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Wholesome vegan foods are known to help prevent—and sometimes even reverse—heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other serious illnesses. But not only will plant-based foods help you live longer, they'll also help you look younger. Certain fruits and vegetables—or, more specifically, the nutrients found in certain fruits and vegetables—are known to promote clear, glowing skin. Here are some of your best bets for beautiful skin.
Berries, plums, kiwis, broccoli, citrus fruits, and other foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin C have collagen and elastin for firm, youthful-looking skin.
Orange, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and bell peppers, contain beta carotene, which defends against sun damage. They're also rich in vitamin A, which is required for developing and maintaining skin cells, leading to supple skin.
Foods that are high in vitamin E, including almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, whole grains, legumes, and green leafy vegetables, can slow aging and diminish the appearance of scars.
The anti-inflammatory properties in green tea make it one of the best things you can consume for healthy skin. At least one study has shown that this "super food" can help reduce the risk of damage from ultraviolet light, thus reducing the risk of skin cancer.
Avocados and other foods high in B vitamins and essential oils can help your complexion by soothing red, irritated, or blotchy skin.
The omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts, canola oil, chia seeds, broccoli, flaxseeds, and flaxseed oil are essential for healthy skin, not to mention for heart, brain, and joint health. Try to incorporate these foods into your diet regularly. Don't turn to fish for your omega-3s: Studies have found that fish oil does not live up to its marketing claims, and fish flesh is frequently contaminated with mercury (which can cause brain damage) and toxic chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, and dioxins (which have been linked to cancer, nervous system disorders, and fetal damage), not to mention disease-causing bacteria.
While we're on the subject of what not to eat, many dermatologists advise people to avoid dairy products if they want an acne-free complexion. Researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston surveyed more than 47,000 women and found a link between women who had a lot of acne and those who drank a lot of milk. The researchers suspect it is because milk contains excess hormones, which affect the hair follicles, making them produce excessive sebum. As a result, the hair follicles stick together and plug the skin's pores.
If you suffer from acne, try switching from cow's milk to soy milk. You might also benefit from The Body Shop's tea tree skin-care product line. (Check out PETA's "Caring Consumer" list for information on other companies that make all-natural, cruelty-free skin-care products.) But remember: When it comes to skin care, what you put in your body may be even more important than what you put on your face. Beauty is more than skin deep, after all.
Byline:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 3 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry.
Berries, plums, kiwis, broccoli, citrus fruits, and other foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin C have collagen and elastin for firm, youthful-looking skin.
Orange, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and bell peppers, contain beta carotene, which defends against sun damage. They're also rich in vitamin A, which is required for developing and maintaining skin cells, leading to supple skin.
Foods that are high in vitamin E, including almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, whole grains, legumes, and green leafy vegetables, can slow aging and diminish the appearance of scars.
The anti-inflammatory properties in green tea make it one of the best things you can consume for healthy skin. At least one study has shown that this "super food" can help reduce the risk of damage from ultraviolet light, thus reducing the risk of skin cancer.
Avocados and other foods high in B vitamins and essential oils can help your complexion by soothing red, irritated, or blotchy skin.
The omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts, canola oil, chia seeds, broccoli, flaxseeds, and flaxseed oil are essential for healthy skin, not to mention for heart, brain, and joint health. Try to incorporate these foods into your diet regularly. Don't turn to fish for your omega-3s: Studies have found that fish oil does not live up to its marketing claims, and fish flesh is frequently contaminated with mercury (which can cause brain damage) and toxic chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, and dioxins (which have been linked to cancer, nervous system disorders, and fetal damage), not to mention disease-causing bacteria.
While we're on the subject of what not to eat, many dermatologists advise people to avoid dairy products if they want an acne-free complexion. Researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston surveyed more than 47,000 women and found a link between women who had a lot of acne and those who drank a lot of milk. The researchers suspect it is because milk contains excess hormones, which affect the hair follicles, making them produce excessive sebum. As a result, the hair follicles stick together and plug the skin's pores.
If you suffer from acne, try switching from cow's milk to soy milk. You might also benefit from The Body Shop's tea tree skin-care product line. (Check out PETA's "Caring Consumer" list for information on other companies that make all-natural, cruelty-free skin-care products.) But remember: When it comes to skin care, what you put in your body may be even more important than what you put on your face. Beauty is more than skin deep, after all.
Byline:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 3 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry.
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Eat more whole grains. Have whole wheat bread, or brown rice with your meals. They help you feel fuller.
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