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Most of us have a good understanding of the fundamentals of skincare. Cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, exercise, hydration, hygiene… the list goes on. But did you know that certain foods also help with maintaining and even improving the condition of your skin?
Photo by Fischer Twins on Unsplash
As we learn more about the way food affects our bodies, we’ve found that certain foods have a positive or adverse effect on our skin. As you’d expect, sugary, processed foods are no good; while a number of natural and often tasty foods can benefit your skin in a variety of ways.
In this post, we’ll take a look at six foods that promote healthy skin, helping you take another step towards reaching your skincare goals.
While the foods listed below play a significant role in maintaining healthy skin, taking supplements can further assist in improving not only the condition of your skin but also your overall health.
Arctic Ruby Oil is a fairly new supplement that contains a number of important vitamins, minerals, proteins and fatty acids that boost energy, increase stamina, promote weight loss and improve the general wellbeing of your body. If you’d like to try this out, Immunocorp supplies an affordable and high-quality Arctic Ruby Oil, along with a number of other supplements and products that are great for skincare, weight loss, sleep, vitality and heart health.
Thanks to the plethora of health benefits it provides, the avocado is more than worthy of its title as a superfood. The high amount of healthy fats contained in avocados keeps your skin moisturized and flexible. There is also evidence to suggest that avocados contain compounds that protect your skin from sun damage, which can cause wrinkles.
A single serving, or about half an avocado, provides 10% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin E. This, especially when combined with Vitamin C, helps protect your skin against oxidative damage and aids in maintaining strong and healthy skin.
While it may not be everyone’s favourite vegetable, there’s no denying the health benefits of broccoli. One of the most noteworthy nutrients contained in broccoli is lutein, which like avocados, protects your skin from oxidative damage. This aids in preventing dryness and wrinkles.
Broccoli also contains a more unique nutrient known as sulforaphane, which has a number of profound health benefits. This includes not only protecting your skin against sun damage, but also assisting in preventing certain types of skin cancers.
Nothing makes snack time healthier and more enjoyable than a bag of sunflower seeds. Aside from strengthening your nervous system, protecting against heart disease, boosting your immune system and fighting stress, sunflower seeds also contain a healthy dose of Vitamin E, selenium and zinc. These act as important nutrients for the health of your skin.
Fatty fish in particular, such as herring and salmon, also contains a healthy amount of omega-3, as well as Vitamin E, protein and zinc. Omega-3 not only reduces inflammation but also keeps your skin moisturized, thick and supple. A deficiency of this essential nutrient can actually contribute to causing dryness.
Studies have shown that fish oil supplements aid in preventing inflammatory and autoimmune conditions such as psoriasis and lupus. The protein contained in fatty fish assists in maintaining the strength and integrity of your skin. Zinc also assists in producing new skin cells, making those exfoliating sessions all the more helpful.
Your body cannot produce fatty acids itself, which is why foods that contain them – such as walnuts – are so important. We all know that redness is the last thing we want to see on our skin. This makes the inflammation-reducing omega-3 fats found in walnuts greatly beneficial for keeping your skin clear and evenly toned.
The zinc found in walnuts is essential for speeding up your skin’s healing process and aids in creating a protective barrier over the surface of your skin. Zinc also fights bacteria and reduces inflammation. The small amounts of vitamins C and E, as well as selenium contained in walnuts further assists in keeping your skin healthy.
Sweet potatoes are not only a great alternative to normal potatoes in terms of health, but they also contain a number of important nutrients that can protect your skin from UV damage and assist in adding warmth to your skin, contributing to an overall healthier appearance.
These benefits namely come from the high provitamin A reserves found in sweet potatoes, which your body uses to convert into Vitamin A. There’s also a high amount of beta-carotene contained in sweet potatoes. This is what protects your skin from UV damage, as it acts like a natural sunblock.
Not enough for you? Here are some other healthy foods that can work wonders for your skin: dark chocolate, tomatoes, soy, and bell peppers. When you’re not drinking plenty of water, you can also consider green tea and red wine as these are known to also have benefits for your skin health.
This is a collaborative post.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
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