Foods that are great for the African skin.

It has been said that you don’t get a glowing skin by just using cosmetics. Nutrition plays a major role too. So I stumbled on foods that are especially good for the skin while looking for materials for a project. I made more research and it seemed like most beauticians/nutritionists agree that these food items should be eaten by every woman especially the African woman as often as she can for that glowing skin.  I must say I didn’t know some of this information and this isn’t a comprehensive list. Just the three I didn’t know about.

Spinach: When I saw this I remembered with mixed feelings the way my mum used to make us eat spinach stew on some Sundays. We would all sit at the table and she would unleash a healthy looking cane and warn us to finish eating our ‘green stew’. We would eat in tears and wonder why we had to eat ‘green’ when we can have the delicious ‘red’ stew we were sure kids all over the world were having at that time. 

That was many years ago though. I totally love it now. Spinach contains lutein. Lutein, a nutrient known to be involved in eye health, has now been found to also play a role in the health of the skin. Lutein improves skin hydration, elasticity and lipid content. Lutein gives us healthier skin, provides deep protection from the harmful blue light of the sun, and may help prevent skin cancer.  Lutein is also found in eggs. In fact, its bioavailability from an egg is higher than from spinach. But I do know I would indulge in vegetables. I am not really an ‘egg’ person.

Beans and lentils:  Many people especially women don't like eating beans. They might have a good reason anyway as it leaves some with this powerful need to gas every 3 minutes. Oh well! Beans helps to promote healthy collagen (the stuff that keeps your skin looking plump like baby’s cheeks) It also restores the anti-oxidant powers of Vit. C and E. So we need the beans people. 

Red peppers: Red peppers are sweet, tasty and a great addition to many dishes. They're also good for boosting antioxidant levels. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and is found in foods like red peppers, strawberries, oranges, lemons, tomatoes, broccoli, and kiwi. It promotes collagen production and helps fight free radical damage to the cells, which is what ages the skin. Kiwi fruit contains twice as much vitamin C than an orange, and a red pepper has triple!

So did you know this about these food items? A healthy diet is of great benefit to the skin. Well, so is exercising and using good products that suit your skin.

Keep looking as beautiful as always.

Lily Johnson.

Pics from here and here