Beauty Foods

You heard the saying: “You are what you eat.” If you eat too much or foods that are high in fat, well there’s a high chance that you will be overweight and suffer from health problems in the distant future, but this is not the focus of what I want to talk about. What I really want to discuss are the certain types of foods which can actually have a positive effect on your skin. By this I mean these foods can help to prevent anti-aging and the overall breakdown of skin cells, basically keep your skin younger looking. Consequently, one can term these foods as “beauty foods”.

I’d like to look at a few of these foods.

There’s nothing better than freshly grown tomatoes which will be more nutritious and delicious compared to store purchased tomatoes. In a sandwich or in a tossed salad, tomatoes taste great but besides the vitamins it contains (Vitamin A and C), they also contain Lycopene which protects skin cells and promotes faster new cell growth. I’ve also read that Lycopene may prevent certain types of cancer. Studies are inconclusive to-date with respect to its potential cancer preventing properties. Regardless, you should include tomatoes in your diet. If you are unable to or do not like the taste of tomatoes, consider a supplement like Rosehips which contains Lycopene.

“An apple a day, keeps the doctor away”… Apples are loaded with vitamins, plus they are good for your skin.

The Omega 3 in fish improves not only dry skin, but it boosts your immune system enabling you to stay healthier and I find that it gives me a lot more energy particularly great for athletes and people who exercise a lot. Of course due to pollution concerns, you just cannot consume fish every day and you need to be aware of what types of fish will contain more environmental contaminants. Generally the rule is the bigger the fish is and if it’s a bottom feeder, then they will be higher in harmful chemicals. What I recommend is that you take an Omega 3 supplement on the days that you do not consume fish and make sure that you read the label. A quality Omega 3 supplement will indicate that it is checked for and that it is free of lead, mercury and other environmental contaminants plus the source of the Omega 3.

Other foods that may keep your skin young and health looking include: various nuts, avocado, yoghurt and berries.

This is just a brief overview of our beauty foods. There are many more and I’d have to go to great detail to discuss each one. Generally you should include foods from each group during the week particularly at least 1 fruit and a serving of vegetables per day. If you cannot, I recommend that you take multi-vitamins. They are more convenient and you know you are getting all the vitamins in the right doses that your body requires.