How do we measure beauty? Glowing skin, endless energy and an open smile are usually telltale signs of the happy, confident person. We all eat for fuel and for pleasure, but there are some foods that I also count on to make me feel my best from the inside out.
FOR SKIN: Honey
With more than 300 different kinds of this natural sweetener available in the U.S., you can be sure to find a variety you’ll enjoy. Honey is what’s known as a humectant because it draws and holds in moisture. It’s no wonder you see so many moisturizing products like lotions and even hand soaps with honey as a primary ingredient. It’s also a not-so-secret component of top athletes’ diets. As a natural source of carbohydrates, honey is a pretty sweet option to charge up before a workout or to replenish muscles post-exercise.
FOR HEALTHY HAIR: Green Veggies
To keep your locks shiny and healthy, your body needs plenty of vitamins in order to create sebrum, a substance that helps keep hair moisturized. Broccoli, spinach, kale, and artichokes are some of the top dark greens to keep stocked in your beauty pantry.
FOR YOUR SMILE: Celery, nuts, seeds
When you’re feeling beautiful and on top of the world, you want the world to know, and your smile is quite often the perfect way to say it. We all know to shy away from sugar-loaded foods to keep our smiles healthy, but there are actually some things in our diet that can benefit us. Celery naturally cleanses our teeth because its composition is mostly water, and its countless strands actually assist in fighting plaque buildup. Nuts and seeds, because they require you to chew, are also great and nutritious choices for the health of your teeth.
FOR ENERGY: Whole Grains and Good fats
There’s no denying that confidence counts for a lot when it comes to beauty, and lot of that has to do with having energy to power through the day and then some.
After years of being bombarded with non-fat products, we know that eating whole grains and healthy fats is the way to go for energy. Try some of my favorites such as unsaturated fats, such as from nut butters or Hass avocados. These staples help reduce the risks of heart-related diseases and also pump you up with energy.
What foods do you count on to make you look and feel your best?
By Mitzi with research assistance provided by Pam Majumdar [1]
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