My Favorite Foods For Healthy Skin...

While lookin' at Natural Solutions Magazine I found out that some of my favorite yummies are good for healthy skin. I am happy to share them with you, see below...

1. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate can help skin maintain a youthful appearance, says Gerbstadt. Recent research found that chocolate’s flavonols, or plant
pigments that act like antioxidants, help protect skin from harmful UV
light. Participants who consumed 20 grams of flavonol-rich dark
chocolate daily for 12 weeks showed a notable improvement in skin
resistance to UV light. Additional research also found that people who
regularly drank hot cocoa made from dark cocoa powder for three months
increased skin tolerance to UV light and reduced reddening by as much as
25 percent.
How much to eat: Gerbstadt suggests nibbling on 1 ounce of dark
chocolate a day or mixing 2 tablespoons of unsweetened dark cocoa powder
in 8 ounces of hot regular or nondairy milk.

2. Avocados
Avocados are excellent sources of vitamin E and lutein, both of which promote healthy skin. Vitamin E can help reduce the sun’s harmful effects, particularly in conjunction with other antioxidants. Other research suggests that the nutrient helps combat collagen breakdown. Lutein, a carotenoid found in leafy greens, increases skin hydration, improves skin elasticity, and protects against deterioration of beneficial lipids that keep skin plump and firm.

3. Carrots
Carrots and other bright-orange foods, such as sweet potatoes, are excellent sources of vitamin A. Best known for its crucial role in aiding vision, vitamin A is also vital for maintaining the body’s outer epithelial tissue. “Vitamin A is necessary for skin maintenance and repair,” says Singer. “The nutrient serves as a barrier, providing a healthy surface lining to prevent bacteria from entering the body.” People short on vitamin A are more likely to have dry, rough, or scaly skin; they may also have bumpy skin after hair follicles become blocked by keratin, a protein overproduced in the absence of vitamin A. According to Singer, dietary vitamin A is better for skin than supplements, which can cause birth defects, nausea, vomiting, and possible liver abnormalities when taken in excess.

How much to eat: Aim to eat 1 to 2 cups of carrots or other bright-orange foods every week.

4. Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil contains omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids, both of which decrease skin roughness and scaling, says one new study. Researchers subjected healthy women to controlled skin irritation while administering 2.2 grams of flaxseed or borage oil, or a placebo pill. Participants who took either oil experienced a significant decrease in skin roughness and scaling, while the placebo group reported no difference.

“In addition to helping regulate inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids build the membranes that surround cells,” says Ferrigno. “By eating balanced amounts of essential fatty acids, you help your body produce flexible cells that keep skin moist, supple, and healthy in tone and texture.” Since the standard Western diet is already rich in omega-6s, choose flaxseed, which has 8 grams of omega-3s per tablespoon and a good amount of monounsaturated fat, which also reduces the appearance of fine lines.

How much to eat: Get 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil a day by drizzling small amounts over steamed vegetables, soups, or salads. “Be sure to add flaxseed oil after cooking so that you don’t zap its fragile fats,” warns Ferrigno.

5. Spinach
Spinach has one of the most impressive nutritional profiles of any vegetable, with more than 80 distinct nutrients. One cup of fresh spinach provides almost 200 percent of your daily vitamin K, which inhibits calcification, says Cees Vermeer, PhD, a biochemistry professor at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. Not only can calcification cause hardening of the arteries, it also limits skin elasticity, leading to wrinkles. Because the body cannot store vitamin K for long periods of time or in large doses, benefits are best obtained through food. Spinach, along with other dark, leafy greens, is also a rich source of skin-enriching vitamins A, C, and E.