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We Have A Better Rainbow For You To Taste!
I know you may have heard that expression before on some candy commercial, but really? Their rainbow is chock full of sugar and artificial colors & ingredients.
The rainbow I am talking about is one that not only gets its color from Mother Nature, but is so wonderfully tasty and good for your insides and out. It’s natural, nutritious and ever so sweet!
Apple’s antioxidant properties prevent cell and tissue damage. Studies by nutritionists have shown that apples contain abundant amounts of elastin and collagen that help keep the skin young. Applying a mixture of mashed apple, honey, rose water and oatmeal can act as a great exfoliating mask on your skin.
Carrots are brimming with tiny orange pigments called beta-carotene. When you eat foods with those pigments, you are not only giving your insides a healthy boost, but your skin a healthy glow. And what’s more, research shows that this can actually help prevent premature aging from sun damage.
Recent studies have shown that people with higher intakes of monounsaturated fats, the essential fats that make up more than 50% of the calories in an avocado, have fewer wrinkles. Avocados are also rich in B vitamins, which help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth. Other monounsaturated-fat foods: olive oil, almonds, and peanut butter.
Besides providing protection from heart attack and stroke, antioxidants called polyphenols found in grapes can also help keep middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer. Blueberries are another great choice!
Or legumes, to be exact. These include black beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts. And how do these puny pods protect your face? By smoothing out wrinkles. Australian researchers analyzed the diets of more than 400 elderly men and women and found that high intakes of legumes—alongside vegetables and healthy fats—resulted in 20% fewer wrinkles over time. The effect is likely a result of isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans.
Lycopene, the phytochemical that makes tomatoes red, helps eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. Cooking tomatoes helps concentrate its lycopene levels, so tomato sauce, tomato paste, and even ketchup pack on the protection. So does a hunk of lycopene-rich watermelon, which gives you hydrating benefits as well.
We suggest you skip the candy rainbow, even if the commercials are funny, and instead opt for the healthy one. Not only will you look better, but you’ll feel a whole lot better overall, too. So, what’s your favorite food color?
P.S. My favorite of the above group is watermelon! I’ve been eating it, but also cutting a hole in a seedless melon (the hole should be big enough for a blender attachment) and whipping it right in the melon. It makes the best, freshest watermelon juice ever!
Written by: Roberta Perry, President of Scrubz Body Scrub, Inc.
After years of being totally selfless and taking care of everyone else’s needs, Roberta’s skin was peeling, dry, itchy and irritated. In 2005, she decided to create her own skin care product and headed for the kitchen. She played the “mad chemist” role, mixing different combinations of botanical oils and came up with a formula she loved. However, it was not until she did extensive research, that she realized how lucky she was with the recipe she had created. Natures oils are incredible for skin. She brought in her sister and together they started Scrubz™ in 2006. She has been published and quoted in blogs, beauty magazines and articles. She is a proud member of Indie Beauty/Indie Business, American Made Matters, Independent We Stand, Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, and the Bethpage Kiwanis Club.