The new best friends of beauty don’t come from a tube (or a pill, or an infomercial, or the, er, “special doctor”). The beauty boost you’ve been looking for comes straight from the kitchen! A radiant exterior starts with a well-nourished body, and while there are many foods that offer beautifying benefits, nutrient-dense superfoods are ideal for getting that long-term glow. Add these 5 extraordinary foods to your diet for the healthiest (and most delicious!) beauty upgrade ever:
Hemp Seeds
Among their many benefits, hemp seeds are an exceptionally rich source of essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs serve as a crucial element in the development of new cells by helping to compose the cell membrane itself. Because the cells that compose our body’s exterior have an especially high turnover rate, eating foods with quality EFAs influences an increase in renewed and vibrant skin, hair, nails, etc. Hemp seeds also supply a good source of Vitamin E, the famous beauty nutrient known for its natural moisturizing and anti-aging qualities.
Try them in: Hemp Hummus
Wheatgrass Juice or Powder
Being a potent natural source of chlorophyll (the green “blood” of plants), wheatgrass is profoundly alkaline. This quality means wheatgrass assists in increasing circulation, promotes detoxification of impurities, neutralizes acids and toxins, and at the same time replenishes cells with essential minerals. While all this beneficial activity builds a clean body internally, these perks also translate to vibrant, lustrous skin and bright, clear eyes.
Try it in: Green Energy Bars
Berries
Nutrient-dense berries such as strawberries, blackberries, goji berries, or acai berries share a common benefit: concentrated antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free radicals in the body, thus providing defense against cellular oxidation (disease and aging). Consistent consumption of high antioxidant foods can delay signs of aging by keeping the body’s cell structure strong on both the inside and out. Eating these “superberries” can be especially helpful in preventing the acceleration of skin damage (like wrinkles!), as well as delaying (even reversing, according to some reports) graying hair.
Try them in: Indigo Granita Dessert
Camu Camu
As the world’s highest known source of Vitamin C, camu berries are a standout superfood in a beautifying diet. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in beauty because in addition to contributing to tissue growth, this nutrient is also essential for the formation of collagen – a protein responsible for giving skin its elastic quality (among many other things!). Plus, being an antioxidant in and of itself, Vitamin C is another premium tool in the anti-aging arsenal. Consuming vitamin C in a natural, whole food form like camu (as opposed to a synthetic vitamin pill) ensures this helpful nutrient is digested and assimilated by the body to the fullest extent.
Try it in: Camu Berry Lemonade, from Superfood Cuisine: Cooking With Nature’s Most Amazing Foods
Coconut Oil
Granted, coconut oil may not be a superfood per se, but its incredible benefits earn it a paramount position in the natural beauty regimen. When enjoyed as a food, coconut oil makes a nutritious cooking oil full of energy-giving medium chain fatty acids that are easily (and deliciously) used in place of harmful fats. Used externally, coconut oil serves as nature’s premier moisturizing lotion – an ideal remedy for dry or wrinkled skin. Rubbed on the body or face, the smooth oil is easily absorbed, softens the skin, and provides an instant radiance.
Try it in: Heavenly Baked Delecata Squash
These foods can be sourced at natural food stores, through various web-based retailers, or through my online shop.
