8 Foods for Healthy and Glowing Skin

When we talk about healthy and glowing skin, the first thing that comes to mind is skincare products.

We all buy a ton of skincare products, make lifestyle changes, use home remedies and take time to pamper our skin because we want it to glow.

One major thing we often forget is food.

Don’t get me wrong, all these other things I have listed are great, but they only take care of your skin on the outside. How about taking care of your skin from the inside out?

What you eat affects your skin health. Eating a lot of fried foods, greasy foods, sugary foods, pastries, etc., can lead to breakouts on your skin and can make one’s skin very oily.

But the right foods provide your skin cells the nutrients they need to stay healthy.

Without wasting more time, let’s go through some of the foods that can give you a healthy and glowing skin:

  1. Tomatoes

This is really good news because in Nigeria, everyone eats stew at least once a week and one of the major ingredients is tomatoes.

Tomatoes provide your body with vitamin C and contain all of the major carotenoids which are natural antioxidants.

Carotenoids including Beta carotene, lycopene, and lutein help to protect your skin from sun damage and prevents wrinkles on your skin. Tomatoes help to reduce the appearance of aging signs.

You can either eat it raw, include it in a dish or apply directly on your skin.

  1. Garlic

We all know that Garlic is a spice and it gives a spicy edge to our meals, but it does more than that.

Garlic helps to purge out harmful bacteria from your body. This stimulates blood circulation within your skin (in your whole body actually) and leaves your skin clearer.

This purge also cleanses your skin from impurities which prevent the occurrence of breakouts and helps to treat acne on the skin.

All this is made possible because of the antibiotic properties that garlic has. You can blend garlic and make a juice or chop it and put it in your food.

  1. Avocados

If you need a fruit to go alongside your meals, avocado is a sure bet.

It helps to stimulate the production of glutathione which is a natural antioxidant that helps to reduce your body’s aging process.

Foods rich in glutathione fight off the negative effects of toxins your skin gets exposed to from water, air, plastics used in packaging foods, etc., and other environmental factors.

It also reduces the effects of stress on your skin and helps to detox your skin.

You can eat avocados alone or mix it in your salad dish.

  1. Nuts

One of the healthiest foods to snack on is nuts.

Almonds for example are rich in zinc and selenium which help to purify your blood and nourish your skin.

Another nut that nourishes your skin is walnuts.

It is rich in Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats, and protein which come together to not only provide your skin the nutrient it needs to stay healthy but also increases brainpower.

Cashew nuts contains acne-fighting nutrients like vitamin E, zinc, etc. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights aging signs, hydrates your skin and reduces skin inflammation.

Other nuts you can eat for healthy skin include: brazil nuts, pistachios, hazelnut, peanut, pecan, macadamia, etc.

  1. Water

Talk about one of the best drinks nature has provides us with, its water.

Water plays a very vital role in keeping your skin healthy and giving it that unique glow. It keeps your skin hydrates which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

It also helps your skin cells stay healthy and flushes away toxins. It regulates blood flow within your whole body, including your skin.

Instead of taking that bottle of carbonated drink, cup of coffee or juice, try a cup of water first.

You should drink up to 8 glasses of water everyday to keep not only your skin in shape, but the whole body.

  1. Dark leafy greens

When I say dark leafy greens, I mean vegetables like spinach, kale, arugula, swiss chard, etc.

These vegetables are rich in vitamin A and K. Vitamin A has healing properties that keep your skin healthy.

It prevents the appearance of skin blemishes and protects your skin from the damaging effects of ultra-violet rays.

Vitamin K, on the other hand, helps to clear off dark circles under your eyes and eye bags.

You can eat these vegetables raw, mix them in a salad, use them to cook or blend them into juice.

  1. Fatty fish

Fishes rich in omega 3 fatty acids (salmons, mackerel, tuna, sardines, canola, etc.) are good for the skin.

They boost up the level of linoleic acid in your body which serves as a natural barrier to the production of oil in your skin.

This helps to regulate the level of natural oil secretion necessary for hydrating and nourishing the skin. The end result of this is a clear and glowing skin

They also make your skin less sensitive to the sun’s harmful rays reduce skin inflammation which can lead to acne.

Also, fishes with omega-3 fatty acids usually have proteins that help to keep your skin healthy.

  1. Dark chocolate

Not just any chocolate, dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is made from cocoa which contains lots of antioxidants. Cocoa makes your skin smoother, hydrated, less sensitive to sunburns, and reduces the appearance of aging signs like wrinkles.

It also increases blood circulation within your skin.

For lovers of chocolate, dark chocolate is the best choice for your skin.

In conclusion,

Foods play an integral part in giving you a healthy and glowing skin.

They might not give you radical results like skincare products would but eating the right foods every day reduces the need to treat your skin.

In fact, you will only have to buy skincare products to maintain your glowing skin.

 

 

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