| You Are What You Eat |
| By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer |
| Friday, September 26, 2008 |
You can’t always judge a book by it’s cover, but when it comes to your health, what shows on the outside is a reflection of what’s on the inside. A dull, dry complexion is a blinking neon sign that you’re not eating right. Lucky for you, you can put your best face forward with a better diet.
Face Food #1: Avocados
You had to know we couldn’t talk about face foods without mentioning avocados. This creamy, green fruit is abundant in essential oils and B-complex vitamins that nourish your skin, inside and out.
Niacin (vitamin B3) is especially important for healthy skin, and is found in abundance in avocados. As an anti-inflammatory, niacin soothes irritated skin and can calm red, blotchy skin. One avocado has 3.8 mg niacin – 27% of your daily need.
Blend half an avocado with yogurt and frozen berries to make a tasty morning smoothie. The creamy, nutty flavor will make you seriously re-think using bananas as a thickener. Keep reading for a great avocado face mask recipe that will solve your dry skin problems instantly.
Face Food #2: Mangoes
Mangoes have more than 80% of your daily requirements for vitamin A, which is why they’re such a great face food. Vitamin A maintains and repairs skin cells; a deficiency will result in a dry, flaky complexion. As an antioxidant, vitamin A also fights free radical damage that can prematurely age the skin. And with fewer than 70 calories per serving, this succulent fruit is the perfect pick for your figure, not just your face.
Face Food #3: Almonds
Not only is it a gorgeous shape for your eyes, almonds are also great for your complexion. With 150% of your daily need for vitamin E, it’s no wonder that getting a bit nutty is good for you.
Vitamin E’s rich oils moisturize dry skin, while its antioxidants protect against skin damage and premature aging of facial tissue.
Face Food #4: Cottage Cheese
Dairy isn’t just good for your bones, it’s great for your face, too. But it’s the selenium in cottage cheese, not the calcium, that has us really going wild for these creamy curds.
Selenium, an essential mineral, teams up with vitamin E as a powerful free radical-fighting antioxidant duo. Plus, it’s been touted to protect against skin cancer and even fight dandruff.
Face Food #5: Acerola Cherries
Your average cherry doesn’t supply a significant amount of vitamin C, but don’t tell that to this particular fruit. One single Acerola cherry supplies 100% of your daily allowance for vitamin C, which is great news for your skin. As an antioxidant, vitamin C fights skin damage and wrinkles. It also plays a central role in the production of collagen, the structural protein in your skin.
Ain’t life just a bowl of cherries?
Face Food #6: Oysters
Whether they’re an aphrodisiac or not, oysters are certainly in love with your skin. As a rich source of zinc, oysters may help fight acne. Since zinc plays a role in sebum production, a deficiency may contribute to acne problems. Zinc not only helps clear up acne, it can also help boost elastin (the skin’s elastic protein) production with the help of vitamin C.
Face Food #7: Baked Potatoes
Unlike greasy French fries, a plump, steaming baked potato is actually good for your skin.
One baked potato eaten with the skin supplies 75% of your daily need for copper. This essential mineral works hand-in-hand with vitamin C and zinc to produce the elastin fibers that support skin structure. Too little copper in your diet can reduce your skin’s ability to heal and cause it to become rigid and lifeless.
Face Food #8: Mushrooms
This fungi isn’t just for shish kebabs and stir fries; it’s also rich in riboflavin, a B vitamin that’s vital to your skin. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is involved in tissue maintenance and repair, but actually goes beyond basic skin care to improve skin blemishes caused by rosacea. This vitamin is so important for skin repair that the body will use up large amounts after sustaining a burn or wound, or undergoing surgery.
Face Food #9: Flaxseed Oil
It’s no secret that Omega 3s are great for your skin, but did you know that flaxseed oil is one of the best sources of this essential fatty acid? That’s great news if you’re not a fish-lover.
Just one teaspoon of flaxseed oil per day provides 2.5 grams of Omega 3s, which in turn hydrate the skin. Essential fatty acids also dilute sebum and unclog pores that can otherwise lead to acne.
Face Food #10: Wheat Germ
Don’t let the “germ” scare you – it’s actually just the embryo within a grain of wheat, and it’s very nutritious. Wheat germ is a good source of biotin, a B vitamin that is crucial to skin health. Biotin is so important to healthy skin that a mild deficiency can actually cause dermatitis, a skin condition characterized by itchy, scaly skin. Sprinkle wheat germ on yogurt for a tasty way to get more biotin in your diet.
Slather It On!
Don’t just eat these foods to nourish healthier skin from the inside out! Some make for great facial masks, too.
Try this avocado mask to instantly moisturize your skin:
1. Mash one whole avocado
2. Add 1 tsp flaxseed oil and 1 tsp honey
3. Mix together until smooth and creamy
4. Apply to face and let sit for 15-20 minutes
5. Rinse clean with warm water
