15 Top Foods for Truly Beautiful, Younger Looking Skin (#12 is Wicked Good!)

One of the first things people will notice about you (not to mention one of the dead giveaways when it comes to your age) is your skin. Everyone wants that peaches and cream complexion, free from pimples, dark spots, an uneven skin tone, and wrinkles. One of the best ways to get truly beautiful skin it to feed it the nutrition it needs. One of the most important things for our skin (our entire body actually) but for today we will only focus on our skin are antioxidants. Free radicals are a by-product of our body. Unfortunately, free radicals turn around and attack our bodies on a cellular level (ungrateful things that they are) causing chronic disease and damage to our skin, including wrinkles and premature aging. Antioxidants are death to free radicals. We can fight back against free radicals by consuming more of the foods that are naturally high in antioxidants, which will naturally give us beautifully clear, radiant skin. Keep reading and find out which of the top 15 foods are vital to your skin so you can start looking better by the end of summer, with or without a tan! 1. Pumpkin Seeds If you tend to get breakouts, you might be low on zinc. This is a mineral which is vital to the normal functioning of our sebaceous glands. These are our skins oil glands and they keep our skin soft, supple, as well as repairing damage. Zinc can help to normalize the oil glands so that they don’t go crazy making more oil than we need. Take a zinc supplement or eat more pumpkin seeds as these are high in zinc. You can also find zinc in shellfish and nuts. 2. Turmeric Besides being a super food that is good for just about every single part of your body, studies show that turmeric can reduce the risk of developing certain skin diseases. The active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds, not to mention those potent antioxidants we were talking about. Add a teaspoon of turmeric to one glass of warm milk and drink each day for beautiful skin in a matter of weeks, not to mention a beautiful glow. 3. Flax Seed Oil For truly healthy skin, you need to get plenty of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Our bodies cannot make these substances, so we must get them from the foods we eat. Flax seed oil is a great way to get both omega-3 and omega-6 in the proper amounts. Omega-3 fatty acids encourage the body to make more anti-inflammatory compounds, which can help stop skin problems such as eczema and breakouts. Flax seed oil is generally consumed as a supplement. Take as directed. Continue to Page 2 4. Green Tea This tea is tops when it comes to antioxidant power. It also contains powerful polyphenols which protect the skin from getting cell damage from air pollution. Polyphenols are also anti-inflammatory compounds which can help to protect your skin from the damaging UV rays of the sun. Drink three cups of freshly brewed green tea each day for super beautiful skin. 5. Avocados Don’t be afraid of natural fats like the kind you find in avocados. These are not the same as the unhealthy saturated fats you find in foods like margarine and French fries. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, such as the kind in avocados, nuts, and seeds are a natural moisturizer for your skin. Avocados are also full of vitamin E, which can also help fight back against the damage that free radicals cause. 6. Blueberries Collagen is what keeps our skin firm and elastic. As we age, our bodies slowdown in their production of collagen. You can encourage your body to make more collagen by eating plenty of foods rich in vitamin C. Blueberries are loaded with this important vitamin as well as having the highest levels of antioxidants found in any fruit on the planet. Aim to eat at least one ounce of blueberries every single day for beautiful skin you can brag about. Continue to Page 3 7. Hazelnuts Along with antioxidants, vitamin E is important in the fight against free radical damage. Most Americans are sorely lacking in vitamin E. You can get more of the skin healthy goodness that vitamin E offers by taking a supplement, but why not get it from natural foods like hazelnuts? These tasty nuts are high in vitamin E. If you aren’t a fan of hazelnuts, both sunflower seeds and pine nuts are also high in this skin healthy vitamin. 8. Tomatoes Someone please pass the lasagna! Tomatoes contain vitamin C as well as an important compound called lycopene. When we cook tomatoes, they don’t lose vitamins like many other vegetables do; tomatoes increase their nutritional content by making lycopene. These are super antioxidants that fight free radical damage and keep your skin looking great. 9. Fatty Fish Oily, fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, trout, and mackerel all contain those important omega-3 fatty acids. These essential acids are natural anti-inflammatories which can keep your skin looking healthy. Salmon especially contains compounds that help to improve and preserve the elasticity of your skin which prevents wrinkles from forming. Aim to eat two servings of fatty fish (or more) each week. Continue to Page 4 10. Eggs Eggs contain an important antioxidant called lutein. This antioxidant helps to keep the skin healthy looking. Eggs also have protein, which builds the muscle and tissues underneath the skin which support the way it appears. Less muscle and face tissue means sagging skin so slice up a couple hard boiled eggs into your lunchtime salads and smile at your beautiful complexion. 11. Beans OK, so too many beans can make you toot, but they can also make you look good while you do it! Beans contain biotin, an important ingredient in beautiful skin. Try adding them to your diet a bit at a time so that your body becomes adjusted to them. 12. Papaya Papaya, along with other fruits and vegetables, are packed full of healthy antioxidants which protect your skin from the damage caused by those darn free radicals. Papaya contains plenty of beta-carotene, which is vital for healthy skin. Try to eat 5 portions of colorful fruit, such as papaya, each day for normal skin development and the most beautiful skin tone you can imagine. Start your day the tropical way and add a cup of papaya for some sunny skin healthy beta-carotene you can’t beat! Continue to Page 5 13. Almonds These nuts are another great way to get your vitamin E on. Vitamin E is a vital contributor to healthy cell structure as well as healthy skin cell tissue. Almonds are lower in fat and calories than other nuts as well as being an important source of biotin, a B vitamin, which is important to your skin and hair. Just a handful every day is all it takes to get the beautiful skin you deserve. 14. Strawberries Strawberries are a tasty way to get some of that super antioxidant, vitamin C. Vitamin C not only strengthens the immune system but it is also important for helping blemishes to heal quickly and gives you super radiant skin. Strawberries, along with blueberries and raspberries, also help the body to produce more collagen, which keeps the skin elastic and supple looking. SEE ALSO: 15 of the Best Kept Secrets for Beautiful Skin 15. Brazil Nuts Selenium is a super powerful antioxidant and it works well with other antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C. Selenium is absolutely essential to the immune system. Numerous studies suggest that diets rich in selenium can protect the skin from age spots, sun damage, even skin cancer. Brazil nuts are a tasty and rich source of selenium. All you need is four Brazil nuts each day to get all the selenium you need every day. Increase your beautiful skin diet by adding Brazil nuts and other nuts rich in vitamin E such as almonds and hazelnuts. Eat your way to younger, more beautiful skin and when someone asks you what your secret is or what face cream you use….well, it’s your choice whether you want to tell them or not. References: Umm.edu Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

15 Top Foods for Truly Beautiful, Younger Looking Skin (#12 is Wicked Good!)

4. Green Tea

5. Avocados

6. Blueberries

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