Having gorgeous skin and hair means you’ve mastered two things: genetics and diet. So when lucky DNA is only half the battle, you can set your sights on healthy eating. When we skip out on vital nutrients (including fats!) our body can’t function normally, taking a toll on the quality of our hair and skin cells. Think about it this way: “our body has no idea what a calorie is,” says Cirara Foy, a Toronto-based holistic nutritionist.
So the secret is not about calorie-counting; it’s about nutrition. Simple, no? If you’re serious about maintaining a younger complexion and longer locks, here are the top foods for healthy skin and hair.
1. Beets
Beets are underrated– except maybe if you’re obsessed with borscht. Not only are they jam-packed with every essential vitamin (especially vitamin C), they also have tons of minerals like manganese, potassium and iron. According to Healthline, beetroot and beetroot juice have the following benefits:
- anti-aging
- acne treatment
- skin brightening
- antioxidant
- anti-inflammatory
Since its high levels of vitamin C act as an antioxidant, it can protect your hair and skin from visible signs of aging.Beets help carry oxygen to your cells, which stimulates their growth, contributing to brighter, stronger beauty features.With beets, you’re basically getting the ultimate cocktail of nutrients for women;s healthy skin and hair.
There are tons of ways to get more beets in your diet. There’s beet salad or soup–just make sure to never eat them raw! If you’ve got a sensitive gut, the beet starch is hard for the stomach to digest, so only eat them when cooked and soft.
2. Artichokes
Sure, artichokes aren’t the best-looking veggie at the market, but don’t be fooled by their weird look. Artichokes contain special acids that clean your digestive system as well as vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate and vitamin K.
This collection of nutrients are famous for “detoxifying the body and improving the health of the liver,” explains John Staughghton, Nutritionist and Health Blogger. Artichokes can aid in healing digestive issues like indigestion, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diarrhea. And when your gut is strong and operating on high power, so is the growth of your hair and skin cells.
However, just like beets, you should never try eating a raw artichoke– not that you’d want to! When raw, they contain high amounts of sulfur, which is hard for the body to break down. Instead, chop it down, fry it up and boil the bits of artichoke in a soup, along with onions, garlic and spices.
3. Avocado
There’s a reason why every trendy lunch menu has avocado-everything. This fruit has a rich, buttery flavor that melts in your mouth and is also incredibly healthy.
Overall, the combination of the avocado’s fatty oils and its water content will increase your body’s moisture. As Dr.Foy reveals, “avocados contain good amounts of vitamins A, D and E and omega-9 fatty acids” –one of the building blocks of healthy skin and hair. Although avocados are also high in fat, it’s the good kind of fat (unsaturated), which helps give you smooth, plump skin and shiny hair.
Ideal for women struggling with dry skin or frizzy hair, the avocado should be your go-to food. You can put some on your salad or even add it to your daily kale smoothie for added healthy fat.
4. Fatty Fish
High in omega-3 fatty acids, fish has amazing beauty benefits, including glowing skin and glossy strands. Dr.Foy is a big fan of including fish as a vital part of an anti aging diet.
She explains that omega-3 fatty acids help nourish your scalp and hair follicles, helping them produce natural oils for hydrated hair. You get similar benefits for skin too. Working to lubricate your pores, increasing your levels of omega-3 will leave your skin is more protected, pampered and dewy.
So how do you get more omegas in your diet? Salmon is usually the superstar choice, but Foy says sardines, anchovies and smelts are even better.
5. Watercress
When you need a break from kale or collard greens, watercress can bring something new to the table (literally).
Loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, eating this hot peppery veggie helps clean your body from the inside out, according to Healthline. Like a scrub-down for your gut, watercress improves your toxin-removal process, leaving less oil in your facial pores and fewer acne breakouts.
Watercress also promotes healthy hair and skin in women. Vitamin C and iron stimulates hair growth and skin to prevent your strands from dulling and weakening. If you think about your scalp as a garden, even if you’ve never bothered to water a plant in your life, you still know that soil must be nourished to shoot sprouts. Same idea with your scalp. It’s the rules of nature, ladies.
6. Dandelion roots
Not all weeds are bad. Dandelions are high in vitamin C and A, as Healthline reveals, while also offering anti-inflammatory benefits for your hair follicles and skin cells. By reducing inflammation, your body’s cell-building processes can continue more effectively. This bonus means a healthier scalp and smoother facial pores– not bad for a weed, right?
Dandelion root can also help control blood sugar levels. It contains two compounds: chicoric and chlorogenic acid, which naturally lower sugar in the blood. Why does this matter? Sugar causes oxidative stress on the body, which interferes with the growth of healthy skin and hair cells. So by reducing these effects whenever possible, the body can deliver better cell production.
So how can you get more dandelion in your diet? Well don’t be that weirdo who collects dandelions to snack on at the park. You can buy the petals, fresh or dried, at most organic food stores. But keep in mind, dandelions have a bitter flavor; on their own, they make a pretty lousy snack. Instead, use them as a garnish for salads and sandwiches or in its dried form for herbal tea.
There’s truth to the saying, “you are what you eat”. When you choose high-quality foods, your hair and skin will also raise their standards. And if you’re a newbie to cooking, maybe it’s time to practice your culinary skills.
