Healthy, radiant skin is a must for looking your best each day and is also the secret to looking younger for longer. There’s not much we can do to halt the passing of time, but what we can do is eat the right foods to put us a step in the right direction. The Huffington Post recently compiled a comprehensive list of the best foods for your skin, and we’ve taken the 7 options that strike a perfect balance of nutrition and vitamins and will give you that perfect glow.
Spinach is a nutrient-rich food you should definitely include into your eating plan. It’s an excellent source of Vitamin E, iron, chlorophyll, folate, magnesium, fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and plant protein, which are all great for your skin. Spinach is also packed with antioxidants that help prevent different types of skin problems such as acne. You can use spinach in a green smoothie or add it to your salads. Eating spinach regularly will help clean your skin from the inside out.
Flax seeds are rich in omega-3’s that play a critical role in controlling the appearance of age spots and fine lines. A study shows that consuming flax seeds every day helps relieve skin redness and irritation and helps make skin look fresh and soft. Add some flax seeds to your oatmeal, smoothies or your favorite muffin recipe.
Purple and blue fruits are among the best foods to eat for a great skin. Blueberries, blackberries and plums are all rich in antioxidants, which combat free radical damage. If you don’t know, free radicals come from a poor diet or chemicals in the environment. Purple and blue fruits can also help keep your skin looking younger longer.
Sweet Potatoes are high in vitamins A and C, which are both essential for glowing and healthy skin. The thing is, vitamin C increases collagen production that keeps your skin supple and smooth, and vitamin A is a potent antioxidant that fights free radical damage and prevents skin cancer. I think it’s a great reason to add sweet potatoes to your eating plan.
Tomatoes, despite what some people would have you believe, are not a cause of acne. They are an excellent source of antioxidants, namely lycopene, which helps improve skin health as well as protects pigmentation. Add tomatoes to your salads or put some on a sandwich. When you cook tomatoes, you increase their lycopene content, so feel free to eat pizza sauce and marinara too!!
Red Bell Peppers are a superfood when it comes to skincare. One Red Bell Pepper has over 100% of your everyday vitamin C needs. It’s high in vitamin B6, dietary fiber and carotenoids that help fight wrinkles and increase blood flow to your skin, helping you look more youthful. Eating red bell peppers can also help combat acne. It’s an easy and delicious snack that has only 30 calories and contains fiber so they leave you feeling fuller for longer.
Salmon is packed with vitamin D that is responsible for keeping your brain, heart, bones and colon healthy. It helps reduce anxiety, depression, and prevent colon cancer, bone disease and heart disease. Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that help hydrate your skin from the inside out as well as help fight inflammation, acne and wrinkles. Plus, consuming salmon regularly keeps your scalp hydrated and promotes healthy, strong hair.
Finally, and we swear we’re not making this one up, we can reveal that Chocolate is good for your skin. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, actually increases flavonol intake that translates to gorgeous skin. Since chocolate has some calories, make sure you eat it in moderation.
(Images and source – Huffpost)
