Why spend hundreds of dollars on youth serums and skin creams when the best kind of skin care can be found right in your grocery aisles?
7 Grocery Items You Should Be Buying Today
Here is a list of affordable and healthy food items that can get your skin back to its healthy and glowing state.
Salmon
Salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains Dimethylaminoethanol, also known as DMAE. If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard celebrity dermatologists and doctors like Dr. Oz and Dr. Perricone frequently talk about this anti-aging wonder. DMAE is a cognitive enhancer and can be found in brain food like salmon.
DMAE can also promote healthy and glowing skin because it protects the structure of cell membranes. Keeping cell membranes strong protects against deterioration which causes premature aging. DMAE also aids in preventing the formation of arachidonic acid, which leads to wrinkle formation. But there’s even more to this miracle nutrient. It also works alongside Vitamin B to boost levels of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that aids in muscle function and helps keep your face looking firm and toned.
Green Tea
Sit down with a hot glass of this miracle drink and see your skin glow. Catechins, a powerful antioxidant, has proven anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties and is found in heavy doses in green tea. Research has shown that drinking two cups a day may help prevent skin cancer and reverse the effects of sun damage.
However, too much consumption of green tea can also lead to dehydration due to its caffeine content. Everything in moderation, as the saying goes.
Dark Chocolate
Yes! Finally, an excuse to munch on a bar of chocolate! Just make sure you’re opting for the dark kind. The antioxidants found in dark chocolate, called flavanols, is what you’re looking for. The flavanols are what provide your skin with sun protection.
In a study done by the European Journal of Nutrition, those who ate cocoa for 12 weeks had reduced moisture loss in their skin by 25%, thus resulting in fewer sunburns. Cocoa improves circulation to the fine capillaries in the top layer of your skin, boosting oxygen and nutrient production, thus protecting against skin dehydration and burns.
Coconut
Coconuts are known as the fruit of life. Every part of them can be used for nourishment, and they are used in many tropical countries for just that. The fruit’s naturally sweetened water is full of potassium and electrolytes to rehydrate and rejuvenate your skin, making it glow and feel softer.
Getting into the heart of the coconut is its juicy, delicious meat, and its oils, which can be used to heal your gut. Coconut oil contains caprylic acid, which is a potent antimicrobial that destroys candida and bad bacteria found in the stomach. Candida is a type of fungus that can tear down intestinal walls, leading to poor digestion, inflammation, and skin breakouts.
Turmeric
Turmeric has been gaining popularity in recent years for its highly effective antioxidant properties and its ability to guard against cancer. In fact, many veterinarians recommend adding this Indian spice in your pet’s diet to help protect against calcification and degeneration of the bones. Many healthy shake and smoothie recipes also include this spice as a bonus ingredient for added benefits.
The active antioxidant found in turmeric, curcumin, was found to be the most effective in fighting free radicals. It was also further proven that when combined with coconut oil, it can be used to lighten dark scars, pigmentation, or dark spots caused by sun overexposure by preventing a skin enzyme that produces pigment.
Otherwise known as haldi in India, turmeric is part of many beauty rituals for brides to be to achieve bright, glowing skin on their big day.
Try making this mask at home, apply it once a week, and see the results for yourself!
This brightening turmeric face mask will make your dull skin sparkle and glow! Yogurt is rich in zinc and Vitamin B which keeps blackheads, and acne at bay. It also moisturizes your skin and cleanses well to eliminate excess oil production. Avocado, which is known as a super food, hydrates, nourishes, and tightens your skin.
To start off, you’ll need 1 teaspoon of yogurt, 1 tablespoon of avocado and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder.
Blend the avocado until it forms a smooth consistency. All you’ll need for this facial mask is 1 tablespoon, so if you’ve got extra, go ahead and eat it up or slather it on your arms before your bath for extra moisturized skin.
Next, mix the avocado with the turmeric powder and yogurt in a bowl. Lightly apply the mask over your cleansed face and let sit for five minutes. Rinse off in a gentle circular motion and pat dry. Now you can say hello to gorgeous glowing skin!
Eggs
Two powerful antioxidants found in eggs, lutein and zeaxanthin, have been found to have 4x protection against UV damage that leads to brown spots, lines, and skin cancer. These antioxidants also help with better skin hydration, adding to its firmness and softness.
Adding one egg a day to your diet already significantly increases blood levels of zeaxanthin and lutein without spiking up cholesterol levels. They also aid in preventing macular degeneration by shielding the retina from light damage.
Oatmeal
Swapping pancakes or sugar-loaded cereals for a bowl of plain oats in the morning will do wonders for your skin and it will thank you in just a few short days, especially if you’re suffering from acne or mild breakouts. Oatmeal is low on the glycemic index, which is a scale that rates carbohydrate foods and how much they increase blood sugar.
High glycemic foods, especially when consumed first thing in the morning, cause a drastic spike and an eventual crash in blood sugar, promote inflammation, and tend to cause acne breakouts. Low glycemic carbohydrate foods cause a slow and steady increase and decline in blood sugar. Opt for cooked or steel cut oats as your breakfast meal instead of instant oats, as the latter is loaded with sugar and preservatives.
