Dark Berries (Red, Black, & Blue)
Why we picked it: Antioxidants + Hydration
Dark Berries – Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Cranberries, and other similarly-coloured fruits – are all concentrated sources of antioxidants including Anthocyanins, Quercetin (a natural anti-histamine), and Vitamin C whose praise we just finished singing.
These fruits are excellent sources of fiber which means they promote heart health; and thus indirectly, they’re good for your skin as well. Most dark berries are relatively low in sugar (blueberries are highest at 15g per cup while the others range between 7 – 4g per cup) so they’re still fairly safe to eat even if you have a sugar-sensitivity or must adhere to a carb-controlled diet.
Probably the most impressive trait of these colorful fruits, however, is their water content. Believe it or not, most dark berries contain around 85% water which not only helps to keep skin moisturized, but also helps to transport those skin-healthy water-soluble nutrients (like Vitamin C) throughout your entire body.
Chocolate (70% or Darker)
Why we picked it: Antioxidants + Minerals – (Magnesium, Iron, Manganese)
Just be sure that the chocolate you buy is at least 70% cocoa to get a good ratio of health benefits versus sugar content. I also recommend choosing certified organic, fair trade chocolate like these Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate Bars or these Exotic Dark Chocolates from Dagoba (a member of The Rainforest Alliance.)
Liver (Grass-fed Beef)
Why we picked it: Iron + Amino Acids + Vitamin A
“Ounce per ounce, grass-fed beef liver is one of the most nutrient dense foods in the entire world“, according to Perfect Supplements.com. It contains a good amount of Iron which promotes healthy circulation and transport of oxygen and nutrients to the dermis. The high concentration of amino acids and Vitamin A found in liver helps the body to regenerate faster and build stronger skin cells.(Nutrition Notes: Grass-fed Beef Liver is also a complete protein and an excellent source of B-vitamins!)
Oysters (Cold Wate”R” Rule)
Why we picked it: Zinc
Zinc is one of the most important minerals in the human body. This one element plays a role in over 300 enzymatic processes including cell division, immune function, wound healing, reproduction, digestion, and all of the five senses. Fortunately, most people get enough zinc from their food that deficiencies of this vital mineral are rare.
Still, if you’d like to boost your skin-health (especially if you have a chronic condition like psoriasis, eczema, or severe acne) enjoy a plate of raw oysters. Just remember: While there is no real danger in eating oysters in the summertime, shellfish collected from cooler waters do tend to taste better. (Personally, I always follow the Cold Wate”R” Rule: If the current month doesn’t have an “R” in it, don’t buy fresh shellfish. One batch of really bad-tasting oysters is one batch too many…)
Tomato Paste (Certified Organic)
Why we picked it: Lycopene
The antioxident carotenoid known as Lycopene protects skin from sun damage and helps to prevent signs of aging. While there are several good sources of Lycopene at the produce stand (watermelon, guava, grapefruit, and red tomatoes), there is a much more efficient way to get this skin-healthy nutrient. Tomato paste contains over 10x more Lycopene than ripe red tomatoes and is widely-recognized as the best food source of this powerful antioxidant. (Though sun-dried tomatoes are actually higher.)
Because tomato paste is a super-condensed food, try to avoid big commercial labels or any of the “cheap” store-brands. (Mmmm… super-concentrated pesticides!) Instead, seek out a high-quality certified organic product that you know you can trust. This way you aren’t inadvertently pumping your skin cells full of new toxins to negate all of the progress we’ve made so far with this list.
(Personally, I love the flavour and texture of all of Muir Glen’s Organic tomato products.)
Green Tea (Matcha)
Why we picked it: Antioxidants + Hydration
Of all of the green teas, Matcha (powdered green tea) is revered as the most beneficial, containing a higher concentration of vitamins and antioxidants.
Water (Pure Mineral)
Why we picked it: Hydration + Trace Minerals
By now, hopefully you understand how important water is for your skin. So although it’s not technically a food (even less so than green tea) it had to be added to the list.
(If you’re lucky enough to have well water at your home, your tap water is perfect. Go ahead and skip the next two paragraphs if you want.)
Assuming you don’t have the luxury of Mother Earth’s perfect mineral water flowing out of your kitchen spigot, here’s a little information on picking the healthiest water for your body: All bottled water isn’t the same – as you may have already figured out – and some of what’s inside these deceptive little containers can actually cause subtle harm to your body that won’t manifest until years, maybe even decades later in your life. So which one do we pick?
First off, walk right past anything that says “Distilled”, “Reverse Osmosis”, and/or “Deionized” as these waters have been stripped of all of their healthy minerals. Also, ignore water kept in plastic containers whenever possible. Instead of going for plastic, look for glass bottles and try to find products labeled “Natural Spring”, “Artesian”, and/or “Mineral” as these are more likely to contain all of the natural skin-healthy trace nutrients that water is supposed to have in it.
Alternately, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort in the long run by investing in an At-Home Water Filtration system to remove potentially-dangerous chemicals and micro-organisms from your household tap water while preserving any natural minerals it contains.
