Eating for Beauty: 5 Ingredients that Help with Skin
Consumers are now fully aware that what we eat has a profound effect on our body. People take notice of how certain ingredients affect their body both positively and negatively, including their skin. We now understand that fried foods, refined sugar, and dairy may cause skin issues or worsen our complexion. So why not offer consumers ingredients that work for our skin? At Journey Foods, we want to help food companies use healthy ingredients with functional benefits; here are some that help with skin:
Collagen
Becoming increasingly popular as a supplement, collagen or collagen peptides are the glue that holds tissue together. In fact, collagen production was the step in evolution that allowed unicellular organisms to grow into life as we know it. For us multicellular beings, collagen provides structural integrity. In the case of our skin, this means keeping it elastic and tight. As we get older, our body starts breaking down more collagen than we create, hence the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Consuming collagen in food is a way to make up for this lack of collagen production. In multiple studies, daily supplementation has been shown to increase the presence of collagen in our outer skin layer, increasing elasticity and reducing wrinkles.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a powerhouse of both macro and micronutrients. In addition to protein and dietary fiber, walnuts are an excellent source of polyunsaturated fats. Their high amount of omega-3 fatty acids may aid in fighting inflammation while providing the body with essential fats that are typically rare in Western diets. Its quantities of selenium, and zinc provide the skin with essential micronutrients to maintain structure and immune function. Furthermore, walnuts contain an unusually high amount of polyphenols called ellagitannins. In addition to having strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, ellagitannins have been shown to protect the skin against UV rays, helping prevent DNA fragmentation and cell mutation.
Avocados
Perhaps thanks to the rise of avocado toast on brunch menus, avocados are now celebrated nation-wide as a health food. Its unusual nutritional composition makes it one of the most nutrient-dense fruits. Unlike almost all other fruits, 77% of calories from avocados come from monounsaturated fats, specifically oleic acid. In a Japanese study, women who consumed higher levels of monounsaturated fat had less wrinkles and more elastic skin. Furthermore, high levels of vitamin E and vitamin C provide the perfect recipe to protect the skin against UV rays while aiding in collagen production.
Cocoa
While milk chocolate and sugary dark chocolate are not healthy options, cocoa and extra-dark chocolate have several benefits for skin health. In addition to healthy fats and antioxidant properties like the other ingredients we discussed, cocoa contains flavonols that have been shown to do wonders for the skin. In one study, participants who consumed high flavonol cocoa saw an increase in blood flow in their skin, which led to denser, more hydrated skin. After 12 weeks of cocoa supplementation, treatment groups saw a significant decrease in skin roughness and scaling. Another study showed that cocoa can help protect from UV rays, due to its antioxidant properties, and can help reduce wrinkles. While sugar should be kept to a minimum, cocoa is a great ingredient option.
Spirulina
Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is incredibly rich in nutrients. While being low in calories, it provides all essential amino acids as well as vitamins B1, B2 and B3. The substance that lends spirulina its blue-green hue, called phycocyanin, also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When given to mice, spirulina was shown to significantly reduce inflammatory responses after exposed to UV rays and suppressed skin tumor growth.
Are you creating a new food product with ingredients that have functional benefits? Food Made Simple is the publication from Journey Foods, a software company that helps food companies to effectively manage and launch new products. Follow our journey to reach Nutrition 3.0, an era where food production is data-driven, nutrient-centered and cost-focused so that better food can be more accessible.
