Five Skin Friendly Foods

www.naturallyhealthyskin.org

For as long as I can remember my skin has always been the bane of my existence (firstworldproblems). It is the first thing that I think about in the morning and the last thing to at night. As a teenager I tried every skin product under the sun and even resorted to unconventional methods such as fluoride toothpaste (burns the skin), honey and lemon (delicious but useless) a needle and antiseptic (don't try this at home). 

Despite the fact that my teenage hormonal years are long behind me, my skin, though less prone to acne is by no means the glowing, blemish free kind that my dermatologist promised me - clearly money not well spent. That being said, I have found that there is a lot of truth in the saying "you are what you eat" and every week I make sure that my diet incorporates a number of the skin friendly foods that I have mentioned below. Though the difference is subtle, it is evident, so much so that friends and colleagues have starting commenting on the wonders of my "new foundation". Little do they know that it is an extra few items in my shopping trolley...

1. Pomegranate | Overflowing with antioxidants and anthocyanins that strive to keep your skin supplied with oxygen, thus removing metabolic waste to keep your skin clear. For your dinner table: Sprinkle over a quinoa, goats cheese and chickpea salad, blend into your morning smoothie, or simply eat as an afternoon snack. 

2. Avocado | This multi purpose fruit is wrongly associated with fats and calories. In fact, it is loaded with rich sources of antioxidants, minerals such as vitamins A,B,C,E,K and B2, as well as other skin promoting nutrients such a folic acid, omega 3 and essential proteins. For your dinner table: A great replacement for cheeses in sandwiches, makes a delicious smoothie with unsweetened almond milk, water and banana/honey/dates and a delicious snack mashed with lime or lemon juice on oat cakes or rye bread. 

3. Dark and leafy greens | Let go of your scowls and embrace your new friends, spinach, kale and chard as they will give you an additional overdose of antioxidants, vitamins and iron. For your dinner table: Add a bunch to your morning smoothie, your afternoon salad and your evening pasta and you won't even notice. For a snack with a difference, try frying some kale in a drop of olive or almond oil, add a sprinkle of cinnamon or sea salt et voila, kale crisps! 

4. Seeds and nuts | Another common misconception is that nuts and seeds are fatty and calorific. In fact, although they contain fatty acids such omega 3 and omega 6, these omega oils act as sponges, which soak up the moisture required for plumper and younger looking skin. The best of the bunch are pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts and cashew nuts. For your dinner table: Enjoy roasted in the oven as an afternoon snack, sprinkled over a salad, or toasted in homemade granola. 

5. Beans and lentils | These super foods are low-glycemic, so unlike sugary, starchy foods they will not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, therefore preventing full, dry and wrinkled skin. For your dinner table: Beans and lentils are divine in homemade soup, curry and salads. For a snack with a difference, mix a can of chickpeas in salt, a little olive oil, pepper and spices and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.