A healthy diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can work wonders for our external appearance.
It’s no coincidence that the secrets to glowing skin, shiny hair, and strong nails are often found in what you eat.
The essential nutrients in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds play a crucial role in keeping our integumentary system. (The medical term for the body’s outer layer) healthy, counteracting the negative effects of pollution and aging.
Investing in a healthy diet is therefore not just a choice for physical well-being. It is also an effective way to care for your natural beauty. Here are the foods that can become powerful allies in your daily beauty routine.
How Food Can Influence Skin Beauty (and Your Happiness)
Carrots and Spinach to Protect the Skin and Promote Keratin Production
It is recommended to eat fat-soluble plant pigments that function as they are antioxidants in the body are carotenoids; protecting it from cancer-causing free radicals, which are rogue molecules generated in the skin due to UV exposure and atmospheric pollutants.
Beta-carotene is a carotenoid that the body converts into vitamin A, necessary for producing keratin, an essential protein for the health of skin, nails, and hair.
The best sources of carotenoids are orange fruits and vegetables. Better serve and eat squash, carrots, melons, mangoes, and papayas, as well as leafy greens like spinach and kale, and some red vegetables like peppers and tomatoes.
Avocado to Prevent Inflammation and Improve Skin Elasticity
Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants known for being a beauty elixir and contributing to the health of skin, nails, and hair.
A 2017 study from the University of Otago in New Zealand found that the synergy between vitamin C and E is particularly effective in reducing skin inflammation caused by excessive UV exposure.
For this reason, avocado, which contains both these vitamins and healthy monounsaturated fats, is considered the perfect food for the skin.
Nuts and Almonds to Help Skin Healing and Stimulate Hair Growth
Omega-3 fatty acids reduce skin photosensitivity and improve its immune function by accelerating healing. Omega-3s can also stimulate hair growth and reduce hair loss.
While we all know the importance of eating fatty fish once or twice a week to maintain good omega-3 levels, other sources of this key beauty elixir nutrient are nuts, almonds, and other dried fruits.
Seeds for Collagen Production and Hair Loss Prevention
Collagen makes up a third of the total protein in the human body. An essential element for keeping skin elastic and youthful.
To support collagen production, our body needs minerals like magnesium and zinc, both of which are abundant in seeds. Sunflower seeds, in particular, are an excellent source of biotin, also known as vitamin B7. A crucial contributor for hair health and preventing hair loss.
Green Tea to Repair Skin, Hair, and Nails
Reducing the risk of developing certain types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases, that’s what plant polyphenols are known for. Moreover, these powerful antioxidants also play a crucial role in skin health.
Polyphenols help repair the DNA of skin cells. Thus, this may have been damaged by sun exposure, maintaining the skin’s integrity.
One of the most effective polyphenols is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is abundant in green tea. It helps keep skin hydrated, reduces hair loss, and can prevent infections affecting the skin, hair, and nails.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, EGCG can soothe irritated skin and reduce redness, making it a natural beauty remedy.
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This article first appeared on Grazia.it
