Want to give your metabloic rate a boost, moisturise your skin
or delay wrinkles, just with your diet? Here are the hottest super foods
to give you better skin, hair and nails - just start eating.
BLUEBERRIES
This low-profile berry beat off stiff competition from 40 other fruit adn veg to be ranked number one for antioxidant activity. The antioxidants in blueberries protect you from premature aging, so add half a cup to your yogurt or cereal every day, and ward off signs of ageing!
TOMATOES
Tomatoes are the best source of the anti-aging antioxidant lycopene, which can reduce sun damage and free radicals, which damage skin cells. Surprisingly, lycopene in tomatoes is more easily absorbed by your body when it is cooked or processed, so make sure you stock up on canned tomato sauce or tomato juice.
Wild salmon (not farm-raised) is quite literally bursting with omega-3 fatty acids, which helps keep your skin supple and moisturized. Salmon also has selenium, a mineral that helps protect the skin from sun exposure. Wanna keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy, too? The vitamin D in salmon will sort that out too, and there are so many ways to include this beauty superfood in your diet - grilled, baked, in pasta, salad or in sushi. Yum!
WALNUTS
You don't need to eat loads of walnuts beware as they do contain fat, so avoid overdosing on them!) to enjoy all the benefits they can bring, including smoother skin, healthy hair
,
brighter eyes, and strong bones. Get your daily dose of nutrients like
omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E by eating a handful by themselves or
throwing some in your salad, pasta, or dessert.CHIA SEEDS
Most seeds are good for us, but these little beauties are packed with fibre and omega fatty acids, boosting the body's collagen and elastin production, resulting in a plumper pout, sans surgery. They don't really taste of anything but they do bring a crunch to your salad. Hit your local health food shop now!
KALE
It's been proved by new research that the more greens you eat, the fewer wrinkles we'll get - why didn't someone tell us when we were little??
It's because greens such as kale are full of antioxidants, lutein (which helps protect the skin from UV damage) and vitamins. Try juicing it, adding it to salad or as a large garnish with your dinner.
AVOCADO
Packed with antioxidants, not to mention potassium, vitamins and good fats, avocados are your best foodie weapon in the fight against wrinkles (plus they taste amazing obvs!). Their vitamin E properties help skin to heal faster and the good fats they contain are grat for sensitive and dry skin
RADISHES
These little root veg are great for soothing any digestive problems, and they also containhigh levels of silica, vitamin C and sulphur, all of which are fab at stimulating circulation and stengthening skin. Use them to add some heat to your salad.
CHANTENAY CARROTS
New research has shown that eating just a handful of sweet and crunchy Chantenay carrots every day can help protect our skin and fight the effects of sun damage.
Active ingredients such as Beta-carotene, retinol (Vitamin A) and Vitamins B5, C, E and K are used in after-sun skin treatments, because they have been proven to help prevent sun damage, reduce wrinkles and reverse the aging process - and the very same ingredients are abundant in these British-grown carrots. Chuck them in a salad or use them as a healthy snack alternative!
TUMERIC
The hot properties of this spice are curcumin and beta-caratone, which act as anti-oxidants, soothing inflammation and allowing the skin to absorb nutrients more easily. It's not just a curry ingredient... tumeric is a natural anti-inflammatory, which has been used in eastern medicine for years. Add it to dishes or look for beuaty products containing the spice.
