BEAUTY STARTS FROM WITHIN!

The countdown to Christmas begins, and in the spirit of every holiday, we are all eager to lose weight and wow friends, family and colleagues. However, we know you know you are what you eat, but your diet and the way you eat does not only come in useful for weight loss. In fact, weight loss is only a bonus to eating healthy, even if nearly all of us use weight loss as our motivation. Eating all the right foods and nutrients is crucial for overall good health as it improves health conditions radically. Even minor ailments can result in mineral and vitamin deficiencies, which is why it is worth knowing which foods are full of nutritional goodies.

Today, we’ll be discussing diet and how it can directly affect your skin through the foods you eat. We have put together a short list of key foods you should keep as a staple, along with some of reasons why they’re so good for you.

1. Apple – The age-old phrase of "an apple a day keeps the doctor away” saves us from more than a trip to the doctors. Apples contain Vitamins A and C, and also the mineral Copper. Vitamin C is wonderful for helping skin keep it’s elasticity as well also aiding it in looking brighter and healthier. Vitamin A aids the skin in its development, helping immature skin develop into functional and mature skin. As a mineral, Copper helps the skin create melanin; the skins colour pigment that not only allows us to tan but also protects our skin from the suns harmful rays. Hence, not only are apples a tasty snack and light snack (A medium apple: 70 calories!), but they’re also great for helping your skin look and feel healthier!

2. Beetroot - The effects beetroot can have on the skin are endless. Beetroot has been shown to combat problems such as under eye circles, help with darker patches of skin, helps to moisturise skin and has even also been said to help delay signs of wrinkles! Not only is it great for skin, but it has also been researched to help hair feel and look shinier, adding an overall glow to your image!

3. Carrot  – We absolutely love carrots, and it is with very good reason. Rich in beta-carotene, carrots help to prevent signs of ageing in ways helping aid in
   issues such as wrinkles, pigmentation and uneven skin tones. Slice them up into a salad, or dip carrot sticks in hummus for a healthy snack and a secret weapon against signs of ageing!
4. Lemon – In the beauty world, there are endless ways to use lemons in beauty regimes and products to help skin look and feel better, however lemon is also great to incorporate into your diet. Lemons can help your body detox and aid in digestion. For example, if you were to drink lemon infused water, not only will your body feel cleaner from inside out, but after time, it has been noted that lemon can help rejuvenate your skin as it fights against skin radicals and pushes the skin to create more collagen, allowing your skin to glow and appear radiant naturally. Lemon water can also aid in weight loss and boost your overall mood as you are giving your body nutrients it needs, resulting in a positive overall effect!

5. Pumpkin Seeds – Many seeds and nuts get a bad rep for being the salted kind, the sugar coated kind, the caramelised kind etc. However, of all seeds, Pumpkin Seeds are very commonly overlooked for their great skin benefits. Full of the Zinc mineral, they help in protecting cell membranes, maintaining collagen and also promote skin renewal; to help keep your skin looking it’s freshest and overall best. 

For this week’s smoothie recipe, we’re introducing our Beet-iful Smoothie, chockfull of vitamins and minerals your skin will thank you for!

Beet-iful Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 Carrots
• 1 Small Beetroot
• 1 Braeburn aApple
• 1 Celery stick
• 1 Orange, peeled
• 1 small handful of Pumpkin Seeds
• ½ a Lemon

 Recipe:

1. Add fruit, veg and Pumpkin Seeds to blender, with fresh lemon juice.
2. Blend till smooth.
3. Pour into a glass, garnish with a sprinkle Pumpkin Seeds and/or fresh mint and serve!

We hope you enjoy our lovely smoothie! As always, do let us know what you think, we would love to hear from you! Get in touch via our Twitter page @MoroccanNatural, Instagram @Moroccan_Natural or find us on Facebook @ Moroccan Natural!