Diet has been proven to influence the health of our skin. But what should you put on your plate to keep a radiant complexion and elastic skin? In order to have beautiful healthy skin, it is important to drink a good amount of water to promote hydration. On the food side, there are better choices to make. The foods most beneficial to skin health often contain omega-3, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Here are seven recommended foods for healthy living.
Fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotenes
Carotenes are antioxidants that protect the skin from free radical damage and exposure to the sun. Orange, yellow or red fruits and vegetables are rich in beta-carotenes (apricot, mango, carrot, papaya, squash, sweet potato …) but also leafy green vegetables (spinach, chard, green cabbage …).
Olive oil
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. In the SUVIMAX study, researchers studied nearly 3,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 60. In people who consumed the most monounsaturated fatty acids, facial skin aged less in the sun.
Olive oil is a preferred source of lipids in the Mediterranean diet; it can be used for seasoning as well as for cooking. It can also be used externally to promote healthy skin.
Green tea
Green tea, in addition to hydrating you, promotes beautiful skin thanks to its polyphenols. These protect the skin from sunlight and stimulate circulation. In a 12-week clinical trial, 60 women were randomly divided into two groups: some drank green tea, containing the equivalent of 1402 mg per day of catechins, and the others a placebo. The skin of those who had drunk catechins was better protected from the sun’s rays and better irrigated, resulting in a better supply of oxygen and nutrients. The absorption of catechins also promotes hydration and elasticity of the skin. The doses of catechins tested corresponded to the equivalent of approximately 2.5 L of green tea per day.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate, rich in cocoa, can also help you keep your beautiful healthy skin, thanks to its antioxidant molecules, with anti-inflammatory effects, which help protect the skin and make you lead an overall healthy life.
Oily fish
Oily fish such as sardines, herring, salmon and even mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which protect you from UV radiation and limit the inflammation of the skin. Fish also contain vitamin E, an antioxidant good for the skin.
Linseed oil
A small German study from 2011 found that supplementation with flaxseed oil is good for skin health. 13 women were supplemented with linseed oil for 12 weeks, which had the effect of reducing the sensitivity and roughness of the skin. At the same time, its hydration and flexibility were improved. Linseed oil can be used to season salad so make sure you add it to you healthy living style.
Soy
Soy contains isoflavones which are beneficial for the skin of women. During aging, estrogen levels decrease in women, which has consequences on the skin. Thus, after menopause, the skin tends to thin, to lose collagen. The estrogen deficit promotes wrinkles and dryness of the skin. In a 2017 review published online, researchers from the University of Messina in Italy describe a clinical trial showing that isoflavones in supplements limit wrinkles and improve healthy skin elasticity.
If some women should avoid, as a precaution, supplements based on soy isoflavones, they can nevertheless incorporate soybeans, in all their forms, into their cooking and healthy lifestyle procedures.
