You Are What You Eat: 10 Everyday Foods To Get That Head-To-Toe Glow

by Sejal Parikh · September 25, 2015

Whoever said that the way to healthy, glowing skin was potions, pills & packs was trying to mint money off your insecurities. All you need to do to get that flawless, glowing skin that would make you the envy of many is to stop looking to your vanity table or drugstore shelves for a beauty fix and go back to your kitchen! Yep, that’s right- REAL beauty begins from the inside out!

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Suggested read: What turmeric can do for your health and skin

Beautiful, healthy, glowing skin starts with what you put within than what you put on! When it comes to being the beaming owner of radiant skin, the adage ‘you are what you eat’ shines right through! Just like that enviable bikini-body comes with a proper diet, losing that sallowness in your pasty complexion and the dullness on the exposed parts of your skin shall come from what you feed it. The right mix of foods shall help supply the very nutrients that your skin needs to shed its dull cloak, grow new skin cells and become soft, supple and blemish-free. And we got the secrets straight from the horse’s mouth-

1. Tomatoes

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Including tomatoes or tomato-based recipes in your diet helps clear up acne while improving the skin’s antioxidant properties, which further defend the skin from UV rays. Lycopene (a phytochemical present in tomatoes) is known to lower an acne-producing hormone. And while there’s no set recommendation to how much lycopene intake you must include in your diet, having tomatoes in your weekly diet about anywhere between three and five times works well. Also, tomatoes help fight stubborn spots and help smoothen your skin texture.

2. Spinach

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Spinach contains a triple dose of wrinkle-fighting antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene which triple-team to protect your skin from the sun’s aging UV rays. Including spinach in salads, green smoothies, or consuming it lightly sautéed with coconut oil, garlic and a dash of sea salt are some of the best ways to fully avail its nutrition quotient.

3. Walnuts

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Walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E that help your skin stay smooth and supple. Walnuts also help give your dull tresses a life of their own and make them lustrous and healthy. Consuming them raw or tossing them in your salad, pasta or dessert are good ways to furnish your daily quota of walnut intake.

4. Dark Chocolate

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Chocolate contains anti-aging antioxidants called flavonoids, which fight free radicals to protect your skin from UV damage and prevent the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and skin discolorations. Also, consumption of chocolate helps release endorphins (the body’s feel-good chemical) and phenylethylamine which induces a head-over-heels feeling of being in love! Well, what can we say- go, sin!

5. Soya Beans

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Soya beans are a rich source of vitamin B complex that helps to release energy from food for skin metabolism and performs a crucial role in allowing the skin to breathe whilst retaining its moisture and smoothness. Fortified breakfast cereals, whole grain, wheat germ and offal are good substitutes too- in case you hate soya beans as much as I do!

6. Avocados

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Ever seen avocados featuring in a wide range of beauty products- there’s a reason! Avocados are the ultimate ‘get gorgeous’ food that not only give you glowing skin but help you get shiny, thick hair, beautiful nails and well, a certain degree of fitness too! The monosaturated fatty acids in these li’l delights lower cholesterol levels, prevent ageing and supply the skin with a wide gamut of antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and folate! So, the next time you go grocery shopping, you know what should definitely be on your list!

7. Berries

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Berries are richly laden with anti-inflammatory agents and vitamins that help protect the skin from premature aging. The antioxidants in berries help minimize the damage of free radicals, which can accelerate wrinkle formation and cause disease. Additionally, berries are packed with vitamin C, which keeps skin firm and strong. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is essential to the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels. So, go ahead and eat your way to berri-ful skin!

8. Sweet Potatoes

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These treats are packed with beta-carotene and when ingested, convert to vitamin A that helps keep the skin soft and supple. So, go the potato way to get silky smooth skin.

9. Watermelon, cantaloupe, and mangoes

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The juicy fruits are heavy in carotenoids that help protect the skin from sun exposure. Of course, skipping the sunscreen isn’t advised but these foods help the skin to retain its moisture and thereby, prevent wrinkles.

10. Kiwi

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Kiwi is a skin saver. Laden with vitamin C, it helps stimulate collagen synthesis and prevents wrinkles. It also bolsters the retention of skin moisture and thereby, allows the skin to look noticeably less dry! Not a fan- try oranges or grapefruit!

Yes, you can come thank our in-house nutritionist!