Benefits of a healthy diet for the skin

When people talk about diet, they usually speak about weight, but did you know that what we eat can also impact the health and appearance of our skin? While we usually reach for skin care products to treat and care for our skin, our diet can help to rejuvenate our skin from the inside out.

Eating a healthy diet can produce long term results, often far more effective than topical treatments. The things we eat and what our body ingests has much greater impact on the overall appearance and condition of our skin. A healthy diet includes raw minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, acids, phytochemicals, and other useful compounds that our skin and body need daily. There are some foods that are loaded with these essential elements that can help to nurture our skin.

If you’re still not convinced, keep reading to discover the many benefits of a healthy diet on your skin.

1. Moisturizing effects

Dry skin is one of the most common skin issues for many men and women. In most cases, poor diet is the main cause that contributes to this issue. Following a healthy diet includes eating enough healthy fats, which work to preserve the moisture and suppleness of your skin. This will ensure your skin stays moisturized naturally from the inside out.

Healthy fats are beneficial for your entire body, as they allow the body to absorb other nutrients and use them correctly. Foods such as wild fish, avocados, seeds, nuts and olive oil are some amazing sources of healthy fats.

2. Prevent wrinkles

There have been several studies that show there is a direct link between wrinkles (and fine lines) and our diet. A healthy diet can prevent the formation of wrinkles, which can make us look significantly older. Eating the right foods can optimize the production of collagen, a compound crucial for the elasticity of the skin and health of skin cells. One way you can stabilize the production of collagen in the body is by cutting down on the amount of sugar you eat.

3. Fights acne

A healthy diet can help people prevent and eliminate acne. This is a quite common skin disorder that can impact people’s confidence and ultimately lead to other health issues. A healthy diet requires a radical reduction in the consumption of sugar. Sugar is highly addictive, so to satisfy sugar cravings, you can try eating low glycemic foods like berries. To prevent acne, you should also consider lowering your intake of starchy foods such as breads and pastas. These foods can increase blood sugar levels, supporting inflammation and acne.

Try to consume more healthy fats, lean protein and leafy green vegetables, but avoid sugar and processed foods to fight against acne.

4. Beauty to your lips

During winter, many people experience dry lips due to the cold, dry air. However, if you are experiencing this problem all year round, it’s likely you lack B vitamins and zinc. Following a healthy diet on a regular basis will help bring back these nutrients in the system. Some good examples of foods than contain B vitamins and zinc are organic yoghurt, fish, nuts, seeds and cacao which can be excellent for plump lips!

5. Makes your skin radiant

A poor diet can cause skin to appear dull and lifeless as the body is not receiving all of the nutrients it needs. The simplest way to solve this problem is to consume healthy, natural foods. Start slowly by gradually replacing processed foods with natural foods. It won’t take long for your skin to start looking radiant and fresh, helping you glow.

6. Keeps the area around your eyes protected

Puffy eyes and dark under eye circles are a common problem that many of us experience. Diet plays an important role in their formation. Eating foods that are low in sugar and with a low glycemic index can help to nourish and protect the skin around your eyes.

These are just some of the many health benefits of eating a clean and nutritious diet, and the impact it has on your skin. https://www.grahamsnatural.com.au/blogs/news/benefits-of-a-healthy-diet-on-the-skin/

Here is one of my favorite salad recipe. Enjoy!      https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes

INGREDIENTS

• 300g fregola pasta
• 2 lemons, sliced into 3mm thick rounds
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 marjoram sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 400g cherry tomatoes, on the vine
• 150g radishes, halved, or quartered if large
• ½ small red onion, finely sliced (40g net)
• 50g wild rocket
• 5g basil leaves, torn
• 5g mint leaves, torn
• 5g parsley leaves, picked
• 5g dill, roughly chopped
• Thyme flowers, optional
• Wild mint, optional
• Lavender flowers, optional
• Wild onion flowers, optional
• Salt

Dressing:

• Grated zest of ½ an orange
• 50ml olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Roasted lemon and fregola salad

Print Recipe

SERVES SIX

When I cooked this recipe to camera I had a home crowd watching me I couldn’t have dreamed of. That night a group of Aussie women checked into Roberto’s tiny country hotel. It turned out they landed in Italy that morning arriving from London, where they visited the restaurant of their favourite chef; and that chef is your humble servant. So the one night they are in Ottolenghi eating the food and the next night they are in Sardinia watching him cook to camera in the courtyard of a small hotel in in small town. Most people would probably not be able to get the wild flowers I used in Sardinia to spread over the salad at the end. They look great but they aren_�_t essential. You can leave the out, substitute with other edible wild flowers that are in season and local to you, or replace with some more picked herbs.

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.
2. Bring a medium pan of salted water to the boil and add the fregola. Boil for approximately 15 minutes, until cooked through. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside to dry.
3. Put the lemons on a roasting tray and mix with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and ¼ of a teaspoon of salt. Spread them out flat in a single layer. Put the cherry tomatoes on another baking tray, topped with the sprigs of marjoram and rosemary. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Place both trays in the oven until the tomatoes start to split and the lemons are starting to caramelise, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
4. Meanwhile make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together, plus ¼ teaspoon of salt.
5. Remove half the tomatoes from the vines and place in a large mixing bowl along with the cooked fregola, radishes, onion, rocket, and herbs. Add the cooled lemons and gently stir through the dressing. Arrange the salad on a platter, topping it with the last of the tomatoes on the vine, and finish with the wild flowers, if using.