Guess what is better than Botox to get your skin in tip top shape? Food! If you love to eat, then we have a great recipe for you to improve the look of your skin. Of course, we are not talking about candy bars and pastries. We all know nutrition is important for our health. An unhealthy diet can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain (yikes!) and can even damage your internal organs. Nutritious foods, on the other hand, can significantly affect the health of your skin and can possibly even slow down the aging process! (That got my attention!)
Get ready to draw up your shopping list, as you just might want to fill your grocery cart with a variety of the following suggestions:
- Fatty fish: If you like salmon, mackerel and herring, these foods are excellent for healthy skin. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, they will help maintain the overall health of your skin. Omega-3 fatty acids help keep your skin thick, moisturized and supple. They can also reduce inflammation, which can create acne and redness. Omega-3 fatty acids are also a great source of vitamin E, an important antioxidant for your skin. They help protect your skin against free radicals.
- Avocados: High in healthy fats, this food helps to keep your skin moisturized and flexible. Avocados contain compounds that can help protect your skin from sun damage, which in turn causes wrinkles and other signs of aging.
- Walnuts: Get cracking here! Walnuts are an amazing source of essential fatty acids that your body cannot make. They are richer than most other nuts in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. One ounce of walnuts also contains 8% of the daily value (DV) for Zinc, another essential element for healthy skin.
- Broccoli: Remember when you were a kid and couldn’t stand the thought of eating this vegetable? Well, maybe you did….if it came smothered in melted cheese! But even so…you probably didn’t go near it often. However, broccoli is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids, all of which are important for skin health. This tasty veggie also contains sulforaphane, which may help prevent skin cancer and protect your skin from sunburn.
- Dark chocolate: Finally! A sweet treat on the list! But, hold on! You don’t want to overindulge. Nevertheless, this delicious food is chock full of antioxidants that can protect your skin against sunburn. It may also improve wrinkles, hydration, blood flow, skin texture and skin thickness.
- Sweet potatoes: These are a wonderful source of beta carotene. Beta carotene acts as a natural sunblock and may even protect your skin from sun damage.
- Green tea: Green tea is known for some of the most powerful antioxidants around: catechins. These can protect your skin from sun damage. They can also help reduce redness and improve elasticity, thickness and overall hydration.
- Tomatoes: Ah….the sweet treat of summer! However, you can enjoy them year-round….and you should! Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C. They also contain all the major carotenoids, especially lycopene. These carotenoids protect your skin from sun damage and possibly prevent wrinkling.
While this list is not all-inclusive, it does give you a good footprint for what you should routinely consume to give your skin the best advantage to remain supple, youthful-looking and hydrated!
Short summary: What you eat can affect the health of your skin, either positively or adversely! It matters what goes on your plate and into your mouth.
Source: healthline.com
