What are the 6 best foods you can enjoy to ensure you have radiant skin?
Radiant skin is strong and healthy. It glows from within.
Poor diet, lack of essential vitamins and nutrients, and inadequate hydration can take a toll on your looks. Undernourished skin simply doesn’t have that healthy, vibrant glow. Poorly-nourished skin appears dull, dehydrated, and lifeless. If you want radiant skin, take a look at your diet first.
You can use all the lotions, potions, and treatments in the world to improve your skin, but eating habits impact appearance, too. How exactly does diet affect skin radiance? A healthy, varied diet high in proteins, minerals, vitamins, water, and antioxidants delivers essential nourishment to your skin by way of the body’s vascular system. With proper nutrition, skin looks revitalised and healthy.
There are several nutrients that improve skin radiance. Experts say regularly consuming omega fatty acids, minerals like selenium and zinc, and Vitamin A, C, and E can give skin a gorgeous glow. Fresh fruits are a great way to introduce vitamins and antioxidants into your diet, but our list goes beyond that. Here are more beneficial foods you can eat for more radiant skin:
1 Fish
Fish are a healthy skin all-star. Fish contain omega fatty acids, selenium, zinc, vitamin A, and protein. Cold water fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are rich in omega 3, which is ideal for radiant skin because it acts as an anti-inflammatory. Omega 3 also may improve skin hydration, helping skin glow. Protein in fish supplies amino acids needed to produce collagen. Vitamin A is also excellent for skin health. A 3.5oz serving of tuna contains 50 percent of your daily vitamin A requirement. If you’re shopping for canned tuna, stick with albacore packed in water, not oil. Since water and oil don’t mix, the healthy oils in the fish won’t disperse in the water, meaning you get about two-thirds more omega 3 per serving. For dinner, try baked sole or John Dory crusted with pecans or almonds for more skin-loving goodness. That brings us to our next point…
2 Nuts
Seriously, nuts are the best. Almonds, brazil nuts, and walnuts are packed with fatty acids and protein, which your skin loves. Cashews have selenium, a mineral that reduces inflammation. Best of all, they’re easy to add to your diet. It’s the perfect healthy snack. Buy some mixed unsalted nuts (or trail mix with dried cranberries, unsweetened dark chocolate, or raisins for added vitamins and yumminess!) and leave them on your office desk. It will help you get through the mid-afternoon slump at work. Or keep individually wrapped snack-size packets in your purse for when you’re hungry on the go. You can even sprinkle nuts on salad to make it more nutritious. Almonds and pecans make a tasty topping.
3 Dark Leafy Greens
Bring on the spinach! Loaded with vitamin A, C, and antioxidants, dark leafy vegetables are your friend. Salads are healthy, but let’s face it – they can be a bit boring. There are more inventive ways to incorporate leafy greens to your meals. Bok choy is delicious in a bowl of hot ramen, and a half cup of bok choy contains 25 percent of the recommended vitamin C intake and 32 percent of your Vitamin A. Both are healthy-skin essentials. Raw spinach is seriously mouth-watering with chopped hard boiled eggs and Italian vinaigrette. Lettuce wraps are great substitutes for taco shells, and with the right taco seasoning you won’t miss out on any flavour. You might also try adding romaine, kale, or chard to your dinner rotation.
4 Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive oil – the easiest of all foods to add to your meals. It is rich in omega 3’s and contains antioxidants for an anti-inflammatory effect. Skin loves both these things, so don’t be shy to drizzle some EVOO on your salad, pasta, or fish. If you’re counting calories, don’t go overboard.
5 Green Tea
Green tea is wonderful for a glowing complexion. It is a well-known antioxidant, which are vital for skin health and radiance. Antioxidants protect skin and reduce inflammation. Green tea contains a healthy dose of polyphenols. Research shows that 12 weeks of drinking green tea improved oxygen and blood flow to the skin in study participants. Not a fan of green tea? Grapes and olives also contain polyphenols.
6 Dark Chocolate
You didn’t think we’d skip dessert, did you? Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which act as an anti-inflammatory. It contains antioxidants, which protect and heal skin from free radical damage. When skin is healthy and protected, it glows from within. A one-ounce serving also has 6 percent of your recommended zinc, another mineral skin loves. Enjoy in moderation, just skip processed treats loaded with refined sugar.
For more information on how you can maintain radiant, healthy skin and product recommendations to match, visit our friends griffin+row.
This article was originally published in Issue 9 – A New Leaf. You can purchase this issue and enjoy more enchanting content here.
