We are forever on a quest to find the secret to our skincare dilemmas and uncover the fountain of youth that will keep us looking younger, longer. While a good skincare regimen that addresses our individual needs is important, we often underestimate the power of the foods we consume as a tool in our beauty arsenal. Lucky for us, Mother Nature has made an abundance of superfoods available to us to help enhance our beauty. To help us figure out what beauty foods we should be adding to our diet to benefit our skin, who better to turn to than Registered Holistic Nutritionist (R.H.N) and renowned certified yoga instructor (who also happens to have to most stunningly flawless, glowing skin we’ve ever seen!) Grace Van Berkum.
Watermelon
The quintessential summer food, watermelon is a great source of lycopene, a phytochemical that helps eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays and protects against sun damage, and has been found to reduce redness and inflammation associated with sun exposure. The phytochemical can also be found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit, papaya and guava. Don’t pass on the watermelon at your next Summer BBQ, dig in and do your skin a favour!
Avocados
By now you’ve likely heard that good digestion is the cornerstone of healthy skin, but did you know that the mighty avocado is a prime candidate in helping you create and maintain a healthy gut? We know these guys are loaded with healthy fats that help support our overall health and benefit our skin, but they are also a great source of fibre that can feed the friendly gut bacteria in the intestine enhancing the optimal function of our bodies. Use them as a base for a decadent dessert pudding, add them to your morning smoothie or mash them on your morning toast.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that help maintain cell membrane integrity by allowing water and nutrients in, but keeping toxins out. These fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body and help smooth fine lines and wrinkles, minimize spots and reduce skin irritation and redness. Chia seeds are incredibly versatile and should be a staple in your kitchen. Blend them into your smoothie, add them to your lemon water or use them to make a breakfast pudding.
Aloe vera
We are all well aware of Aloe Vera’s external skincare applications, often considered a staple to have on hand in the event of a burn or other minor skin irritations, but we don’t often consider its internal benefits. Aloe Vera is an amazing superfood that enhances skin health and is also known to accelerate the regeneration of new skin tissue after being out in the sun. Simply cut off the tough green skin and scoop out the gel with a spoon. Grace suggests adding it to smoothies to enhance hydration.
