Top Ten Foods for Healthy, Younger Looking Skin Part 1

Eat your way to younger looking skin with these beauty foods...

What do Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry all have in common? Don't they look ageless to you? They do. It's because they have healthy, younger looking skin. All three women are way into their forties, and they still look like they're in their late 20's. What do you think are some of their secrets for having youthful skin? One thing is for sure, they do watch what they eat. Take a look at these ten foods, and start nibbling your way to younger looking skin.

Girl with Coconut

1. Coconut Oil.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. It didn't become so without the help of saturated fats. Now, more and more people are becoming fully aware of the health benefits of saturated fat ( Link to Article ). Coconut oil contains an abundance of saturated fat (more than 90%). The saturated fat helps maintain the integrity of your skin, not to mention delivering plenty of fat soluble antioxidant vitamins to your cells which are great for your skin. This will keep your skin looking younger. Well, if you don't like cooking with coconut oil or eating it, you can just apply it to your skin instead. Just make sure you get organic extra virgin coconut oil.
2. Avocados.
Don't underestimate this fruit colloquially called ‘The Alligator Pear’ (because of its shape and texture), as it packs a lot of punching power. The great diversity of carotenoids (it's like the United Nations Assembly) present in avocados plays an important role in its ability to counteract inflammation. Your skin's exposure to the harsh environment usually leads to inflammation you may not be able to notice. It's also high in fats, plant fats called phytosterols. These phytosterols contribute to keeping inflammation on the down low. Like coconut oil, avocados also have important fat soluble vitamins like vitamin E and K.
3. Cacao.
This is natural chocolate at its best. Raw and overflowing with antioxidants, this super food gracefully rejuvenates your skin from the inside out. It does this by relaxing your skin's blood vessels and allowing it to receive nutrients and eliminate toxic wastes. In addition, the antioxidants get rid of free radicals, which destroys the delicate structure of your skin. The higher the percentage of cacao in your chocolate, the better. Or even better make your own chocolate using cacao powder and coconut oil - then you can tick off two foods on this list! You know what's even better and tastier than the cacao percentage? It's when you serve raw cacao in a smoothie or dessert with berries. Berries contain a lot of antioxidants too. For all you sweet tooths out there, many of the health benefits are lost when cacao is heated for making chocolate so we are not saying eat more chocolate!

To read more about the health benefits of Cacao read Part 2 of our Superfoods article: ‘Superfoods Part 2: My Goodness! More Goodness!’
4. Brazil Nuts.
Brazil is famous for its football team (they have won the FIFA World Cup 5 times), beautiful women, scenic beaches and the Rio Carnival. To add to that list, are Brazil nut trees, deep in the Amazon forest. The nuts of these trees contain high levels of selenium. Selenium is an essential cofactor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. This enzyme is known for its antioxidant properties. It's no wonder Brazilian women have such beautiful skin (not to mention they're among the top countries that win the most Miss Universe pageants).
5. Bone Broth.
Does cold weather annoy your skin? Does it make your skin excessively dry? In addition to topical remedies, eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated, are part of the basics of skin care. You may not be aware of it, but mineral deficiencies can worsen skin dryness during cold weather. You can prevent these deficiencies by drinking bone broth. Bone broth is full of minerals and surprisingly, collagen. Collagen is made up of proteins which will help maintain the framework of your skin.

Pssst...Please come back later for the next five of our top ten list (Part 2 of this article - coming soon). Try to EAT your way through these five first. Start nibbling.