Entering into a new season can wreak havoc on your skin, so it’s essential to prepare your skin care arsenal with products targeting dehydration, dryness and brightening.
However, it’s not only what your put on your skin that can make a difference to a lacklustre complexion – the foods you choose you eat can have major benefits too.
“Cold weather tends to cause constant dilation and constriction of blood vessels as your body tries to retain heat, while also trying to supply oxygen and nutrients to the skin, leaving skin red and dry,” says USANA Health Sciences Nutritionist, Ravinder Lilly.
“Foods containing fatty acidslike omega-3 have an anti-inflammatory action, protecting you from cold weather woes such as eczema and dry skin. Consuming Vitamin E alsohelps to nourish the outer layers of the skin, while selenium boosts the skins elasticity,” says Lilly.
Up your intake of these delicious foods rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, vitamins and enzymes and to give your skin a youthful boost while keeping you satisfied throughout the winter months.
Porridge
Not only does this healthy tummy-warming brekkie satisfy hunger pangs for hours on end, oats are also rich in silicon, which is essential for building and maintaining collagen levels which keep skin looking plump. The antioxidants and essential fatty acids in oats also help flush out impurities to reduce the onset of acne and skin pigmentation.
Hearty vegetable soup
What’s better then curling up on the couch on a chilly winter night with a bowl of vegetable soup? The amazing benefits it will give your skin, that’s what! Pick recipes that contain in-season vegetables such as broccoli, which is excellent for skin renewal, and pumpkin, which is packed with skin-brightening enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids.
Eggs
Perfect scrambled on toast for breakfast or used in a warm winter salad, eggs are full of the antioxidant selenium, which can help protect your skin from developing age spots. A high vitamin A content also aids new cell development in the skin and reduces the severity of acne.
Grapefruit
High in skin-loving antioxidants, grapefruit helps your body flush out toxins and waste from your cells, and contains a high potassium content, which can help fight wrinkles and age spots. Try sprinkling two grapefruit halves with cinnamon sugar and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes for breakfast or a mid-morning treat.
Dark chocolate
Believe it or not, eating chocolate can be beneficial for your skin, but as long as it’s dark! The humble cocoa bean is bursting with flavonols, which are antioxidants that can help the skin protect itself from harmful UV rays, fight free-radicals, and increase the blood flow for a dewy, natural glow. Choose 70-plus per cent dark chocolate to ensure your skin reaps the benefits.
Which foods do you eat for a healthy glow? Will you be adding these skin-loving foods to your diet this winter?
