It's true: you are what you eat!
Why you need to eat more fruits and vegetables this year
It’s December 45, 2020. I may or may not be eating Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Whole Almonds king-size bars as I type this. I do not have a sweet tooth - I prefer savory and tangy over sweet and sugary. Tell that to my body’s addiction to Red Bull. Yes, I accepted that I have an addiction for the Swedish devil in a can. Despite my struggles with adult acne, I eat foods that cause acne. If it contains dairy, red meat, or too much oil, sign me up! Then, when I get an acne breakout, or if my skin is dull and patchy, I act surprised.
You are what you eat, and my disloyal, imperfect skin is proof! Yours too. Last year, I did not make any New Year resolutions, and this year, well, you can imagine that I did not make any either. It seems counterintuitive. If I felt inclined to make any resolutions, mine would be to eat more fruits and vegetables. I cook with loads of them! After cooking vegetables, they tend to lose their nutritional value, though.
Today I am discussing the different fruits and vegetables that you can eat for skin that does not need a filter! If this does not make you want to increase your fruits and vegetable intake, then I do not have the answers. Coaches don’t always play.
Oranges
Last year, some health professionals insisted that oranges were not effective in fighting the coronavirus. That did not stop most of us from eating them, though! There are many benefits that orange presents to your body, and a boosted immune system is one of them. Apart from boosting your immune system, vitamin C brightens your skin. Sure, you can source vitamin C from other fruits and vegetables, but orange is your best bet. Some other skin benefits include:
- It fights off free radicals because of its antioxidant properties. By doing this, it staves off common signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
- Orange exfoliates your skin. Its high concentration of citric acid removes dead skin cells to exfoliate your skin. Should you squeeze orange juice onto a cotton ball and swab it over your skin every other night? Why not?
- It helps your body create and process vitamin A. Beta carotene is a critical nutrient that promotes new cell growth. It is the main skincare ingredient in retinol, the original Holy Grail of anti-aging skincare.
Papaya
Did you know that Masktini’s Night Ranger Overnight Renewal Mask contains papaya? Well, papaya contains enzymes that help to soothe inflammation. Like oranges, papaya fights free radicals that damage your skin cells. Like most of nature’s best, papaya is the natural skincare gift that keeps on giving. It hydrates the skin and treats melasma, too!
Carrots
If orange, a vitamin A-rich fruit, is beneficial for your skin. Then that means that carrots must be helpful, right? That is correct. Most orange fruits and vegetables are great for the skin, but that may be a topic for another blog post. If you hate to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, shame. The good news is that carrots protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Does this mean that you should use this information as an excuse to avoid sunscreen? No, please don’t be daft.
People with oily skin will be happy to know that carrots can help with the overproduction of oil! Don’t believe me? There is a reason that retinol is one of the number one skincare ingredients that estheticians and dermatologists recommend for people that struggle with oily skin. It slows down the production of oil and reduces the look of oil on the skin.
Spinach
I love spinach and put it in everything that I cook. It makes a lot of sense to me. This superfood contains essential vitamins A, C, and K. Together, these nutrients boost your skin’s radiance. By making raw spinach a part of your daily diet, your skin will glow and become more supple over time. Apart from its glowing skin properties, spinach helps your skin to:
- Heal from scars and sun damage
- Fight off the free radicals that destroy your skin over time and speed up the aging process
The moral of the story is to eat your fruits and vegetables! Other fruits and vegetables serve benefits for the skin, but these seem the most palatable. Are there any fruits and vegetables that you like to eat as part of your healthy, anti-aging skincare routine? I would love to hear from you in the comment section below! Until next time.