Top 10 Food Beneficial for Your Skin!

Ever come across pictures of your grandmother, mother or aunts back in the 40s or 60s? Back when they were young? What was the one thing that you noticed about them other than the pretty vintage dresses they wore?

For me, it was the condition of their skin.

They looked so soft, so smooth, so flawless. Sure, it could be due to the black and white film that we can’t catch the blemishes lying on the skin but still, from what I noticed on my grandmother, mother, and aunt’s faces was that they were still as flawless as when they were young! How did they do it? What did they use? Did they have skin care products that are as advanced as ours right now?

The answer is: they used food. Yes, food!

Some of us may know, some might not know about the benefits of food do not only limit to health but it also expands to beauty benefits. For example, the ever infamous tips of reducing dark circles by using cucumber slice, or washing your hands with rice water twice a day for soft hands.

In this blog, we will share with you more food that are beneficial to your skin in more ways than one!

1. Cocoa

Cocoa has been gaining popularity as of late due to its ability to retain smooth and youthful skin. Even so, many still don’t know the benefit of this particular food. Cocoa contains antioxidant and anti-ageing properties that are important in protecting your skin from damages caused by the sun or harmful radicals that causes premature ageing. Not only that, cocoa, when used as face mask, also has the ability to reduce blemishes and allow more oxygen to your skin, allowing it to rejuvenate and glow naturally.

2. Rice

The earliest known use of rice is water is about 1,000 years ago in Japan, believed to promote stronger and beautiful hair. However, rice water is gaining popularity very slowly in society, which is a great loss because making a skincare product out of rice is definitely the cheapest anyone can have. Rice contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is gentle and soothing to irritated and dry skin caused by the chemical SLS. Fermented rice water or rice wine is also proven to be able to improve skin damaged by the sun and increases collagen in your skin, making it smooth and supple to the touch. Due to this, rice wine is believed to have a natural sunscreen properties.

Time to make sure you save that rice water instead of pouring it down the sink!

3. Red Wine

Red wine came from the skin of red grapes, which has rich content of resveratrol, that reduces the signs of ageing and a study conducted found that the same compound slows down the production of harmful radicals on your skin. Red win also has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties; important and beneficial for those who have blemishes or scars due to acne. However, the red wine meant takes form of a soap or an ingredient of a skincare product. Drinking red wine in excess may invite negative effects instead due to it being an alcoholic beverage.

4. Green Tea

To this day, the benefits of green tea is still not fully discovered yet and each day, we find more and more beneficial properties of this tea. Green tea contains antioxidant and antibacterial properties that protects the skin from harmful radicals. Due to the content of antioxidant, green tea has the ability to prevent premature aging by unclogging its pores, improving the moisture, thickness and elasticity of the skin. With its anti-inflammatory properties, not only green tea can soothe irritated and dry skin, but it can also treat acne-prone skin. Green tea also contain caffeine and tannins to reduce dark circles and puffy eyes by decreasing the dilation of the blood vessels under your eyes.

5. Oatmeal

Although I am personally not a fan of oatmeal, I cannot deny the benefits and convenience of this food for beauty. Oatmeal contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are essential in gaining a healthy skin. For oily skin, oatmeal can absorb the excess oil on your skin and help treat acne. For dry skin, oatmeal exfoliates gently while keeping the skin’s moisture and cooled inflamed skin with its mild pH value. Oatmeal is packed with a chemical compound called saponins, known for their natural cleansing activity. Because of this, oatmeal is useful to remove blackheads by unclogging the pores, giving you a smooth and radiant skin.

6. Coffee

Ever wonder why coffee works wonders on reducing appearance of cellulite and stretch marks? This is due to its rich content of caffeine that dilates the blood vessels under the skin and improved blood flow. Coffee also contains anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-aging properties that decreases the appearance of sunspots, redness and fine lines of early wrinkles. With these properties as well, coffee makes the perfect antidote to treat acne skin!

7. Turmeric

Everyone is afraid of being left with yellow skin if using any turmeric skincare product. However, when used properly, turmeric contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as antibacterial properties that targets your pores, cleaning it and prevent acne breakouts. Turmeric also contains curcumin that can heal wounds by decreasing inflammation and oxidation, and can affect tissue and collagen as well. Turmeric is also known to be able to protect the skin from sun damages, even heal sunburned skin by cooling it down.

8. Dabai

Dabai, also known as Sarawak’s Olive, is known to be able to maximize the moisturisation of the skin with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When used on the face or body, Dabai can improve the texture of your skin and protects it from harmful UV rays, as well as reducing any signs of aging.

9. Lemon

Lemon is loaded with Vitamin C that can help with skin lightening, including reducing the appearance of freckles and dark spots on your face. However, lemon is photosensitive and therefore, best to be used at night. Using it while being under direct sunlight can cause your skin to darken instead of lightening it.

10. Egg

Eggs can be used as skin care too and in fact, the two parts of the egg－the whites and the yolk－are to be used differently based on your skin type.

If you have dry and sensitive skin, egg yolk is the part that you should use. The yolk is rich with Vitamin A, B2, B and zinc that can prevent premature aging and retains the moisture of your skin.

If you have oily skin, the egg whites is yours. Egg whites is used to tighten and tone your skin to its optimum suppleness, preventing the formation of wrinkles and reducing the appearance of fine lines. The egg whites can also remove grease, or excess oil, from your face by shrinking the large pores that causes acne breakouts.

Now we know our grandmas and aunties’ secrets to eternal youth.

Well, who knew you can literally find the best skincare product in the kitchen of your house. The saying that “if you can’t eat it, then don’t apply it on your skin” sounds so true!

Love, Wani

References:

1. www.healthline.com
2. www.brightside.me
3. www.elle.com
4. www.food.ndtv.com
5. www.greatist.com