Expensive skin care products are not the only solution for your unhealthy skin. You can easily get and keep healthy skin through proper diet. Including skin-enhancing foods in your diet can lead to dramatic improvements in your skin.
1. Green Tea
Green tea has been shown to have many health benefits, including promoting healthy skin. The tea contains epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, the catechin polyphenol, which reactivates your dying skin cells. It also reduces redness in your skin related to ultraviolet exposure and soothes irritation. Plus, the green tea protects skin cell DNA against ultraviolet radiation, which has been proved to be capable of causing skin cancer. Moreover, if you’re prone to acne, drinking a cup of green tea each day will help you get rid of your problem. Here are more reasons why you should drink green tea. The antibacterial properties of green tea can kill the bacteria that cause acne. In addition to consuming green tea orally, you can brew green tea, chill and use as a toner, or you can make a hydrating facial mask by mixing the decant with oatmeal and honey.
2. Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are a good source of the mineral zinc, which helps to maintain healthy skin. It helps heal wounds and repair damaged tissues. Additionally, zinc is essential for the normal function of sebaceous glands. Overactivity of the sebaceous glands can cause acne breakouts. Moreover, research shows that lack of zinc in your diet can result in acne. Folic acid, another nutrient found in kidney beans, plays a major part in creating new skin cells, which is essential to reduce the risk and occurrence of acne flareups. A 100-gram serving of cooked kidney beans would provide you with over 7% of your daily value for zinc and 33% of your daily value for folic acid.
3. Oatmeal
Fiber-rich oatmeal takes a long time to break down into glucose, which helps to slow down the increase in your blood sugar levels. Some studies have found that elevated blood sugar levels lead to high androgen levels, which are associated with wrinkle formation. In addition to its fiber benefits, oatmeal serves as a natural exfoliating agent that eliminates your dead skin cells and leaves your skin with a soft and radiant appearance. The cleansing activity of oats is due to complex compounds called saponins. Oats also help soothe and heal your skin and reduce inflammation, which is a key cause in premature aging. If you have dry, itchy skin, take an oatmeal bath. To make an oatmeal bath, just add a few cups of colloidal oatmeal (oatmeal that’s ground into a fine powder) under the running bathe water. Water should be warm rather than hot because hot water can draw moisture from your skin and aggravate the inflammation, making your skin worse. On the other hand, if you have oily skin, apply a smooth paste of ground oatmeal, rose water, lime juice and egg white on your face, and wash it off after 20 minutes.
4. Walnuts
Walnuts have a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote hydration and elasticity making your skin supple and healthy. They are also an excellent source of the mineral copper, which is naturally good for your skin. In addition to free radical protection, copper reduces fine lines, stimulates circulation and enhances collagen and melanin production. Eating a handful of walnuts each day can do wonders for your skin. You can also prepare a facial scrub by mixing 5 ground walnuts with 5 tablespoons of curd.
5. Pomegranate
Scientific studies have shown that pomegranate has notable skin care benefits. With its incredible anti-aging properties, pomegranate can keep your skin younger looking. The polyphenols in pomegranate protect your skin against free radicals, acne and wrinkles. Furthermore, this red fruit can also help regulate blood flow giving your skin a healthy glow. Eating one pomegranate or drinking one or two glasses of pomegranate juice daily can help to give your skin a rosy glow. Also, one pomegranate fruit contains about 40% recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which further improves the health and quality of your skin.
6. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are packed with important nutrients, including vitamins C and E. One serving of raw bell pepper provides you with 174mg of vitamin C and 0.65mg of vitamin E. Vitamin C protects your skin cells from free radical damage in addition to increasing collagen production. Vitamin E safeguards your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Getting enough of this antioxidant vitamin can help prevent damage to your DNA and premature aging of your skin. Aside from these vitamins, bell peppers are a good source of carotenoids that are helpful in treating skin problems caused by sun exposure. Eating about 2 cups of bell peppers daily will help you get relief from problems that arise after being in the sun, such as redness, itching and pain.1