The importance of having a beautiful and healthy skin goes beyond having good looks. Our skin, the largest organ of the body, needs to be healthy. It serves as the primary shield from our harmful surroundings. A beautiful skin means having a healthy body inside and out. A healthy and beautiful skin can do so much to boost our self esteem. We feel more confident in dealing with other people because we know we have beautiful and healthy physical appearance.
The key to having a healthy and beautiful skin is to stick to a nutritious diet. Here is the list of the food and beverages that can help promote beautiful and healthy skin:
Sweet potatoes
They not only look good on your platter. Its color pigments contain an anti-oxidant called beta carotene. Beta carotene helps protect your skin from the damaging effects of too much exposure to sunlight.
Kiwi
This fruit is rich in vitamin C which maintains the firmness of collagen in our skin. As a result, you will be able to achieve a supple skin.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate can also be applied topically. It promotes the production of collagen on the skin. Its anti-oxidants help speed up the process of healing a damaged skin.
Avocado
Avocados are rich in Vitamin H, also called biotin. Biotin not only strengthens the hair and nails. It also helps in hydrating a parched skin when used as a topical cream.
Tomatoes
Eat more tomatoes if you want your skin to be protected from the harmful rays of the sun. Tomatoes are not only rich in lycopene. They also contain high levels of carotenoid. Carotenoid helps protect your skin from being easily damaged by free radicals.
Salmon
Salmon contains an anti-oxidant called astaxanthin. This anti-oxidant helps prevent premature aging of the skin. This is because astaxanthin has the ability to penetrate deeper into each skin cell. Thus, you will have lesser wrinkles and other facial lines as you become older.
Snapper
Snapper is a tropical kind of fish which is rich in anti-inflammatory fats. This fish also serves as a natural source of mineral called selenium. This mineral decreases your risk of having skin cancer. Selenium also prevents skin scaling and skin roughness.
Eggs
You may directly apply some egg whites onto your skin. Use egg whites as facial mask to help tighten your skin. In addition, eggs are also rich in protein that is responsible for replacing dead skin cells.
Turkey
Turkey contains collagen that promotes skin elasticity. It also contains elastin which is also called “rubber band fibers”. These fibers are responsible for making your skin look younger.
However, knowing what foods to eat is not enough to achieve a healthier looking skin. You also need to know what NOT to eat to avoid your skin from being damaged. Here are some foods and beverages that you should avoid:
Oily and fatty foods
Saturated fats, hydrogenated oil and trans fats are found in oily and fatty foods. These “bad fats “are responsible for premature skin aging as well as obesity.
Processed foods
Processed foods contain chemical additives, artificial food colors and other preservatives that may harm your skin. Besides, the moment that the food is being processed it loses its nutrients.
Sugary foods
Eating too much of sugary foods will make your skin lose its elasticity. Your body’s excess sugar can cause an inflammation which results to sagging skin.
Sodas
Drinking sodas and other carbonated beverages can deplete calcium. Calcium is essential not only to your skin but also to your overall health.
Coffee
Too much coffee intake can lead to a rough skin. This is because coffee contains tannin, a chemical that blocks the pores of the skin cells. When this happens, the skin will lose its ability to absorb essential nutrients. Furthermore, coffee also contains caffeine that will make you at risk of suffering from anxiety attacks and other health problems.
Keep these helpful tips in mind to spare yourself from buying skin cosmetics. Thus, you will not only save more money. You will also save yourself from the adverse effects of commercial skin cosmetics.
About the Author:
Ryan Rivera is an ex-anxiety sufferer who now writes for Calm Clinic. He is also an advocate of healthy lifestyle as the best way to prevent anxiety and depression.