14 Superfoods With Skin-Boosting Benefits
What you eat can significantly affect the appearance of your skin. And as the largest organ in our body, there are a variety of superfoods that positively affect it, and even improve imperfections.
Apart from superfood ingredients to add into your diet, it's also best to avoid unhealthy culinary techniques, such as frying, or refined flours and sugars, processed fats or foods, as it removes the vitamins and minerals necessary for cell renewal.
From chia seeds to the humble broccoli, we list the top skin-boosting superfoods and its benefits.
BROCCOLI
The humble brocolli contains components that stimulate the production of enzymes that protect and improve the skin. Various research has shown that when skin was treated with a broccoli extract and exposed to ultraviolet rays, had less redness and swelling.
TOMATO
Tomato is one of the best weapons for the skin since it contains a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, capable of protecting it from damage caused by sunlight. An important tip to note: this antioxidant is better absorbed once the tomato has been cooked. In addition, when it comes in both sauce or ketchup its benefits remain.
CUCUMBER
When consumed with the skin, it contributes its bitter flavor and moisturizing power to your skin, and aids in purifying and stimulating the body's cleaning process. Eat half a cucumber a day with the skin, in salads, creams or juices. It can even be used directly on the skin as a hydrating and nourishing mask.
CARROTS AND ORANGES
Any food with a strong orange color is great for the skin: carrots or oranges have a high concentration of vitamin A and carotenoids, an organic pigment found in various vegetables and fruits, which contributes to giving the skin a tan tone.
AVOCADO
It is a fruit - not a vegetable as many believe - with an abundance of healthy fatty acids, essential oils and B vitamins, which act as nutrients for the skin. It is believed that it could also combat inflammation, and relieve irritation and redness of the skin.
FISH
Fat is a much-needed nutrient that protects all cells in the body, including those in the skin. When too little fat is consumed, the skin becomes more fragile and weak. One of the best sources to obtain it is from blue fish, such as salmon and trout, which contains omega-3 fatty acids that are linked to reducing inflammation,and aid in stimulating the repair of skin cells.
GREEN TEA
It is not a secret that green tea is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties and rejuvenating effects on the skin thanks to its high concentration of catechin, which would improve the problems of redness and skin damage caused by the sun.
DARK CHOCOLATE
Just make sure it has at least 85% pure cocoa. If not, the amount of sugar it contains counteracts its benefits. Eating dark chocolate is proven to soften and improve the appearance of the skin. This is because the cocoa used in semi-dark chocolate contains substances that would help counteract aging, fatigue and sleep problems, key factors in skin health.
And then there are the seeds, so versatile when incorporating them into the daily routine and with so many concentrated nutrients that they can almost be classified as magic pills! Including seeds into your diet is doing your body a favor. The same holds true for nuts and spices.
POPPY SEEDS
They are a powerful nervous relaxant. They contain an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals: vitamins A, B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9), C and E. Minerals: calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, selenium. You can sprinkle them on the yogurt or on the fruit. Also include them as topping in cupcake or muffin recipes.
PUMPKIN SEEDS
Nothing bad can be said about them: they are a source of magnesium, zinc, omega-3, tryptophan ... Their benefits are numerous and their flavor and versatility make them perfect to be included in desserts, yogurts, stews, vegetables.
CHIA SEEDS
In addition to being an ideal complement to your yogurts or desserts, chia seeds are rich in Omega 3, which favors good cholesterol and helps our cardiovascular health. They provide amino acids with high bioavailability, which makes them ideal against skin problems such as wrinkles or dryness. It is better to grind or hydrate them beforehand to take advantage of these nutrients. Take 2 tablespoons a day as a pudding, as a sauce or dressing.
ALMONDS AND HAZELNUTS
Vitamin E is a great ally to take care of our skin. Although it is present in several dried fruits, it is almonds and hazelnuts that contain the most.
TURMERIC
As a great anti-inflammatory spice, it is highly recommended for combating acne. Keep in mind that in these cases an anti-inflammatory diet may be recommended. Every day use 2 slices, or half a teaspoon if it is powdered.
Spirulina
This blue-green algae, considered a superfood, has the capacity to nourish and detoxify the blood, as well as to favor cellular regeneration processes. This helps avoid dry skin and delays the appearance of wrinkles. Take 1 or 2 teaspoons a day in sauces, creams, or smoothies.
