Five skin boosting foods you can't do without
We do so much to look good. Work out regularly, use a dizzying array of skin and hair care brands and keep up with the latest fashions. But what about the food you eat? It may sound unreal but eating right can up your oomph quotient like nothing else can. So get cracking and add these seduction-boosters to your diet to look—and feel—amazing.
Youthify with yogurt
Yes, the lowly dahi can prettify skin. Nutritionists swear by the restorative properties of low-fat yoghurt. It's packed with protein that fills you up and tastes yummy. It also contains amino acids that banish dark under-eye circles. Ward off dark circles the day after by stocking up on a bowlful of dahi before a big night out. Perk it up with a banana or a handful of granola and you have a meal in a bowl.
All things beans
Rajma, channa, chauli are all packed with healthful protein, iron zinc, and biotin, essential ingredients for longer, stronger hair and supple skin. In fact, a biotin deficiency is linked to brittle hair. If the weather is too hot to eat rajma chawal, just toss boiled beans with red and yellow peppers, a drizzle of olive oil and rock salt. Your skin and hair will thank you for this simple, delicious snack.
Water, water everywhere
Talk to any celeb from Kareena Kapoor to Katrina Kaif and they'll swear by the beauty properties of plain old water. Nutritionist Keri Glassman, author of the book, Slim Calm Sexy Diet reiterates what we already knew. Water is crucial to looking good and it keeps you slim. It flushes out toxins from your system, keeps your metabolism functioning at its best and keeps you trim and toned. Aim for eight glasses a day. Find plain water boring? Just add a spring of mint and lemon slices to up the taste or dilute with some fresh fruit juice.
Veggies and fruit
A study showed that people who ate six servings of fresh produce every day for six weeks were rated as more attractive than those who ate less fruit and vegetables. So how much is a serving? At least five tennis-ball-sized portions. The skin superstars include leafy greens, broccoli, kale, spinach, bak choy and fenugreek that keep the body alkaline and keep skin pretty. Vitamin C rich foods are another clear winner. Stock up on guavas, sweet lime, oranges, cherries, kiwi fruit, water melon and strawberries. Eat them raw to bring a rosy flush to your cheeks. Nutritionists swear by skin friendly bell peppers. This super food has astonishingly high levels of antioxidants A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that people who ate antioxidants and vitamin C rich peppers have the best-looking skin. Add them to salads or just eat them raw as a mid-day snack. Take a few slices with you to work—they make a delicious mid-afternoon snack.
Fish and healthy fat
Show your skin some love by staying off sausages, cold cuts and mutton biryani. Red meats can trigger inflammation and cause acne breakouts. Instead, stock up on fish that is rich in essential fatty acids like Omega 3, 6 and 9. Fish gives you more than super beautiful skin; it's also a mood elevator. Vegetarians needn't despair. Anti-inflammatory, plant-based fats like avocado, extra virgin olive oil, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds (alsi) and sunflower seeds are also great foods for super-clear skin.
