Nutrition is a key factor for a healthy life; as an unhealthy way of living can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain and even affect organs such as your heart and liver. In this blog we will be sharing what are the fundamental things you should be including in your meal plans to achieve a healthy diet and amazing glowing skin!
Fatty Fish:
Fatty fish including anything from salmon, mackerel and herring, these are excellent foods for healthy skin. All rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These acids help maintain skin thick, supple and moisturized. In fact lack of this particular acid can cause dry skin. Also helpful to reduce inflammations which can be the cause of redness and acne to even make your skin less sensitive to the sun's harmful UV rays.
Avocados:
Being that avocados are filled with healthy fats, the body takes advantage of these fats for benefit of many functions; including the health skin. Getting enough of them can keep your skin flexible and looking at its best. As well as being great providers of Vitamin E which is an important antioxidant it is also the nutrient that Americans don't get enough of.
Another component that could lead to the best skin possible is Vitamin C, lack of it can cause dry, rough, scaly skin that bruises easily; as well for protect from the aging affects of the sun and environment.
Walnuts:
Walnuts have many characteristics that make them an excellent food for healthy skin. They are a good source of essential fatty acids, which are fats that your body cannot make itself.In fact, they are richer than most other nuts in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
A diet too high in omega-6 fats promotes inflammation, including inflammatory conditions of the skin like psoriasis. Omega-3 fats, on the other hand, help reduce inflammation in the body, including in the skin.
While omega-6 fatty acids are plentiful in the Western diet, sources of omega-3 fatty acids are rare. Walnuts contain a good ratio of these fatty acids, and may, therefore, fight the inflammatory response to too much omega-6.
Sunflower Seeds:
In general, nuts and seeds are good sources of nutrients that are important for healthy skin. Sunflower seeds are an excellent example. One ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds contains 32% of the RDI for the antioxidant selenium, 10% of the RDI for zinc and 5.4 grams of protein.
This amount also contains 37% of the RDI for vitamin E, which is a great way to make sure you're getting enough of this important vitamin and antioxidant.
Additionally, sunflower seeds are an excellent source of linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fat that helps your skin stay thick, flexible and moisturized .
In a large observational study of more than 4,000 women, a high intake of linoleic acid was associated with a lower risk of dry and thin skin as a result of aging.
Sweet Potatoes:
Beta-carotene is a nutrient found in plants.
It can be converted into vitamin A in the body, and it's found in orange and dark-green vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes. Sweet Potatoes are an excellent source of it. One 1/2-cup serving (100 grams) of baked sweet potato contains enough beta-carotene to provide nearly four times the RDI of vitamin A.
Carotenoids like beta-carotene help keep your skin healthy by acting as a natural sunblock. When consumed, this antioxidant is incorporated into your skin and protects your skin cells from sun exposure. This may help prevent sunburn, cell death and the resulting effects of dry, wrinkled skin.
Interestingly, beta-carotene may also add a warm, orange color to your skin, contributing to an overall healthier look.
Red or Yellow Peppers:
Like sweet potatoes, bell peppers are an excellent source of beta-carotene. One cup (149 grams) of chopped, red bell pepper contains the equivalent of 92% of the RDI for vitamin A.
They are also one of the best sources of vitamin C the antioxidant that's necessary for creating the protein collagen, which keeps skin firm and strong. One cup of bell pepper provides an impressive 317% of the RDI for vitamin C.
A large observational study in women found that eating plenty of vitamin C was associated with a lower chance of skin appearing wrinkled and becoming dry with age.
Broccoli:
Broccoli makes the list because it is full of many vitamins and minerals important for skin health, including zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C.
It also contains lutein, a carotenoid that works like beta-carotene. It protects the skin from oxidative damage, which can cause skin to become dry and wrinkled.
But broccoli florets also contain a special compound called sulforaphane, which seems to have some impressive health benefits. It may even have anti-cancer effects, including on some types of skin cancer.
Sulforaphane is also a powerful protective agent against sun damage. It works in two ways: by neutralizing harmful free radicals and turning on other protective systems in the body.
In the lab, sulforaphane reduces the number of skin cells killed by UV light by as much as 29%, and the protection lasts for up to 48 hours. There is also evidence that it helps maintain collagen levels in the skin.
Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and contain all of the major carotenoids, including lycopene.
Beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene have been shown to protect the skin against damage from the sun and may also help prevent wrinkling.
Because tomatoes contain all of the major carotenoids, they are an excellent food for maintaining healthy skin.
However, carotenoids need fat to be absorbed, so be sure to pair tomatoes with something like cheese or olive oil.
Soy:
Soy contains isoflavones, or plant compounds, that can either mimic or block estrogen in the body. They may have several potential health benefits, including possible benefits for the skin.
One small study of women in their 30s and 40s found that eating soy isoflavones every day for 8–12 weeks improved fine wrinkles and skin elasticity.
In postmenopausal women, soy may also help improve skin dryness and increase collagen, which helps keep your skin smooth and strong.
These isoflavones not only protect the cells inside of your body from damage, but also protect your skin from damage from harmful UV rays. This may even help prevent the development of some skin cancers.
Dark Chocolate:
As if you needed one more reason to eat chocolate, the effects of cocoa on skin are pretty impressive.
One study found that after 6–12 weeks of consuming a cocoa powder high in antioxidants, participants experience thicker, more hydrated skin.
Their skin was also less rough and scaly, less sensitive to sunburn and had better blood flow, which brings more nutrients to the skin.
Another study found that regularly eating just 20 grams of dark chocolate high in antioxidants per day could allow skin to withstand more than twice as much UV radiation before burning, compared to eating chocolate low in antioxidants.
Several other studies have produced similar results, including improvements in the appearance of wrinkles. However, it is worth mentioning that at least one study did not find significant effects.
Evidence shows that cocoa may be a powerful tool for keeping your skin young and protected from damage. Make sure to choose dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa in order to maximize the health benefits and keep added sugar to a minimum.
Green Tea:
Green tea may also have the ability to protect your skin from damage and aging.
The powerful compounds found in green tea are called catechins, and they work to protect and improve the health of your skin in several ways.
Like several other antioxidant-containing foods, regularly consuming green tea can help protect your skin against sun damage.
One 12-week study in 60 women found that drinking green tea daily could reduce redness from sun exposure by up to 25%. It also improved the moisture, roughness, thickness and elasticity of their skin.
While green tea is a great choice for healthy skin, you may want to avoid drinking your tea with milk. There's evidence that milk could reduce the beneficial effects of its antioxidants.
Red Wine:
Red wine is famous for containing resveratrol, a compound that comes from the skin of red grapes.
Resveratrol is credited with a wide range of health benefits, and reducing the effects of aging is one the most well-known.
The skin has specific binding sites for resveratrol. When applied to the skin, this compound has been shown to slow skin's aging. When consumed, it's also able to reduce the production of harmful free radicals, which damage skin cells and cause signs of aging.
Unfortunately, there's not much evidence that the amount of resveratrol you get from a glass of red wine is enough to make a difference in your skin. And since red wine is an alcoholic beverage, there are negative effects to drinking it in excess.
It's not a good idea to start drinking red wine just because of its potential health benefits. But if you drink in moderation anyway, you might want to consider red wine as your drink of choice.
Health and Beauty tips
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