avocados
Avocado is full of healthy fats and feed your skin with a super dose of vitamins E and C. A study of 700 women discovered that eating the fats found in
avocados was linked to more healthy and spongy skin.
If you were to eat one avocado a day you would receive around 20% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and a whopping 30% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin E. Now remember this is based on average sized avocados, around 200-grams. You may get even more or a little less depending on the sizing.
Water
I guess this doesn’t exactly count as a food but either way not enough people speak about the benefits drinking enough water can have for your skin.
Your skin needs enough moisture to stay hydrated and flexible. A lot of people either forget to drink water or are constantly drinking, coffee, soft drinks, or juices. While these all do provide hydration there’s no substitute to water.
When you aren’t drinking enough the
cells in your skin aren’t properly hydrated which can cause the skin to look dry and more prone to wrinkling. In short, your skin definitely won’t have that healthy vibrant look if you’re not drinking enough water.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes but also something like a healthy, organic pasta sauce contain an anti-aging
antioxidant called lycopene. One of the many benefits of Lycopene is that it stops free radicals.
If you’ve got too many free radicals it can stress out your body. Antioxidants such as Lycopene turn the free radicals harmless, helping to reduce inflammation stress and help skin cells to properly cope in the environment.
Oatmeal
Unfortunately, most people start their day with a sugary cereal, not so good if you want vibrant looking skin. Instead ditch the sugary cereal and replace it with a bowl of oatmeal.
Oatmeal contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help
treat dry irritated skin. You may remember taking a bath of oatmeal as a child when you caught the chicken pox to help treat skin. Oatmeal isn’t just a topical treatment; it helps treat skin from the inside-out too!
Broccoli
My personal favorite, broccoli is a veggie that brings with it a host of
goodies for your skin. Things such as zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C and a variety of minerals and vitamins that will help your skin's overall health. It also contains
a little thing called
Lutin, it’s great at preventing oxidative damage and lucky for us Broccoli brings enough lutin to keep us protected.
Another benefit of broccoli is keeping us protected from the sun, it contains a compound called sulforaphane that helps protect skin from UV rays. It works by reducing free radicals in your body and boosts certain protective systems.
In Conclusion
I personally find it fascinating all the different benefits that everyday foods can for our skin.
Hopefully this guide sheds some light on some of the healthy foods you can integrate into your lifestyle to maintain youthful looking and feeling skin.
Sarah is a Beauty and Skin Care Enthusiast. She’s big on both the environment and the ideas and insights shared on her blog.
Resources used
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