5 Skin-Saving Foods to Keep You Looking Young

5 Skin-Saving Foods to Keep You Looking Young

5 Skin-Saving Foods

Having healthy skin requires more than just using a great cleanser or moisturizer each and every day. If you want skin that's truly soft and supple, then you need to take care of it from the inside out. After all, your skin is an organ i.e. our largest organ, actually, and it needs nourishment to stay in good condition. This is why it's so important to feed your body healthy food, because what you put into your mouth fuels every cell you have. Feed your body with healthy skin-saving foods, and you'll be rewarded with a vibrant and glowing appearance. The following are some foods that contain powerhouse compounds, which keep skin cells healthy and functioning at their best.

Olive Oil

Olive Oil is an amazing food to include in your diet when you want healthy skin. In a 2012 study, researchers looked closely at the diets of 1,264 women. They found that those who consumed high amounts of olive oil (characterized by more than 2 teaspoons per day) had 31% fewer signs of aging than women who consumed less than 1 teaspoon. Why? Because around 75% of the fat found in olive oil is made up of monounsaturated fatty acids, substances that are thought to play an important role in keeping skin youthful looking and healthy.

Dark Chocolate

Many of us are thrilled to find out that we should be eating their daily dose of chocolate. Dark chocolate, that is. Dark chocolate, without milk, artificial flavorings, or loads of sugar can help hydrate the skin and improve circulation. These skin benefits are due to the antioxidant flavanols in the cacao bean. In one study, women who drank a high-flavanol cocoa powder drink every day for 12 weeks showed less roughness and scaliness of the skin afterward, compared to a control group.

Green Tea

In 2011, the Journal of Nutrition published a study showing that people who consumed a green tea daily for 12 weeks, ended up with skin that was smooth and elastic looking. One quarter of these study participants also had less sun damage when exposed to UV light, as compared to a control group. Catechins, the antioxidant polyphenols in green tea, have shown the potential to boost oxygen and blood flow to the skin. This keeps key nutrients preserved in skin cells and gives you a healthy looking complexion.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best foods for healthy skin, because it keeps insulin levels in balance within the body. When a person eats a simple carb-laden food, the body is prompted to produce insulin. Insulin production in turn increases the production of certain hormones called androgens. A high androgen count causes the skin's sebaceous glands to secrete a lot of oil, which gets trapped in pores and causes breakouts. Instead of simple carbs like white breads, opt for protein and complex carb-rich oatmeal for breakfast or snacks such as granola.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a healthy food for skin because they contain the antioxidant lycopene, which is actually found in higher levels in cooked tomatoes than in raw ones. Lycopene improves the natural SPF of the skin, and while eating tomatoes is not meant to be a replacement for using sunscreen, it does help to block out dangerous UV rays. A 2008 UK study showed that people who consumed 5 tablespoons of tomato paste each day, along with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, for 12 weeks, experienced 33% more sunburn protection than a control group that just ate olive oil.

You Are What You Eat

These are only a small handful of the many skin-saving foods that you can eat, in order to improve the look of your skin, and to feel radiant. Remember that healthy skin also requires you drink a good amount of water each day, so make sure you're taking in at least 6 4-ounce cups. For even more information to help you defy the signs of aging and improve skin care, learn more about our anti-aging skincare products
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