How to have naturally glowing skin? Did you ask Google? For that natural glow and blush on your skin, getting enough amount of essential nutrients is the key! We have listed some great foods that will allow you to maintain strong, healthy, and glowing skin. Do not forget – drinking sufficient water and getting a good amount of sound sleep parallel to the below list of foods, is just as important! You can thoroughly develop, protect and nurture attractive skin.
1. Fatty Fish – Provides:
a. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
b. Vitamin E
c. High-Quality Protein
d. Zinc
e. Compounds that shield UV rays
Fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, and salmon are excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids which help in maintaining great skin from within. Omega-3 fatty acids are important sources of nutrition that help to maintain a thick, supple, and moisturized skin. (A deficiency of which leads to dry skin.) omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, redness, and acne. Another belief is that they help reduce the skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Further, fish oil is also a great source of Vitamin E – a great antioxidant that helps protect your skin from free radicals. This seafood is also a high source of high-quality protein, which is required to help the strength and integrity of the skin. Lastly, fatty fish are also a great source of Zinc – a mineral vital for regulating inflammation, the production of new skin cells, and overall skin health. Zinc deficiency can lead to skin inflammation, lesions and delayed wound healing.
Tip – Vitamin E works best and is most effective when combined with Vitamin C (Vitamin C deficiency can lead to rough, unhealthy, dry & scaly skin which can be bruised easily).
2. Avocados – Provides:
a. Healthy Fats
b. Compounds that shield UV rays
c. Vitamin E
Avocados are rich in healthy fats which have many functions in the human body one being – maintaining decent health of the skin. It allows your skin to stay flexible and moisturized from within. The human body is incapable of producing certain fatty acids internally, and avocados fulfill this gap. It is believed that avocados possess certain compounds which protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Sun damage typically leads to wrinkles and other signs of aging. The Vitamin E present in avocados acts as an antioxidant that helps you against oxidative damage.
3. Walnuts – Provides:
b. Omega-6 Fatty Acids
c. Vitamin E
d. Vitamin C
e. Selenium
f. Zinc
Walnuts are superior foods that promote healthy skin and contain essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6. These are fats that the human body cannot produce internally thus it gets important to consume these through external sources of food. Fatty acids, Zinc, and Vitamin E, C – benefits as seen above.
4. Sunflower Seeds – Provides:
a. Skin-boosting nutrients
b. Vitamin E
c. Selenium
d. Protein
e. Zinc
Nuts and seeds are good sources of skin-supporting nutrients. Sunflower seeds are a great example of this. They consist of Vitamin E – a great antioxidant that helps protect your skin from free radicals. These seeds also contain Zinc – a mineral vital for regulating inflammation, the production of new skin cells, and overall skin health. Zinc deficiency can lead to skin inflammation, lesions and delayed wound healing. The protein present in these help in improving skin strength and integrity.
5. Sweet Potatoes – Provides:
a. Beta-Carotene
b. Vitamin A
c. Antioxidant
Foods like sweet potatoes, oranges, carrots, spinach, etc, contain beta-carotene (a nutrient found in plants). Carotenoids like beta-carotene act as a natural sunblock and protect your skin. It acts as provitamin A, meaning it can be converted into Vitamin A in the human body. Sweet potatoes also contain antioxidants which also help to prevent sunburn, cell death, and dry, dull, wrinkled skin.
6. Red / Yellow Bell Peppers – Provides:
a. Beta-Carotene
b. Vitamin A
c. Vitamin C
7. Broccoli – Provides:
a. Lutein
b. Sulforaphane
Broccoli is packed with the 2 properties of skin-helping nutrients – lutein and sulforaphane. It protects your skin from oxidative damage. Oxidative damage leads to drying out of the skin and increased wrinkles. Lutein helps to keep the wrinkles intact and reduces dryness.
On the other hand, sulforaphane possesses anti-cancer effects and acts as a powerful shield against sun damage. It works in two ways: by neutralizing harmful free radicals and switching on other protective systems in the body. From the research and evidence, sulforaphane has properties to maintain collagen levels.
8. Tomatoes – Provides:
a. Vitamin C
b. Beta-Carotene
c. Lutein
d. Lycopene
Tomatoes contain all major carotenoids – lycopene, beta-carotene & lutein. And protect the skin and also reduce wrinkles and skin dryness. These work to achieve naturally healthy and glowy skin.
9. Soy – Provides:
a. Isoflavones
The main skin-supporting ingredient found in soy is an isoflavone. This is a category of plant compounds that can block estrogen in the body. The long-term practice of consuming isoflavones on daily basis is noted to reduce fine wrinkles and improve the elasticity of the skin.
10. Green Tea – Provides:
a. Catechins (antioxidants)
Packed with antioxidants, green tea protects your skin from damage and aging. Green tea improves moisture, dryness, thickness, and elasticity of the skin.
Tip: Avoid consuming green tea with milk (milk is observed to reduce the antioxidant nature of green tea)