Sometimes drinking a ton of water, getting plenty of sleep, face creams, serums, masks and hair treatments just isn’t enough to keep us looking fabulous. Instead of turning to cosmetics to sort your boat race out, try taking a closer look at what you’re eating.
I’m a firm believer that a lot of the answers to our problems lie within nature and the food we eat is no different. Here are some foods you need to get eating for a more beautiful you.
Very berry
Any fruit from the berry family is super good for you. I literally need zero encouragement in eating them. Give them to me as they are or stick ‘em in a blender as a smoothie, I’ll happily take the lot! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are all packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, giving even the zesty orange a run for its money. Skin cancer fighting and wrinkle busting these little berries pack a punch!
Why is Vitamin C so good for us? Vitamin C is essential for beautiful skin as it regulates collagen and helps prevent your skin from losing moisture and prevents breakouts, eczema and bacteria-related acne. How cool is that?! Best get stocking up on these delicious fruits as our bodies, rather annoyingly, can’t store vitamin C so you need to make sure your daily diet is packed with it.
Lovely lentils
Long live the lentil!! Thank goodness the asian diet relies heavily on this superfood. Who doesn’t love a good dhal, so quick and easy to make. Not only is it a great carb but they also provide us with gorgeous hair! Rich in iron and zinc, lentils aid our body in processing fat and protein.
If you find that you have an iron deficiency chances are that not only will this affect your skin, it will have a significant impact on your hair. Want to maintain your luscious locks? First get your iron levels checked by a doctor and secondly increase your iron intake by packing in those lentils for strong, thicker, shiny hair.
Go Nuts
Again thank goodness for our Asian vibes! Nuts feature in many of our favourite desi dishes, mainly deserts but who cares! (gimme that rasmalai, that has nuts right?!) Also did you know nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts are rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that works to repair and protect your skin. To get the science bit out of the way, vitamin E keep the skin supple and works by reducing radicals, a horrible thing that causes our skin to go dry, causing damage to cells, fine lines, and wrinkles. Go easy on these bad boys though as they are high in kcals.
Eat your greens!
That’s right the foods we hated eating growing up is now our skin saviour! Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli are full of Vitamin E and iron, which helps detoxify the liver, which in turn detoxes the skin.
Also present, vitamin A, which helps combat acne by slowing down the production of sebum and collagen boosting vitamin C, a key factor in maintaining healthy skin as we age.
Colourful veggies
Veggies such as peppers and tomatoes are another food item that pips the orange to the vitamin C punch. Packed to the brim with vitamin C, we already know the benefits it has on preventing our skin from breakouts. Other vital veggies to include in your diet are avocados, full of vitamin E as well as B, also known as the ‘happy’ vitamin. If you follow me on instagram you’ll know I love this mashed on toast with eggs! Yum!
Fishy business
Our fishy friends are literally goals when it comes to health and beauty benefits. Suffer from blemishes, oily skin and spots? Vitamin A, D and Omega-3 acids will keep your skin healthy by regulating its oil production, beat blemishes and get your skin summer ready.
It doesn’t stop there! Vitamin D replenishes hydration and boosts your skin elasticity, which will help the ageing process.
Omega-3 when eaten, gives us not only gorgeous skin and healthy nails but well nourished hair too!
Apple cider vinegar
Lots or research has gone into the benefits of apple cider vinegar. Not the easiest thing to stomach, however the health benefits far out weigh the taste. Always make sure it’s with the ‘mother’, which contains the proteins, enzymes and beneficial gut bacteria, which assists in digestion. Consuming this could help you shed winter weight and cause suppression in body fat accumulation. Add a teaspoon to your water in the morning and if possible use a straw to stop it ripping the enamel off your teeth!
Show me the honey!
Honey isn’t just delicious to eat, it’s packed with countless benefits. There is no way I can list all its benefits in one small paragraph, as it literally deserves its own library! Raw honey is great for both internal and external uses. When ingested in moderation it boosts internal health, it’s naturally antibacterial so will improve the condition of your skin and regular consumption will cleanse your body of toxins, which is great for acne treatment and prevention. Also as it’s full of antioxidants so it’s great for slowing down ageing and when applied topically, it’s an instant complexion boost as it’s so moisturising and soothing.
It’s no surprise so many of our beauty products contain extracts from the above, there’s nothing like the real deal though and if we can increase our fresh food intake, we’ll look and feel great too. Happy munching!