1. Iced Tea
Instead of caffeinated tea, try herbal varieties like calendula. Calendula is a flower that most people know under its more common name, marigold. The bright yellow-gold petals are found in many gardens, and can be used in salads, as yellow coloring, and also steeped to make some healthy herbal tea.
The floral fragrance is lovely brewed with some added honey or sugar, and has many beneficial properties for the skin. It’s a fantastic natural source of both vitamins C and E, two of the best nutrients for the skin. The flower also has constituents such as calcium, essential oils, and beta carotene, which all make a positive impact on the body.
If green tea is more your flavor of choice, you’ll be happy to know it’s excellent for the skin too. The beverage is chock full of antioxidants such as catechins and polyphenols. These help to protect the skin from UV radiation and decrease the chances of sunburn (and as a result, sun damage such as spots and wrinkles). According to research, drinking four cups of green tea per day for three months can actually lower your risk of sunburn by 25 percent.
In addition, the antioxidants found in the tea help to reduce inflammation and redness in skin, and promote younger looking skin due to the benefits they have on skin elasticity and density.
2. Freshly Squeezed Juice
Freshly squeezed green or citrus juices are also wonderful for the skin. Ingredients such as spinach or kale, for example, contain lots of vitamin A to promote cell growth and turnover (say bye-bye old, dull, scaly skin) and vitamin C, the prime foundation of collagen, which helps to heal skin and make it strong and supple. Juices made from citrus fruits like oranges are also full of vitamin C. The yellow pigments in the fruit are said to be linked to reducing sun-induced skin damage, and believed to improve skin elasticity.
3. Smoothies
Apart from the benefits of ingredients like kale or berries often used in smoothies, the dairy component can also help create glowing skin. Soy milk, for instance, contains isoflavones that help to protect collagen, while studies have shown that the dairy product can also help stop the formation of wrinkles caused by sunlight, and reduce discoloration of the skin.
Almond milk is also helpful for clear skin since it is rich in B vitamins. Vitamin B2 promotes hydration, while B3 helps circulation in the body and thereby the skin as a result. Almond milk also contains vitamin E, which helps to protect skin from free radicals.
4. Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice is often considered a super juice due to the large amount of antioxidants it contains (at least double the amount in green tea.) Just one glass of the juice made from the seeded red fruit can provide you with 40 percent of your daily requirement of folic acid and vitamins A, C, and E.
5. Bloody Mary
If you’re looking for a healthier cocktail or mocktail to make, choose a Bloody Mary. The tomato juice used as the base of the drink contains an age-defying ingredient called lycopene. This is the natural pigment that gives tomatoes their red color. Lycopene levels are particularly high in processed or cooked tomatoes, and the antioxidant gives drinkers protection from sun damage and free radicals.
CHEERS!
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