Now there is enough scientific evidence to the old wives’ tale that says, what you eat shows up on your face. The skin, after all, is the largest organ in your body. You follow a particular diet if your liver is weak or you have a heart condition or if your kidneys do not function properly. And while this may have a favorable impact on your skin indirectly, you seldom look at your nutrition from what is doing to your skin’s health. There are specific types of foods that you need to include in your diet to take care of your skin from dryness, wrinkles, darkspot, redness, acne and tan, particularly if it is exposed to external factors like pollution, worrying, stress, sun exposure or other lifestyle triggers. Here is a low down on these skin foods.
1. Avocados
Now science corroborates and endorses your love for a healthy fat like avocados. Here’s why
a) In a study carried out on 700 women, intake of avocado based fats was associated with improvement in skin’s supple quality.
b) Avocados are rich in anti-tan compounds too.
c) Avocados have plenty of antioxidants in the form of Vitamin E and Vitamin C, to fight off free radical gone rogue and reduce premature aging. The skin needs Vitamin C to make collagen which is responsible for maintaining skin tightness.
Half an avocado gives you 10% of the RDI or Reference Daily Intake for Vitamin E and 17% for Vitamin C.
2. Walnuts
They are a storehouse of good fat. In other words, they hold the right balance between omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. Too much omega 6 fatty acid in your food can aggravate inflammations if you already have a sensitive skin. But walnuts have the right balance of the two to support your skin health. Also, these fatty acids are not found in your body naturally. They must be taken externally in the form of nuts like walnuts or sunflower seeds, chia seeds among others. Omega-3 fatty acids are useful to maintain the skin’s suppleness and moisture content. So if you you’re your skin unreasonably dry, your body may be lacking in these fatty acids. Walnuts provide about 6% of your zinc requirement for the skin to stay healthy and plump and heal from scars and wounds faster. It is also rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium.
3. Dark chocolate
Here’s some good news for lovers of chocolate, specifically dark chocolate. The cocoa present in your dark chocolate is not just a fantastic source of antioxidants; a study suggests it also helps to keep your skin hydrated! Consumption of cocoa powder is also linked to reduction in skin sensitivity and improved blood circulation. According to another study, 20 grams of real dark chocolate can make your skin more resistant to UV radiation and sunburns. But experts have a caveat for you-it will not be very helpful for you if you eat chocolate loaded with artificial sugar.
4. Beta-carotene rich foods
Sweet potatoes and red or yellow bell peppers are gifted with sufficient amount of carotenoids in the form of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene acts as a natural sun screen for your skin. It is also a popular provitamin A, that is convertible source of Vitamin A. About 50 grams of baked sweet potato meets twice the RDI requirement of Vitamin A in your body and about 150gms of chopped bell peppers meet 92% of the RDI for Vitamin A. Carotenoids are natural protection from sun, dryness and dark spots. Too much of it in your body could lend an orange tint to your skin. Bell peppers provide a whopping 317% RDI of Vitamin C needed for making collagen. Having red and yellow bell peppers every day slows down the process of skin aging.
5. Broccoli
Zinc, vitamin A and C and anti-carcinogenic (and anti-tan) sulforaphane-broccoli is loaded with the goodness of multiple vitamins and minerals that your skin needs. The presence of lutein in broccoli is an antioxidant your skin needs to fight premature aging.
6. Soy
Soy is rich in a plant compound called isoflavones that reduce wrinkling of the skin along with keeping the skin elastic and soft because of increased collagen production.
7. Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids
This fat is gold for your skin. Omega-3 fatty acid reduces inflammations, protects the skin against UV radiation and minimizes skin damage. So if you do not have your sun screen on when you step out but have been having your Omega-3 fatty acid-rich food, the damage caused by the harsh sun to your skin would be considerably less. Though, these foods are by no means a replacement for your sun block. Studies have found fewer lesions on the skin caused by the sun rays which could lead to cancer, in people who had regular intake of Omega-3 fatty acid-rich food.
The wrinkles on your face are a result of inflammations caused by lifestyle triggers like stress, pollution and poor dietary patterns. The presence of Omega-3 fatty acid in your food produces collagen which can fight off the damage done to it by these external factors. Chia seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, spinach, kidney beans, algae like seaweed, spurilina, and nori are some of the holistic sources of Omega-3 fatty acid.
Also, omega-3 fatty acids make up the lipid content in your skin. The nutrient improves the skin’s barrier function by keeping the hydration and moisture locked in while keeping the dirt and pollutants away.
8. Why Shankara?
The skin has its own aging cycle. So while good nutrition can improve your skin health significantly, nutrition alone cannot work away your skin woes related to premature aging and external factors like pollution, stress, imbalanced lifestyle and improper nourishment and miniaturization of the skin’s outer layers. Shankara has been creating natural products that nourish your skin and promote a natural radiance. We bring together the ancient science of life from the East – Ayurveda with the Western knowledge of actives and anti-oxidants through modern manufacturing methods to sustainably create a unique line of completely natural, result-oriented products. Made with loving care, in small batches at our manufacturing facility in Glen Burnie, Maryland, our products seek to promote an overall sense of well-being, while promoting naturally beautiful skin.
