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Although it seems as if winter is far away, we still need to know how food can help us protect our skin. Healthy food can help us maintain our healthy and beautiful skin in many ways. Those beneficial nutrients in the food can prevent our skin’s premature aging, wrinkles, or red spots and much more.
Let us see what we should eat during winter to keep our skin healthy.
What are the Most Common Skin Problems in Winter?
In the winter, skin can quickly become brittle and deathly pale when we lack beneficial nutrients that protect the skin.
For taut skin, eat Brazilian nuts. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, an antioxidant mineral that improves the elasticity of the skin. Selenium also decreases the damage from the sun. One or two Brazil nuts a day is more than enough. If you are allergic to nuts, get the selenium from chicken, eggs or turkey.
Chapped skin in the winter is a result of the irregular intake of B-vitamins. B-complex vitamins regulate skin cells, and when you lack B-complex, the skin becomes dry and with flaky patches. Eat the food rich in B vitamins, for instance, brown rice.
Skin spots are a common enemy in the winter. Studies showed that during winter, people tend to eat more sweets and sugar. Sugar and sweets stimulate the male hormone androgen, and this hormone causes acne in women, for instance. Moreover, sugar accelerates collagen damage.
When people are tempted all the time, especially in the winner, it is very hard to decrease the intake of sugar and sweets. One does not have to stop eating sweets, but one needs to control the collagen levels. Thus, eating foods that are rich in collagen, such as blueberries, mango, and avocado, can help prevent skin spots. One should also eat kiwis and pineapples.
What Else Should We Eat in Winter?
Grapefruit for smooth skin
A carotenoid in grapefruit will make your skin smooth. When buying grapefruit, opt for the one with red-pinkish hue because these colors are from lycopene and it means the fruits are loaded with carotenoids. People who have a higher concentration of lycopene have smoother skin, a study showed.
Pomegranate juice for everyday skin health
Pomegranate is high in antioxidant content, thus very beneficial for skin protection. Whether it is a juice or the fruits itself, the antioxidant will prevent the appearance of varicose veins.
Pomegranate also contains Anthocyanins, compounds that strengthen the walls of tiny blood vessels. These compounds supply the skin with nutrients the skin needs, thus the skin is protected from cracking.
Tea to protect your skin
Studies showed that caffeine in tea help protects the skin against skin cancer. Caffeine blocks the protein that ultra-violet damaged skin cells need to divide, thus those cells are killed.
Coffee as protection from skin cancer
Various studies showed that a cup of coffee a day lowers the risk of developing skin cancer by 10 percent. However, decaffeinated drinks do not have these skin benefits.
Carrots against UV damage
Raw or in juice, carrots are loaded with beta-carotene and lycopene, compounds that protect our skin from UV damages. Researchers showed that people who drink carrots juice at least four times a week had almost 50 percent less skin reddening after they were exposed to UV light.
Pumpkins for the immunity system
When our immunity system is endangered or weak, our skin is also easily exposed to damages and illnesses.
Pumpkins are rich in beta-carotene and lycopene, and apart from the immune system protection, they protect our skin from UV damages.
Broccoli against wrinkles
Food rich in vitamin C is excellent protection from wrinkled skin and age-related dryness of the skin. Vitamin C is capable of warding off the free damaging radicals from the body, thus decreasing their ability to damage our skin.
Vitamin C also synthesizes collagen, a protein that keeps the skin firm.
Spinach for vitamin E
Apart from the lutein, a carotenoid that protects the skin from UV damage, spinach boosts the levels of vitamin C and preserves the levels of vitamin E and K. Vitamins E and K are all necessary vitamins for skin protection and health.
When buying spinach, opt for the one right up in the light.
Cocoa for skin texture
Hot cocoa in winter is excellent for improving skin texture. Cocoa contains epicatechin, a flavonoid that increases the blood flow to the skin and boosts the nutrient and oxygen supply.
Tuna and sardines for youthful skin
Food rich in Omega-3 fatty acids is excellent protection from skin aging and for maintaining the youthful skin. Tuna, for instance, preserves collagen. Sardines, on the other hand, protect the body from harmful free radicals. These foods are also great for your heart and proper blood flow, which is also beneficial for healthy skin.
Soymilk for firm skin
Due to the isoflavones, soymilk can preserve collagen, thus the skin is protected against breakdown. Regular intake of soymilk prevents wrinkles and keeps the skin smooth.
Water for hydration
We need water to moisturize our skin for hydration and for toxins cleanse. Eight glasses of water each day is enough to keep our skin healthy, especially during winter.
When drinking water, do not add unhealthy additives and sugars.
What Skin Oils Should We Use in Winter?
Extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, and oregano oil should be our first and only choice.
To maintain our skin healthy, and to protect our skin from infections, we should use these oils regularly. The beneficial nutrients in these oils also promote healthy blood flow and can moisturize and repair our skin.
Read about oils for common winter health problems and skin protection here.
Reference:
Cox, J. & Reinhardt, D. (1996). Natural Beauty for All Seasons: More Than 250 Simple Recipes and Gift-Giving Ideas for Year-Round Beauty. Holt Paperbacks.
Tannis, A. (2009). Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles: Eat Your Way to Firmer, More Beautiful Skin with 100 Best Anti-Aging Foods. Fair Winds Press.
TenHouten, E. & Amron, D. (2009). Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin: Over 75 Antioxidant-Rich Recipes for Glowing Skin. Hatherleigh Press.
Image credit: DepositPhotos.com
Last article update: 11/18/2019
