We all spend so much money on topical lotions, serums, gels, and other forms of skincare, but beauty isn't skin deep. The overall health of your body determines how your skin looks. Nutrition has a huge effect on the health of your hair, skin, and nails. Beauty is on the outside but comes from the inside! Remember, your skin is your body's largest organ. That's right! It's an organ, so treat it right!
Certain foods and nutrients in these foods—fats, minerals, vitamins, and other compounds—nourish your cosmetic health. They help your skin look younger, your hair grow faster, and your nails become stronger. So let's eat our way into beauty. Here are the superfoods that help you look your best.
Cosmetic Superfoods
1. Flaxseed
Flax seeds can be incorporated into lots of recipes. You’ll sometimes find them in cereals, breads, flax “milk,” or even yogurt. They’re fantastic for health and great for your looks. Flax gives you fats, called PUFAs, that support the integrity of your outermost skin layer, the epidermis 1†. It’s because of these healthy fats that flaxseed supplementation improves “smoothness and hydration” of skin and eases sensitivity to irritants 2,3†. The magnesium content in flaxseeds could also be helpful for hair growth 1†.
2. Coconut
Coconuts are rich sources of tocotrienols, a group of vitamin E compounds that have been demonstrated to reduce hair loss 4†. Researchers have determined that tocotrienols reduce oxidative stress in the scalp, which is a cause of hair loss 4†. In a placebo-controlled trial, it was found that tocotrienols increased the number of hairs by over 34% after 8 months of ingestion 4†.
3. Soy
Find some organic tofu, tempeh, soy milk, or other type of soy product and reap the benefits for your skin. You don’t want non-organic soy that soaks up pesticides, however. Soy contains mild plant estrogens that bind to the estrogen receptors in your skin 5. The effects of this interaction make for more youthful skin†! Many studies have shown a decrease in wrinkles in people who eat soy 5†. It’s no wonder because these plant estrogens increase collagen production 5†. Collagen is the main protein in your skin and gives it its youthful firmness and flexibility.
4. Chlorella
Another superfood that supercharges your skin is the algae chlorella. If it sounds gross, no worries because you can just swallow tablets of chlorella. It’s been called nature’s multi-vitamin because it’s filled with vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy fats. Chlorella also contains the most powerful antioxidant in nature, astaxanthin, which has been shown in many clinical studies to reduce the amount and severity of wrinkles and blunt skin aging 6†. Astaxanthin stops the damaging oxidative stress and inflammation that hurts your skin 6†.
5. Leafy Greens
Eat your salads or make green smoothies in which you mix fruit with greens because they’re great for your nail health. Leafy greens are a good source of the sulphurous compound MSM, which helps produce the hard protein keratin that gives your nails their strength 7†. Researchers have shown that the biotin in leafy greens (especially spinach) helps with brittle or weak nails 7†. As a side benefit, biotin also helps your hair grow 7†.
6. Raw and/or Sprouted Nuts
Nuts have lots of cosmetic-boosting nutrients in them. Get some that are raw and/or sprouted instead of roasted because roasting generates toxic compounds and can degrade some other healthy components of nuts. The zinc in nuts is necessary for the enzymes involved in hair growth to function, and baldness is often linked to zinc deficiency 8†. The vitamin E and the omega-3 fats in nuts can lower damaging inflammation that can cause skin irritation 9,10†.
7. Sardines
Besides their healthy omega-3 fat content, sardines are a plentiful source of vitamin D, which is good for hair growth. Researchers have found that vitamin D plays an “important role” in the rapid-growth cycle of hair follicles 11†. Low vitamin D levels are also associated with hair loss in women, and the lower the vitamin D level, the greater the severity of hair loss 12†.
8. Green Tea
Here’s something for you to sip on between meals. Because of it's amazing and vast effects on well-being, green tea makes your skin and hair look great. In mice, consumption of green tea polyphenols caused significant hair regrowth where hair had previously been lost 13†. Green tea has also been shown to stimulate human hair growth in the lab 14†. Green tea also boosts your skin’s antioxidant protection, so there will be less damage and more vibrancy 15†.
9. Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin Seeds are known to inhibit the enzyme that generates the baldness-causing DHT hormone 16†. Initial results show that these seeds may boost hair growth in humans 16†.
10. Kale
We mentioned leafy greens earlier, but now we’re narrowing in on kale because it’s a powerful source of antioxidants called carotenoids. Carotenoids actually get absorbed into your skin and determine its complexion! Researchers have shown that higher amounts of carotenoids correlate to higher attractiveness ratings 17†. Translation: you have to eat veggies like kale and fruits to have a healthy glow and color.
Do you have dry skin, brittle nails, and frizzy hair?
Did you know that you can achieve healthy hair, skin, and nails all at the same time by consuming the right nutrients? You also won’t have to depend on harsh chemical products or an extensive morning and night routine just so you can look your best! And it all comes down to these simple, beautifying principles.
Our lead nutritionist Evan Burns shares his most effective all-natural remedies and holistic approach to give you soft skin, strong nails, and smooth hair!
Click here to download his FREE report today.
