Achieve a natural glow with our guide to food that can improve your look and feel.
When it comes to health and beauty, what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it. Certain foods are rich in vitamins and minerals that can give you clear skin or shiny hair, as well as being good for your overall health. Check out what to eat to improve your natural beauty and feel great.
Hair
Certain foods can also help promote hair growth and keep it healthy and shiny. Foods rich in vitamin B5 – also known as pantothenic acid, a name you may recognise from beauty product labels – increase blood flow to your scalp and encourage growth. It can even help to protect against hair thinning and loss. If you struggle with brittle hair, leafy dark green vegetables such as spinach and rocket can help, as they’re packed full of vitamins A and C, as well as beta carotene, folate and of course iron.
Nails
Folate is vital for nail growth, meaning spinach can help out here. Vitamin B12 is another essential to prevent brittle nails, as it facilitates iron absorption. A B12 deficiency can result in discoloured nails with a blue or brown tinge, and wavy streaks. This deficiency can be a particular problem for vegans, as vitamin B12 is predominately found in animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. As well as spinach, folate can also be found in citrus fruits, beans, nuts, peas, lentils, seeds, and avocados.
Skin
Eating greasy and unhealthy foods is a sure-fire way to cause a breakout on your skin, that much we all know, but a diet consisting of plenty of the proper foods can also help to keep your skin clear. Omega-3 rich foods such as oily fish (mackerel, salmon, and herring) can help to keep it moisturised, and an omega-3 deficiency can cause dryness. It can even make your skin less susceptible to UV rays and is a good source of antioxidants which are essential for skin health. Avocados are also a source of natural fats and vitamin E both of which will help stay healthy and glowing.
Eyes
Mascara and eyeliner are all well and good, but there are natural ways to make your eyes brighter and more striking. While the popular adage that eating carrots can help you see in the dark is a myth invented during World War Two to hide the invention of radar, it’s actually not all that far from the truth.
Carrots are rich in beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which helps your eyes adjust to dim light or darkness, reducing strain on the eyes at night and allowing them to appear brighter during the day. Onions contain polyphenols which help your eyes repair damaged micro- blood vessels, also making them appear brighter.