Beauty doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, with the right food, you can boost your skin’s natural glow without having to rely on creams, serums, and lotions. And because these natural foods don’t contain the chemicals and preservatives most skin care products have, they are also a lot safer.
For healthy, glowing skin, you can try adding more of these foods to your daily meal plans.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes have lycopene which is a natural antioxidant. It helps fight free radical damage and protects your skin against the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Aside from these benefits, adding tomatoes to your diet can also boost your skin’s collagen production. Collagen is what gives your skin its structure to make it taut, supple and youthful looking.
How to benefit from it:
You can eat tomatoes raw or add them to your salads. You can also puree it and apply as a mask on your skin.
Green Tea
Another potent source of antioxidants is green tea. It contains catechins that can tame inflammation and help your skin heal and repair itself after severe sun exposure.
You can use regular bags of green tea for your skin but research suggests that you can get more potent antioxidant benefits when you brew loose tea leaves. You just have to be careful in choosing your brand or source as green tea, like any botanical products, may contain lead.
How to benefit from it:
You can use it to create delicious and refreshing recipes from desserts to smoothies. You can even use it as a face mask.
See Also: 7 Easy Steps To Aging Skin Repair
Grapefruit
Grapefruits contain a high amount of vitamin C. In fact, just one grapefruit can give you around 38.4 mg of the vitamin to boost your skin’s collagen production for skin cell growth and renewal.
Grapefruit also has a high water content that can keep your skin hydrated. When your skin is hydrated, it’s more resistant to damages caused by exposure to pollution.
How to benefit from it:
Take a half grapefruit and sprinkle sugar on its surface. Use the grapefruit to scrub away the dry and rough areas of your skin, such as your knees and elbows,
Avocados
Avocados naturally have vitamin E which is one of the secrets to youthful skin. Vitamin E can help reverse the damages brought about by aging, including sagginess and wrinkles.
Avocados also contain a high amount of oleic acid which can address your dry and irritated skin. This fatty acid is essential in keeping your skin’s outer layer moisturized.
How to benefit from it:
Take a half ripe avocado and mash it. Add a few drops of aloe vera gel and apply the mixture liberally on your face.
Broccoli
When it comes to anti-aging, alpha lipoic acid is one of the best antioxidants you can give your skin. Broccoli has enough ALAs to reduce your fine lines, dark undereye circles and puffiness.
It also has beta-carotene that’s not only good for your skin but your eyes and mucous membranes as well. Broccoli is even potent enough to be used as a sunscreen when applied topically on your skin.
How to benefit from it:
You can add broccoli to your soups, salads, and pasta. It also makes a good face mask.
Oats
Eating oats every day can help reduce the number of bacteria in your gut. It can also lower your blood glucose levels.
Both of these properties can help you avoid breakouts or get rid of your existing acne. When used topically, oats can relieve itchiness and inflammation while providing your skin moisture.
How to benefit from it:
Oats are great to use as face scrubs by adding a small amount of water. You can also use it as a face mask by mixing it with honey, yogurt, and milk.
Almonds
Munching on almonds is a good way to boost your skin’s natural glow. They are rich in monounsaturated fats that can regulate your skin’s oil production and moisture.
Almonds can repair damaged skin cells from the inside and hasten fresh skin cell production. These properties allow you to have an improved skin texture and tone.
How to benefit from it:
Take a few almonds and soak them in warm water for a couple of hours. After letting them soften up a bit, use a mortar and pestle to grind the almonds into a fine powder.
Once they are fine enough, you can add a few tablespoon of yogurt, just enough to turn the powder into a paste. Use the mixture as a face scrub and wash right after.
Spinach
If you want to boost your iron levels, then eating spinach is one of the things you should do. Iron is the protein part of your hemoglobin which carries oxygen to your cells.
When you increase your cell’s oxygen supply, you can get that rosy and glowing look.
Spinach is also a great source of vitamin K which can address dark undereye circles and inflamed skin. If you’re struggling with late night sleep, adding this vegetable to your diet can make your skin clearer and less puffy.
How to benefit from it:
You can boil your spinach and add it to your salad. Another way to reap its benefits is to use it for your smoothie recipe.
See Also: 6 Vitamin-Packed Smoothie Recipes for Glowing Skin
Pomegranate
If you are suffering from acne, eating a pomegranate a day should help. It has a special component that makes it extra effective against acne. Anthocyanins, the antioxidant that gives pomegranate its color, have a strong anti-inflammatory property that can address your skin breakouts.
It can also increase your insulin sensitivity and decrease your body’s stress hormones.
How to benefit from it:
Aside from eating pomegranates, you can use a blender to make a paste. After getting the right texture, apply the paste on your skin and use it as a scrub.
You can also add raw honey to the mixture. Massage well and rinse after you’re done.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolates are not as bad as you think they are. In fact, with its flavanol content, it can minimize your skin’s roughness.
Eating dark chocolate can help you get glowing skin even if you’re in a stressful situation. This chocolate can actually lower your stress hormones before they show on your skin.
How to benefit from it:
You can melt your dark chocolate and add a few drops of honey. Apply it on your face as a mask and let it sit for a couple of minutes.
Wash it off with water and pat dry your skin.
When you eat these vitamin and mineral-rich foods, you not only feed your skin, you are feeding your other organs and entire body too. Avoid processed food and stress, and live more healthily with nature’s bounty.