I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked for a post exactly like this, but I just haven’t had the time to pull one together. Today, Dr. David E. Bank is sharing his knowledge on what foods you should be including in your diet for amazing skin! Dr. Bank is a Board Certified Dermatologist and Founder & Director of The Center For Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in Mt. Kisco, NY.
Green Tea
There have been a number of encouraging studies showing the skin benefits of green tea. Animal studies showed protection from skin cancer. Both animal and human studies have credibly demonstrated that topical green tea formulations reduce sun damage. Green tea appears to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays. Therefore, green tea may synergistically enhance sun protection when used in addition to a sunscreen.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a skin-friendly ingredient that helps keeping your skin healthy, glowing and just flawless. Dark chocolate hosts a range of potent antioxidants. These antioxidants protect your skin from free radical damage; keeping it soft, supple and juvenile for long. With great sun protection properties, it shields your skin against detrimental UV rays and thus helps preventing conditions like sunburns and skin cancer.
Regular consumption of dark chocolate helps you achieve a smooth, problem free complexion. It also keeps your skin moist and well nourished. Stress is a huge beauty bummer. If not checked, it can ruin your entire personality. Dark chocolate boasts wonderful stress-relieving qualities and work wonders in getting you a glowing skin by reducing elevated stress hormones.
Almond Milk
Almond milk is an excellent source of vitamin E, a known antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals alter cell genetic code, resulting to mutated proteins. When mutation happens, cancer may develop. Free radicals often cause irreversible damage to the skin; it contributes to collagen and elastin depletion. Collagen and elastin are important substances that give the skin its elasticity and firmness. The collagen and elastin supply of the skin are depleted after prolonged exposure to free radicals. As you get older, your body is unable to replenish the depleted supply; this is the primary cause of wrinkles, fine lines and other skin blemishes.
Vitamin E, present in almond milk, protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals; this makes the skin healthy and younger-looking. Almond Milk Hydrates the Skin Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin is found in abundance in almond milk. It helps the tissues of the skin, hair and nails to use oxygen. Riboflavin also assists in synthesizing tryptophan—an amino acid—and producing niacin in the process. Niacin, also referred to as vitamin B3, aids in circulation. The skin benefits greatly from proper circulation. Niacin also helps in hydrating the skin by trapping moisture in the cells.
Water
Drinking plenty of water is great for your skin. If you don’t drink enough water, you’ll suffer from dry skin, and you’ll be likely to use more creams and lotions to moisturize. However, creams and lotions don’t strike at the root of the problem. Drinking plenty of water keeps your skin moisturized and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Eggs
Eggs are an excellent source of protein and essential fatty acids. Which can help retain water and stay moisturized.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins. Vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin K, alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are all within tomatoes. These are great antioxidants and help the skin maintain healthy collagen.
Pumpkin
The vibrant orange color of this squash indicates that it’s loaded with beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. This gets converted to Vitamin A which helps prevent wrinkles and keep your skin youthful and moisturized. This is the perfect food if you are experiencing dry skin because of the cold weather. Pumpkin is also loaded with Vitamin C, another antioxidant that protects collagen and boosts our immune systems.
Carrot
Carrots are not only good for your eyes but that are also amazing for smooth skin. Our skin is up against a lot of environmental factors every day like sun radiation and toxins, which combined with stress, leads to weakened defense against damaging free radicals that attack our skin. Carotenoids, found in carrots, are your protection from these everyday pollutants and will prevent wrinkles.
Olive Oil
Olive oil contains four major antioxidants which allow it to work as a cleanser and moisturizer. Among these antioxidants are Vitamin A and Vitamin E, Vitamin E accounts for anti- aging benefits because it helps restore skin elasticity.
Red Wine
Everyone would wish to have a healthy glowing skin and this magic is one of the many benefits of drinking red wine. The red wine benefits for skin is because the antioxidants that protects your skin and prevents it from ageing. Red wine contains polyphenol. The antioxidant called resveratrol has anti-inflammatory properties which can protect the body from various diseases caused by inflammation. Apart from this, it also boosts the brain by providing brain – health, memory power and preventing diseases like dementia.
Sweet Potato
In just one sweet potato you will find more than 200% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for having amazing skin, because it promotes the growth of new skin cells and increases the rate at which this happens, which leaves you with vibrant skin. Also, from a sweet potato, you’ll get three grams of fiber which keeps your digestive tract healthy and functioning properly during the season of eating. A healthy and functioning digestive track can help keep your breakouts to a minimum.
Kale
This green veggie is the top of the list when it comes to beauty foods. Kale is full of antioxidants that are a great way of reducing wrinkles because they slow down the ageing process. Kale also contains Vitamin A which is essential for the health of your skin. It has been proven to be helpful in averting a host of skin diseases as well.
Dr. David E. Bank is a Board Certified Dermatologist and Founder &Director of The Center For Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in Mt. Kisco, NY. Dr. Bank received his Bachelor’s degree with honors from Yale University and he received his medical degree from Columbia University. He interned in internal medicine at Montefiore Hospital and returned to Columbia University Presbyterian Hospital for his dermatology training and has remained on the faculty since that time.
Images: Photo by Gardie Design & Social Media Marketing on Unsplash, IMAXtree
chocolate is finally on a good list ! yay
I am all about Almond Milk! yum!! haha
Do you have any opinion about Accutane? My teen daughter suffers from acne even after many different oral & topicals at the derm. The weird thing is, her severe blemishes are primarily on one side of her face. Thanks for any input.
Acutane can be great, especially if the derm has already tried a lot of other things. If it's mostly on one side of her face though, I might try figuring out what's different about that side vs. the other before going for the big drug. Does she sleep on that side? If yes, try changing her pillow case every night (really), or maybe is she sleeping with her hands under her face? And applying hand cream right before bed? It could be that as well. If she mostly talks with her phone on that side, she might need to clean off her phone more frequently. As well, if it is lower down towards her chin, is she resting her face on her hands there?