KESEHATAN
Its winter and you cannot seem to hide your skin from its harsh claws. While outside the dry wind, low humidity and temperature seems to take away moisture from your skin. It can leave your skin dry and flaky as well as cause a dull complexion, cracked lips, itchiness and skin irritation. Your diet can help protect your skin against dryness and ultraviolet (UV) sun damage, minimize wrinkles and other signs of aging, and promote smooth and glowing skin.
Your best weapon for combating trouble spots will always be to eat a clean and balanced diet. I’m not saying give up the cookies and the burgers – because that would be crazy. Just make sure you incorporate vitamin rich skin-foods into your menu. Here’s a list of my favourite and most visibly beneficial superfoods for glowing skin.
14. SuperFoods For Glowing Skin in Winter
1. Avocado
You can also soothe dry winter skin with avocados. Being a good source of vitamins A, C and E along with monounsaturated fats, avocados help your skin lock in moisture. Also, this fruit contains folic acid, magnesium and potassium, which are all essential for healthy skin. Plus, they help give your skin a more youthful look by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
In addition to eating avocados, you can make a hydrating face mask with the fruit. Scoop the flesh out of a ripe avocado and mash it properly. Mix in 1 teaspoon each of honey and olive oil. Apply this smooth paste on your face. Allow it to dry, then rinse it off with warm water. Use this face mask a few times a week. Avocado oil is highly moisturizing for dull, dehydrated and itchy winter skin. You can use this oil to massage your body before taking a bath.
2. Almonds
This wonder dry fruit has been there since time immemorial as a guarantor of beautiful skin. Almonds contain vitamin E that nourish and moisturize the skin. It also forms a protective shield against the harmful UV rays of sun. Almonds reduce aging signs such as wrinkles and fine lines. It also has omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation. In addition, it contains vitamin A and B vitamins – both beneficial for the skin.
3. Broccoli
One of the greatest and healthiest winter foods is broccoli from the cruciferous family. Natural estrogens and vitamins A and C together make broccoli a wonder tonic for your skin. Broccoli stimulates collagen production due to the presence of vitamin C. On the other hand, vitamin A shields cell membranes against harmful exposure to the sun. Broccoli is also packed with B vitamins that help you get rid of flakiness and dryness of skin that is common during winter season.
Regularly eat broccoli to give your complexion a beautiful natural glow. Opt for steamed, roasted or blanched broccoli to get the most benefits from it.
4. Blueberries
They say dehydration is one of the chief reasons of your dry, itchy and pale skin during winters. You might not want to grab glasses of water in the chilly weather. So, blueberries are one of the best ways to beat dehydration as well as dry skin. Blueberries also have antioxidant properties that prevent free radical damage to the skin.
5. Carrots
One of the highly popular root vegetables during winters is carrot. It is packed with vitamins A and C that are essential for healthy skin and add to natural glow of your skin. Beta-carotene as well as lycopene in carrots protect against UV rays damage. Carrots also contain potassium that beat dry skin conditions. Eating carrots regularly during winters will diminish uneven skin tone, wrinkles and skin pigmentation and other signs of aging.
Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily is a great way to keep your skin hydrated from within. You can also make a moisturizing face mask with carrots. Mix 2 teaspoons of pureed carrots, 1 teaspoon each of honey and milk cream, and a few drops of olive oil. Apply it on your clean face. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse it off will cold water. Use this face mask a few times a week to enjoy soft, glowing and moisturized skin.
6. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate, especially that with at least 70 percent cocoa content, is considered good for your skin. It is rich in flavonols that can help your skin look its best even during the harsh conditions of the winter season.
Flavonols are antioxidants that help your skin protect itself from UV damage, fight free radicals, keep skin soft and supple, and increase blood flow.
Eat just 2 to 3 ounces of dark chocolate weekly to reap the benefits of glowing and beautiful skin. You can also add glow to dull skin with a dark chocolate face mask. Melt a bar of dark chocolate in a double boiler. Mix in 1 teaspoon each of gram flour and milk cream along with a little lemon juice. Apply it all over your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water. Use this face mask once a week.
7. Eggs
Eggs are rich in the skin friendly vitamin E which has strong antioxidant properties. Eggs protect the skin from damage from free radicals and hence prevent irritation. In addition, eggs contain sulfur for skin hydration, lutein for skin elasticity and protein for skin regeneration. Eggs are great for hydrating your skin. Regular consumption of eggs also impart healthy glow and even complexion to the skin.
8. Grapefruit
Grapefruit contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage. It also has lycopene that helps keep your skin smooth.
The potassium present in it can prevent wrinkles and age spots as well as protect the skin against harmful UV sun rays. The amino acids in grapefruit make your skin more firm and soft. Plus, the unique phytochemical known as naringin in grapefruit reduces toxins in the liver, which results in healthier skin. Drink fresh grapefruit juice on a regular basis during the winter.
You can also prepare a face mask with grapefruit and use it once a week. Mix the juice of ½ grapefruit, 1 tablespoon of honey and ½ cup of oatmeal powder. Apply it to your face, allow it to dry and then wash it off with lukewarm water. This face mask will provide smooth texture and natural radiance to your skin.
9. Green Tea
It is one of the best antioxidant foods available out there. Green tea repairs and prevents what free radicals do to your skin. Green tea is highly effective against dry skin and it reduces flakes which is common during winters. It also improves skin complexion. Green tea contains polyphenols that diminish signs of aging like sagging skin, wrinkles, etc.
You can simply splash cool green tea on your face and then rinse your face with cool water. To make a gentle exfoliating mask at home, mix the contents of a used green tea bag with a little honey to make a paste. Apply it on your clean face, leave it on for 10 minutes and then rinse it off. Do this once or twice a week. Lastly, do not forget to drink 2 to 3 cups of green tea daily.
10. Olive Oil
Olive oil is good for your skin, especially during the winter when the skin tends to become drier. Being rich in vitamins A and E as well as several other minerals and natural fatty acids, it helps hydrate the skin to maintain its elasticity and softness. It also prevents skin aging, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and protects the skin from free radical damage.
Before taking a bath, rub warm olive oil over your face, the backs of your arms, your elbows and your knees. Massage gently for a few minutes, then take a warm bath. Afterward, pat your skin dry and wipe away the excess oil. Your skin will become amazingly soft and smooth. Also, use extra-virgin olive oil in salad dressings and cooking.
11. Salmon
The high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids that salmon has proves beneficial for your skin. Salmon keeps moisture intact in your skin and deeply nourishes it so that your skin looks plump even during winters. Salmon is also rich in another skin friendly nutrient i.e. selenium that offers relief from damage caused by sun’s UV rays. Salmon is one of the good sources of zinc and hence increases production of newer cells. Omega-3 fatty acids in spinach also help with inflammation thereby reducing redness and burning of skin during winters.
Eat 2 servings of salmon weekly. Instead of fried salmon dishes, opt for grilled or baked salmon to enjoy smooth, clear and glowing skin.
12. Spinach
When it comes to healthy skin, you cannot ignore the benefits offere by spinach. This dark green vegetable has many nutrients needed for healthy skin cells and to fight the skin’s natural aging process.
Spinach has high vitamin A content, an antioxidant that keeps your skin healthy and improves skin tone. Another antioxidant, vitamin C, helps repair skin cells and keeps your skin looking beautiful. Also, spinach is an excellent source of iron. Iron deficiency can leave you with pale-looking skin along with frail health. Spinach also has lutein that protects the skin from sun damage.
Drink ½ a glass of spinach with a little lemon juice daily to help prevent dry and irritated skin. You can also include spinach in soups, salads and other dishes.
13. Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes are one of the most sought after foods during winters. Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B, C, E and K, and minerals like sodium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus, sweet potatoes provide your body all that it can desire for. The most healthy skin friendly component in sweet potatoes is beta-carotene that repairs cell damage and accounts for cell regeneration. Anthocyanins in sweet potatoes fight skin pigmentation and beats dryness due to skin inflammation. Vitamin C fights against damage from free radicals. So, sweet potatoes impart flawless skin.
14. Oysters
Oysters are rich in zinc that boosts collagen production and increases skin’s elasticity. Eating oysters, especially during winters, has its own perks. It is sure to impart your skin natural smoothness, suppleness and an envious glow. Zinc also removes dead skin cells that account for dryness. Omega-3 fatty acids in oysters prevent inflammation that accounts for appearance of fine lines on your skin.
