5 Foods for Glowing Summer Skin
While we all want to be healthy and avoid sickness as much as possible, there’s another amazing benefit to eating well and that’s the result of wonderful, glowing skin - all year round.
The skin is the human body’s largest organ! It makes perfect sense that what you put inside your body will have a direct impact on the health and condition of your skin.
Pretty is as pretty does! Or in this case, you’ll get out what you put in…
Spend a week eating fried food, high fructose corn syrup, and bad fats and you’re sure to experience some type of revolt through your skin - whether it's a breakout, a parched dehydrated appearance (not cute) or an overall look of puffiness.
Your body and your skin will thank you for intentionally feeding it with nourishment to hydrate, cleanse and stimulate a true GLOW from within.
I’ve put together a quick list of 5 foods you want to make sure you’re consuming on a regular basis, along with some tips on the best and easiest way to incorporate them into your lifestyle.
So without further ado, here you go:
1. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a wonderful little bundle from earth jam-packed with fantastic health benefits. Their rich orange hue indicates their high levels of beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body.
Did you know if you consume enough beta carotene you can actually build a natural resistance to the sun’s harmful rays?
One of the best ways I’ve found to incorporate more sweet potatoes (let me count the ways!) is by cubing them and sauteing in healthy oil, (Avocado oil or coconut oil are my favorites) adding a bit of seasoning and serving up with a side of mushrooms.
Another super yummy way to get them in easily is to grate them like cheese and then saute with some ghee until a bit crispy - serve with scrambled or poached cage-free organic eggs for a tasty and well-balanced breakfast.
2. Avocados
Hello, the holy grail of health and luxury! Whoever discovered this gem has my utmost admiration.
The avocado is high in healthy fats that do wonders for your skin. In a society where we’ve been brainwashed to believe all fats are bad, it’s important to understand nature has given us an abundance of elements that are magically designed to give us the nutrients our bodies want and need.
Including these healthy fats.
Avocados can also help protect our skin from the sun!
Another benefit of avocados is their high level of vitamin E which is really helpful in protecting your skin from oxidative damage.
I feel there are so many wonderful ways to incorporate avocado into the diet - but my most common go-to is to mash one up and slather its goodness on a piece of toasted sprouted grain toast.
I may or may not be found just slicing one up and eating on its own, to be honest, they’re just that amazing.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli has many health benefits beyond the skin, but for the purpose of this article, we will focus on just a few.
This funky green miniature tree looking vegetable also packs a big punch in regard to your skin due to its possession of lutein, a carotenoid that works much like beta carotene.
Broccoli contains a compound called sulforaphane, which offers some additional benefits for the skin.
There have been some studies suggesting that sulforaphane may help maintain collagen levels in your skin - and we all know that collagen is a major role player in your gorgeous summer glow!
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My favorite method for ensuring I eat plenty of broccoli is to chop it up in my daily salads or steaming it for a fresh side for dinner.
4. Green Tea
Green Tea is important year-round, but especially during the spring and summer months - and truly, what is better than a freshly brewed glass of sparkling green tea poured over ice in summer? (clearly nothing)
Green Tea contains these powerful little compounds called “catechins”, and catechins are antioxidants that help protect your skin from sun damage and reduce redness.
As I mentioned earlier, there’s really nothing better than a tall glass of iced green tea - add a little dash of pure peppermint extract to that and it’s basically summer-in-a-cup. Divine!
5. Dark Chocolate
Oh HELLO love of all time!
The benefits of chocolate are pretty bomb dot com. There have been studies of people consuming dark chocolate on a regular basis experiencing thicker, and more hydrated skin. (I’ll take that please)
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It’s important to ensure the chocolate you consume is at least 70% cocoa to maximize the benefits and keep the sugar levels down.
Ways to consume this goddess fare?
If one isn’t sure, my favorite is to eat it straight; however, if you need a fancier method, grate a few squares into your morning oatmeal with some cinnamon and banana.
*BONUS: The health benefits of Ceylon Cinnamon are incredible. So when you buy your cinnamon be sure to get CEYLON. (Article coming soon!)
You can thank me later!
To conclude: It matters greatly what you put inside your body in order to achieve the best glowing summer skin of your life. The foods listed in this article are just a start to the options one has to choose from but get these 5 in your daily routine and I guarantee you’ll start seeing some awesome results.