At Blu Cocoon MedSpa in San Jose, we believe that beautiful skin starts from within. Facials, peels, Botox, and fillers can help – tremendously – but the very core of healthy, glowing skin comes from how you treat your body and what you put in it. Your skin emanates the story of what’s going on inside. This is the thought that prompted us to do a blog post of the superfoods that we think are, well, super!
Before we begin, we have to define a “superfood”. According to Wikipedia, a food may be described as a superfood because of its “high nutrient or phytochemical content that may confer health benefits, with few properties considered to be negative, such as being high in saturated fats or artificial ingredients, food additives or contaminants”. Although there are many superfoods out there, this is Blu Cocoon’s list of favorites:
BluBerries (oops, we mean”Blueberries): Protect your skin from premature aging with the antioxidant power in these tiny berries. The USDA ranked it number one in antioxidant activity compared to 40 common fruits and veggies.
Walnuts: A 1/4 cup of these tasty nuts can give you nearly 95% of your daily omega-3 requirements and are full of B vitamins. B vitamins are particularly great for your skin but also help to manage mood and stress.
Kiwis: With a complex mix of vitamin C, vitamin E, and lycopene, kiwis can help your skin fight free radicals that damage healthy skin cells. The vitamin C content in kiwis is more than in oranges and this helps to firm and repair skin.
Pumpkin Seeds: People with acne-prone skin should make this nut a daily snack. Pumpkin seeds are packed with vitamin E, zinc, and magnesium that help promote skin regeneration, fight off acne causing bacteria, and keep your skin glowing.
Dark Chocolate: Flavonoids in dark chocolate have been found to help increase blood flow to the skin, and improve the skin’s hydration and complexion.
Avocados: Billed as the most nutritious fruit, it is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K to keep skin youthful and hair shiny. Recent research has also shown that avocados can help with eczema.
Dark Leafy Greens: Kale, Swiss chard, and spinach are loaded with beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that helps to renew and repair skin.
Salmon: One of the biggest sources of omega-3s is salmon. Omega-3s ae great for your brain and your skin. Studies suggest that omega-3s may help protect against sun damage. They also fight inflammation and improve blood flow – both factors that contribute to better skin health.
Tomatoes: The lycopene in tomatoes protects against free radical damage while the vitamin C and vitamin A found in tomatoes help to maintain healthy skin and hair.
Green Tea: Not exactly a “food” but we had to include green tea in our list of superfoods because it has many beneficial properties. Green tea is naturally rich in antioxidants and is said to help protect the body from skin-damaging free radicals, neutralize damage to the skin done by UV rays, rejuvenate skin cells, fight inflammation (improving skin conditions such as psoriasis, rosacea, and dandruff which are caused by inflammation), and help control acne along with many other benefits it has on the body.
Incorporating any, or all, of these superfoods into your daily diet is simple because these are ingredients that are easily found in grocery stores and restaurants. Feed your body well and your beauty will shine out and, of course, we are always here if you need a little outer beauty boost!