Eating Better For Your Skin… Food For Thought!

It’s always food for thought, but can we eat our way to a more youthful complexion? We all know the benefits of eating well on our heart health and general well-being, but there are lots of foods that can do you wonders for your skin. What you eat can affect your skin purely because of inflammation, and as this is your body’s way half protecting itself and getting rid of toxins it can show up in things like acne, but it can also cause your skin to age. So what are the best foods for your skin?

Coconut Oil

You can’t really escape coconut oil it’s wherever you go now, and they’re even selling it in high street supermarkets, but while it’s the healthy fats that people are buying it for when it comes to diet, you can actually also use coconut oil on your skin! It is used in many natural beauty products as a key ingredient, but as a skin moisturizer, an emollient and even as a body scrub you can use coconut oil for numerous health benefits. There is a lot of debate as to the best types of coconut oil to use, and you can have a look online for the best coconut oil brand that is cold pressed and has a higher quantity of MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) which will contribute to your overall health and not just your skin.

Read the 92 Sneaky Causes of Acne

Dark Chocolate

The health benefits of dark chocolate have been tested for a long time, but the benefits of eating this sweet treat with a higher cocoa content have shown to reduced skin roughness and scaliness over a 12 week period. However, for a lot of us, it’s not good to eat so much chocolate because of the high quantity of calories, so eat it in moderation and reap the benefits.

Oatmeal

If you’ve ever tried the old home remedy for bad skin by putting oatmeal in a sock and putting it under the tap in your bath you’ve seen first hand how good it is for your skin. But eating it is just as good if you don’t fancy bathing with a sock! Try and go for whole grain oatmeal where you can.

Oily Fish

A lot of oily fish like sardines have a high quantity of Omega-3 fatty acids. A lot of fatty fish is rich in DHA which is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid that is anti-inflammatory. So by upping your fish intake by eating mackerel, or sardines or salmon; you will be cutting back on inflammation which is known as the root cause of acne.

Rosemary

As well as being high in antioxidants herbs like rosemary and thyme have been associated with a reduced risk of melanoma. As they are so high in antioxidants, they eradicate free radicals from skin-damaging sources like the sun before they can cause any issues.

Water

Do you drink enough? Don’t forget drinking plenty of water keep skin hydrated which will make it appear less wrinkled. If you are fed up with water by itself, add a bit of lemon or lime to zest it up!