By Alisa Miller
There is no denying that good nutrition is important to your health. Eating the right foods can not only help you feel better, but they can also help you look better too. Whether you want great overall health, healthy looking skin, or foods that really pack a punch with antioxidants, below you will find 50 great foods to help you look and feel your best.
For Your Overall Health
Eating foods that are good for your body will give you strength and energy so you feel and look better. The following foods are so packed with vitamins and minerals, you won’t want to say no to a serving of them.
- Salmon. One of the best foods for your health, salmon is good for your body and your brain. This super food is high in omega-3 EFAs and protein, low in cholesterol and contains quite a few B vitamins, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium.
- Mangos. Mangos are high in vitamin A and C, can help improve digestion, and eating them can help clear clogged skin pores.
- Figs. For a huge calcium boost as well as a healthy way to sweeten food, try figs. Figs are also high in fiber, B vitamins, iron, and potassium.
- Water. Water is one of the single-most important things to put in your body. Drinking water purifies your system and keeps you hydrated. Hydration is also important to keep your skin supple and healthy.
- Kiwi. These tasty little fruits pack a punch with more vitamin C than an orange and are powerful protectors of DNA from oxygen, which means kiwis provide healing properties for your body.
- Flax seed. Especially for women, this little seed is a great supplement. Flax seeds are high in omega-3 EFAs and lignans, an important type of fiber for women.
- Kale. This much-overlooked green is full of the B vitamin, folate, as well as calcium, and vitamins A and C.
- Pumpkin. Not just for pies, the beta-carotene in pumpkin helps your body repair its skin.
- Butternut squash. Cook this baked, stuffed, or mashed or throw in a soup for a delicious vegetable high in beta-carotene. Butternut squash is an excellent food for preventing everything from cardiovascular disease to possibly inhibiting cancer growth.
- Sweet potatoes. Don’t just eat these wonderful root vegetables at Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins A and C as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iron. Substitute sweet potatoes for regular potatoes and you will get half the sugar and twice the vitamins and minerals.
- Spinach. This vegetable is absolutely loaded with vitamins and minerals with especially high concentrations of vitamins K and A and manganese and folate. It also helps prevent against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and arthritis.
- Broccoli. Your mama always said to eat your broccoli. It’s high in calcium, potassium, and B vitamins and may even help repair sun-damaged skin.
Eat These for Skin Health
Some foods help create beautiful and healthy skin when you incorporate them into your diet. Read this list of foods to find out what you can add to your menu.
- Avocados. Avocados are not only delicious, they have lots of B-complex vitamins and are an anti-inflammatory, which is great for the skin.
- Green tea. Green tea has polyphenols which are an anti-inflammatory and are full of antioxidants, which are good for both beauty and health.
- Carrots. Carrots are famous for their vitamin A, which not only keeps your eyes healthy, but also helps your skin repair itself. This vegetable is also a great source of vitamins K, C and fiber.
- Garlic. Besides being an antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal agent, garlic is also good for circulation and helps restore tissue and fight off wrinkles.
- Cantaloupe. This great fruit has plenty of vitamins A and C–two vitamins your skin needs to keep healthy.
- Citrus fruit. Oranges and grapefruit are full of vitamin C, which helps keep wrinkles at bay.
- Sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds have lots of vitamin E, which is well-known for its healthy skin properties. Whether you eat it or put it on your skin, the health benefits of vitamin E are enormous.
- Bananas. Bananas have the B vitamin biotin, which builds healthy skin, hair and nails and helps prevent skin irritations such as dermatitis.
- Tomatoes. Like bananas, tomatoes have biotin for healthy skin and also contains lycopene, which helps prevent cancer.
- Walnuts. These nuts are packed with omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs which promote skin repair and elasticity.
- Hazelnuts. Another great source of vitamin E are hazelnuts, which may also offer protection against cancer and heart disease.
- Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, which can reduce the chance of sunburn on the skin, slow down the aging process, and aid in the treatment of skin cancer.
- Olives. Olives provide both vitamin E and anti-inflammatory properties which help promote healthy skin. They are also very high in iron.
- Cottage cheese. Eat cottage cheese to get lots of calcium and selenium for your skin. Use in place of ricotta in your recipes.
Put These on Your Skin
From cucumbers to yogurt, these foods work well on your skin to help you look healthy and beautiful.
- Shea butter. Not usually a food found in the public eye, shea butter is often used as a cooking oil in Africa or as a substitute for cocoa butter in chocolate. It is also an ingredient often found in beauty products. Those who use shea butter on their skin swear by it’s amazing versatility and curative properties.
- Cucumber. Cut a few thin rounds of cucumber and place or gently rub them under your eyes, then sit back and relax to help remove dark circles.
- Green tea bags. Placing tea bags on your eyes can help eliminate dark circles and puffy eyes. Green tea, more so than other teas, can help with the puffiness as it contains an anti-inflammatory.
- Coconut oil. Using this oil in its natural form moisturizes dry skin and helps healing. Coconut oil also benefits dry hair.
- Mineral water. Splash some mineral water on your face. The mineral content in the water can reduce skin irritations and will help your skin absorb the moisture.
- Avocado. These beauties work on the outside of your body as well as they do on the inside. Avocados work as an excellent moisturizer, help heal the skin, and can even reduce age spots.
- Yogurt. Use yogurt (the full fat kind) on your skin to soothe a sunburn or mix with honey to create a great mask that works for all skin types.
Antioxidants
Foods that are high in antioxidants help reverse the damaging effects of oxygen on the cells in your body. Not only are antioxidants great for your overall health, they are also a wonderful way to slow the effects of aging. All of these foods are great antioxidants to incorporate into your diet.
- Kidney beans. These inexpensive beans provide plenty of protein, fiber, folate, magnesium, and iron. Try substituting kidney beans for meat in your next meal.
- Blueberries. Full of vitamin C and potassium, these little berries are full of nutrition and are one of the foods most packed with antioxidants.
- Artichokes. Get magnesium, folic acid, fiber, and vitamins A and C with artichokes, which can help prevent a host of medical problems.
- Plums. Available almost year round, plums have plenty of vitamins A, B, C, fiber, and potassium.
- Strawberries. For a fruit that can protect your heart, guard against cancer, provide anti-inflammatory properties, and help prevent age-related macular degeneration, strawberries are the way to go.
- Honey. Chock full of antioxidants, this sweet treat also has antibacterial properties and also works well for sore throats and coughs.
- Apples. Long associated with healthy nutrition, an apple a day can provide heart and brain health benefits.
- Blackberries. These plump berries are full of vitamins B, C, and K as well as fiber and manganese.
- Pecans. Full of vitamin E and great for lowering cholesterol, these nuts are great on their own or baked in cookies, brownies, or a pie.
- Cherries. Rich red cherries are not only delicious, but are high in fiber and vitamins C and A. They are reported to help with arthritis, heart health, and sleep problems.
Super Foods
Some foods are so incredibly packed with important nutrients that they have become known as super foods. Eating these foods will surely help you feel much healthier.
- Acai. Known as one of the most nutritious berries in the world, use acai juice in a smoothie, mixed with other juices, or drink it on its own.
- Goji berries. One of these little Himalayan berries has more vitamin C than an orange and more beta carotene than carrots.
- Cacao nibs. The heart of the cocoa bean, this little bit of raw chocolate is full of antioxidants as well as flavonoids that help your heart and have been reported to significantly elevate your mood.
- Chili peppers. Packed with vitamin C, these hot little numbers also contain antioxidants and help burn fat.
- Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron. They are also good for strong hair and nails.
- Cinnamon. Containing polyphenols, the same agent in green tea, cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Shallots. Replace garlic and onion with shallots (or use along with them) to help promote the good bacteria in your digestive tract and help eliminate toxins from your liver.
