Top 10 Get-Gorgeous Foods

1 Eat Your Way to Pretty Skin and Hair!

As former model-turned-chef, I found my passion for life through cooking delicious real, foods; and I simultaneously found that beauty truly does start from the inside out! If you want smooth skin, flaxseed will help. Do you desire long, shiny hair? Opt for an avocado. Want to add more moisture to dry skin and hair? Choose a sweet potato. And that's just the beginning! Read on to find my top ten secret beauty foods for gorgeous skin, hair, and nails.

2 Avocados

Rich, creamy, and packed with good-for-you monounsaturated fats, avocados are the ultimate get-gorgeous food. Key for healthy hair, skin, and nails, monounsaturated fatty acids or "good fats" can aid in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, while improving HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Avocados also contain antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and folate; and one avocado is packed with more potassium than a medium banana—almost 900 grams! Additionally, studies show that avocados are "nutrient boosters," meaning they aid the body in absorption of nutrients from other foods.

3 0% Greek Yogurt

It's one of those foods you eat and think, "There's no way this is good for me." It feels so naughty to consume, but really, yogurt is a mega get-gorgeous food! Greek yogurt is packed with calcium and protein to help maintain those beautiful teeth (everyone loves a gorgeous grin). Yogurt also contains natural live active cultures or "good" bacteria that aid in digestion, help boost immunity, and mitigate the effects of lactose intolerance, leading to a flat and "happy" belly!

4 Berries

Berries are loaded with anti-inflammatory agents and vitamins that help protect you from premature aging. The antioxidants in berries help minimize the damage of free radicals, which can accelerate wrinkle formation and cause disease. Additionally, berries are packed with vitamin C, which helps produce skin that's firm and strong. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a nutrient that's essential to the production of collagen, a protein that aids in the growth of cells and blood vessels.

5 Flaxseed Meal

Flaxseeds provide a mega boost of omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for optimum brain function, a healthy heart, and radiant skin. Studies show both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed help soothe skin conditions like acne or eczema. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s can aid in lowering cholesterol and help maintain a healthy rate of skin cell renewal. Flaxseeds also contain fiber, which can reduce bloating and promote digestion. To ensure your body absorbs all these beauty-boosting benefits, consume flaxseed in ground or "meal" form.

6 Almond Butter

A great source of satisfying fiber and protein, almond nut butter can help keep your body lean and trim when incorporated into a healthy diet. This tasty spread is also packed with vitamin E, manganese, and selenium, which help keep your hair shiny. The vitamin E in almonds and almond butter can also help protect your skin from the sun's damaging UV rays. Vitamin E and almond oil can also be used topically on the body as a beauty serum.

7 Seaweed

Also known as "wakame" or "hijiki salad," sea vegetables have been consumed by my Japanese ancestors for thousands of years. My 62-year-old mother and 93-year-old grandmother are both slim and just radiant, and this superfood may be one reason why! Chock-full of iron and phytonutrients, seaweed can aid circulation and help you attain gorgeous, smooth legs and fabulous, supple skin! Nutrients in sea plants, such as iron, manganese, iodine, copper, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and selenium, can help boost reproductive health and are essential for gorgeous hair, skin, and nails. Pair this seaweed salad with some sushi or miso and you've got a Kumai-approved meal to a gorgeous new you.

8 Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes can help boost immunity and promote glowing, gorgeous skin. Full of beta-carotene, sweet potatoes can help maintain bright, healthy eyes and protect your beautiful skin from UV exposure. Sweet potatoes are bursting with Vitamins A, C, and E, which can help improve the look of your hair and skin. Enjoy these nutritious spuds steamed, baked, sautéed, or roasted into sweet potato fries (my favorite!). Serve with organic ketchup and you'll be on your way to gorgeous.

9 Kale

It's time to give your salad a makeover! Iceberg and romaine salads are so last season. Kale is the trendy green of choice and it's also one of the most nutrient-dense superfoods in the produce section. Kale is packed with vitamins A, B6, C, and K, manganese, fiber, and omegas. One cup of kale provides about 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation in the body. With almost 200% of the RDA of vitamin A, one cup of kale is an effective antioxidant, boosts immunity, and maintains healthy bones and gorgeous teeth. Toss this healthy green into soups, bake it to make chips, or swap it in your salads

10 Quinoa

This tiny grain-like seed is a nutritional powerhouse. Quinoa contains large amounts of protein and all essential amino acids. The best part about quinoa? You can eat it for breakfast (as a quinoa porridge with peaches and shaved coconut), lunch (with some mixed greens, shaved fennel, and a balsamic vinaigrette), or for dinner (in a quinoa lasagna)—just to name a few examples. The amino acids, vitamin B6, iron, and zinc in quinoa will help fire up immunity. Fiber will help keep you regular and moving

 

By Candice Kumai

Source : shape.com