Nourishing your skin starts from within. Although creams and soaps and serums will impact your skin, feeding your body nutritious foods is the best place to begin.
Before we dig into specific foods for your skin, let’s cover a few basics.
- Eat your full amount of fruits and vegetables. The vitamins from these foods are amazing for your body! They protect your skin, promote skin development, and offer an even skin tone.
- Drink water. Water cleanses out toxins, which are the culprits for skin blemishes. Water also keeps your face looking supple and radiant. Curious how much water you should drink everyday? We have the answers here.
- Don’t binge diet. Don’t change from one fad diet to the other. A consistent, healthy, balanced diet of fruits and vegetables and legumes, in addition to small portions of meat and dairy, are best for your body functioning.
1: Avocados
These green superfoods contain both mono- and polyunsaturated fats which act as an internal moisturizer for your skin. These also contain vitamin E to protect against free radicals, and other nutrients known to fight against skin damage. You will look like a radiant and youthful Mama if you include avocados in your diet!
Try avocados on your tacos, as a dip (guacamole), spread on your sandwich bread, or sliced on toast.
2: Dark Chocolate
Mama, you don’t need a reason to enjoy chocolate. But here are a few compelling justifications for why you should eat more dark chocolate. Consistent intake of cocoa powder creates thicker and hydrated skin that is less likely to get burned by the sun and has more blood flow (which delivers more nutrients to your skin). Just 20 grams, or roughly 5 large bites of dark chocolate, can allow your skin to endure twice as much UV rays before you begin to burn.
(Have a beach vacation in the near future? Better start eating dark chocolate every day in preparation!)
Enjoy your dark chocolate of at least 70% cocoa. Have a bite each afternoon when you’re craving something sweet. Melt the chocolate as a dip for fresh berries, sprinkle over yogurt, or use it to make a hot chocolate drink. Try the best no-bake dark chocolate, sea salt and coconut dessert!
3: Broccoli
Who knew that these funny looking vegetables could work wonders for your aging skin? Your skin will stay moisturized and less wrinkled because broccoli has lutein, which protects your skin from oxidative damage. Sulforaphane will combat sun damage, neutralize free radicals, prevent cancer, and help maintain healthy collagen levels for firmness. Not to mention the benefits of minerals like zinc or vitamin C and A. Broccoli could be Mama’s new favorite food!
Bake broccoli as a side dish; make a crock pot broccoli cheddar soup; chicken, broccoli and rice is always a dinner staple; or add broccoli to your macaroni and cheese.
4: Walnuts
These nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which encourages your body to create anti-inflammatory chemicals. By the way, you cannot create fatty acids in your body; they are only provided through food. Walnuts also contain zinc, an essential ingredient that fights off bacteria, helps the healing process, and lessens inflammation; plus there are small amounts of beneficial vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, and protein.
Eat walnuts as an afternoon snacks, toss some into your smoothie, or add ground walnuts on top of your soup or salad.
5: Sweet potatoes
Most people associate beta carotene with carrots, but it’s also prevalent in sweet potatoes. Why is this “orange” compound so important? It helps your body absorb vitamin A. One half cup of sweet potato provides four times the daily amount of vitamin A! This magical ingredient is a natural sun blocker and wrinkle reducer. Plus, it makes your skin “oranger” and more attractive!
Enjoy sweet potatoes as a side dish by baking them and topping with butter and cinnamon, shredded cheese, or a mixture of black beans, corn, lime and cilantro. Baked sweet potato chips are also an excellent snack!
6: Bell peppers
Bell peppers work the same way as sweet potatoes and carrots to help your body absorb vitamin A, but they also provide vitamin C to keep your skin firm and strong. One research study even found that women who consumed high amounts of vitamin C has skin that appeared less wrinkly and less dry with age.
Eat bell peppers as a snack with hummus; saute or grill them with onions for a side dish; fill them with a mixture of grains for a meatless meal.
7: Tomatoes
Tomatoes are well known for their amazing health benefits, especially when they’re fresh off the vine! Vitamin C, lycopene, and lutein protect your skin from sun damage and prevent unwanted wrinkling. Overall they are a great source of fat than will keep your skin glowing and blemish free.
Tomato, cucumber, and feta cheese salad is and excellent lunch dish; blend up a batch of fresh homemade salsa; make a pot of tomato soup; or slice fresh tomatoes on your salad.
A young looking Mama
Eating a well-balanced diet with some of these foods will dramatically impact your. You’ll probably see the benefits when your hair becomes more silky and your nails are strong and long! These foods may even provide you with more energy to engage with your kids and spend quality time with your husband.
Want to learn about more foods that will make your Mama skin look youthful and beautiful?