Using the right products is essential for healthy skin and shiny hair but what you eat can also have a big effect. Beauty from the inside out is what we’re going for with a healthy lifestyle and nutritious foods.
You might be surprised how much what you eat can affect your skin and hair. For example, having a salad filled with chicken, tomatoes and nuts can provide a lot of the essentials needed for healthy skin. Or having a meal with salmon, sweet potatoes and kale combined with superfood supplements can help your hair look as healthy as possible whilst also preventing potential hair loss.
Small changes to your diet could make a big difference to your hair and beauty regime and give you the look you’ve been wanting. So rather than looking to your vanity table for a beauty fix, take a look in your kitchen! Here are the top foods:
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are an excellent example of foods rich in an antioxidant called selenium. Having selenium in your diet can help prevent sun damage as well as age spots, both of which are big skin problems.
Blueberries
Blueberries have long been hailed as one of the best sources of important nutrients and antioxidants. The little berries are packed with vitamin C which helps produce collagen, aiding the health and appearance of skin and hair.
Spinach
Spinach contains a triple dose of wrinkle-fighting antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. These all work together to protect your skin from the sun’s aging UV rays (but you should still wear sunscreen, of course). Enjoy spinach in salads, green smoothies, or lightly sautéed with coconut oil, garlic and a dash of sea salt.
Oily fish
Salmon is a classic example of a meal packed with Omega-3, which is a nutrient that can reduce inflammatory skin conditions, help look after your scalp and aid your skin in looking smoother and younger.
Avocados
Avocados are the ultimate “get gorgeous” food. Ever seen shampoos or facial masks using avocados? There’s a reason for that.
Key for hair, skin, and nails, the monounsaturated fatty acids packed into these creamy treats not only help lower bad cholesterol levels, but also reduce the appearance of aging in skin. Avocados also contain antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and folate, and one avocado is packed with more potassium than a medium banana — nearly 700 milligrams!
Nuts
Nuts provide a variety of hair and skin friendly nutrients such as zinc, selenium and vitamin E. Vitamin E can provide protection against sun damage as well as environmental pollution so is a necessity for healthy skin and hair.
Lentils
These legumes are a good source of protein and iron, which support full-bodied hair. Enjoy them as a side dish, in a hearty soup, or make your own lentil-veggie burgers.
Fortified cereals
Fortified cereals are a great source of zinc as well as other minerals. A diet lacking in zinc can lead to hair loss as well as a dry, itchy scalp so it’s important to be getting plenty.
Water
Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day is essential for healthy skin and hair. Staying hydrated will keep your skin moisturised, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin A, which is essential for the body’s production of sebum. Simply put, sebum is the oily substance produced by our hairs glands and is necessary for a healthy scalp.
Eggs
Egg yolks contain a substance called biotin, a water-soluble B vitamin. A lack of biotin in the body may cause brittle hair and even hair loss so it’s an essential vitamin to have in your diet.
Kale
Kale has been classed as a ‘super-food’ largely due to its high iron content. Hair follicles are fed by your blood supply, therefore if your blood is lacking in iron it can affect hair growth and may even result in shedding.
Chicken
Some love it, some think it’s boring but chicken is a great source of protein. Both your hair and skin is made up of protein so a lack of it in your diet could lead to brittle hair as well as dry skin.
