Want Kim Kardashian’s glowing skin without splurging on luxury beauty products? Eat your way to sexier skin with these 8 superfoods

There may be a plethora of creams and masks on the market claiming to make you more beautiful, but at the end of the day, your skin is a direct result of the diet you feed it. If you’re not chowing down on plenty of natural, fresh superfoods, healthy fats and high quality protein, your skin is missing out. Eating a diet full of processed food, including one high in sugar and man-made fats, will result in dull, dry and lacklustre skin. And bad foods can lead to weak skin structures, collagen breakdown and the appearance of wrinkles and cellulite. On the other hand, a good diet comprised of the right foods will provide an abundance of building blocks for sexy, glowing skin, as well as natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help protect the skin against the stressors and environmental damage caused by pollution and UV rays. So, what should you eat for sexy skin? Be sure to pick up some of these suggestions on your next shopping trip. Even better, start eating these foods on the regular, to help fuel your body too. The LED mask that our favourite Korean stars swear by – does it work? 1. Beetroot This food is loaded in nitrates and vitamin C. Nitrates increase the vasodilation of blood vessels, which in turn increases blood flow and oxygenation of the tissues. This is helpful for reducing inflammation, removing stagnating liquids, and improving circulation in tissues preventing the formation of cellulite. As for its vitamin C content, this vitamin is an important component of the skin, it’s found in both the outer layer of the skin – the epidermis – and the layer underneath, called the dermis. Vitamin C is also involved in collagen production and has anti-inflammatory properties too. How to eat them: Roast it, chop it, put it on a salad, or eat it with other veggies like sweet potato, potato, pumpkin or squash. You can also mash it, mix it with hummus or even blend it into a smoothie. 6 ingredients to boost your immunity in times of Covid-19 2. Berries Berries such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries have some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants around, including anthocyanins, ellagic acid and resveratrol. Ellagic acid can block the enzymes that break down collagen in sun-damaged skin. Meanwhile, a berry’s anthocyanin concentration increases microcirculation in the capillaries and small blood vessels, thereby reducing swelling and improving skin appearance and texture. Several studies conducted on women suffering from varicose veins show that blueberry extract can counteract swelling, reduce pain, and improve skin appearance. Antioxidants in berries can also help reduce inflammation and protect the body against oxidative stress. In addition, berries also tend to have a high concentration of vitamin C, which can help in the production of collagen. How to eat it: Drop a few on your salad; have them for breakfast with your oats or mixed with yogurt, or simply eat them as a snack. Miley Cyrus, Samuel L. Jackson: 10 stars who quit veganism 3. Salmon Fat is essential for skin because it not only protects it, but helps it retain moisture and stay hydrated. We probably don’t have to tell you that hydration is important for reducing wrinkles and the appearance of fine lines. Happily, salmon is especially high in Omega-3 fats, which can aid in reducing inflammation, preventing breakdown of collagen and elastin, and helping the skin to maintain its elasticity and softness. Salmon also contains vitamin D, which can have photo-protective effects, which means it can help protect the skin against the negative effects of UV rays. Vitamin D is also good for skin repair and protects against oxidative damage. Why mocktails will replace cocktails in a new, wellness-focused world Lastly, salmon contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which prompts an anti-inflammatory action, in turn promoting the production of collagen. One study showed that astaxanthin visibly improved the appearance of wrinkles, age spots and skin texture. How to eat it: Eat freshly caught wild salmon and avoid farm-raised salmon, which could contain other chemical compounds. Roast it, bake it or grill it, and just be careful not to over cook it. Serve it with a side of veggies or salad. 4. Sweet potato This root veggie contains high amounts of beta-carotene, which is a precursor for vitamin A. In the body, beta-carotene gets converted to an active form of vitamin A, perhaps you heard of it by its popular name in many skin care products – retinol! Vitamin A works as an antioxidant, helping to neutralise any free radical damage to collagen. Vitamin A is needed for cell production and growth, increasing your up-take can help increase healthy skin cell production, protect against photo damage and prevent premature ageing. Although not as effective as a strong retinol cream you’d apply on your skin; just one cup of baked sweet potato yields 122 per cent of the daily value of vitamin A, and seven times the amount of beta-carotene you need daily! In addition, you’ll also get a healthy dose of vitamin C – essential for collagen production. How to eat it: Roast them, chop them and eat them as a side or add to a salad. Mash them on their own, or blend with pumpkin, white potato, carrot or even beetroot mash. Slice and bake them as fries. Get the J. Lo glow with her new beauty brand 5. Spinach View this post on Instagram A post shared by Londa Latimer (@londaslaboratory) on Oct 27, 2020 at 12:41pm PDT Spinach is a leafy green that packs a powerful antioxidant punch, providing vitamin C, E, K and A. All of which are great for protecting your skin. These antioxidants can help protect the collagen in your skin and can even help promote its production. Without these vitamins, your skin may become dry, lose its elasticity, or you might experience dark circles under your eyes and increase the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Spinach also provides iron, an important component of haemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body, helping increase oxygenation and circulation – including to your skin. Lastly, spinach, like other leafy greens, are full of water. Hydration is essential for keeping your skin supple and soft. How to eat it: Spinach can be sautéed, eaten as a side or added to sauces to increase the veggie content. You can also blend it into a green juice or smoothie. Have a spinach salad, or mix it with other leafy greens. Intermittent fasting: when it works, and when it doesn’t 6. Avocado This delicious high-fat fruit contains antioxidants that will help protect your skin from sun damage and inflammation, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins C and E. Avocados also contain the “super” antioxidant glutathione, which helps protect cells against free radical damage. In addition, avocados have a high monounsaturated fat content, which also has benefits when it comes to your skin. A study on the relationship between skin condition and the intake of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants showed that women who had a higher fat diet experienced increases in skin elasticity and reduced appearance of wrinkles. One study showed that adding an avocado to your salad would increase your absorption of beta-carotene by 15 times, compared to a salad without the avocado. This is due to its fat content. As mentioned, beta-carotene gets converted to vitamin A – which helps protect collagen from breakdown. And if that wasn’t enough, avocados also contain a sugar compound called D-mannoheptulose that improves skin by boosting collagen formation. How to eat it: Eat it with a spoon, chop it and throw it into a salad, smash it and put it on toast for breakfast, blend it into a smoothie, or make guacamole. You can also use it as a fat replacement in baking recipes such as for brownies, or as a base for puddings. Alvin Goh on why modern men shouldn’t shy away from beauty products 7. Citrus fruits Citrus fruits are full of vitamin C, along with bioactive compounds including Hesperidin. This natural compound has vasoprotective properties that will improve microcirculation, strengthen veins and capillaries, and help reduce the on-set of varicose veins. Additionally, citrus fruit’s high vitamin C content will boost the production of collagen. As we all know, collagen is essential for firm skin, and as we get older, collagen breakdown occurs – causing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as the appearance of cellulite on the legs and butt. Collagen works to support the skin’s structure: as collagen breaks down, the fat underneath can begin to break through, resulting in the appearance of rippled and pitted skin. How to eat it: Try eating oranges or grapefruits with your breakfast or as a snack. Chop them up and put them on salads, or drop into yogurt. Alternatively, you can slice oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit and drop them into your water for an infused water blend. Juice them, add to smoothies, or make a vinaigrette to add to your salad. 8. Egg whites View this post on Instagram A post shared by KAIT Low Carb Animal-Based (@healthcoachkait) on Oct 25, 2020 at 1:14pm PDT As with any high quality protein, egg whites provide a protein boost that helps keep our muscles and skin firm and tight. Eating high protein diets can also help repair the muscles and skin. Egg whites in particular are considered highly bioactive because they provide essential amino acids, including two amino acids that are needed for the production of collagen – lysine and proline. These aminos are the precursors to hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline, two constituents of collagen. How to eat: Have an egg white omelette with spinach. You can bake with egg whites, add them to recipes, and if you purchase pasteurised egg whites, you can even add them to smoothies. Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .