Want Your Sexy Back?
Head to the Produce Section!
If you want a healthy looking complexion and a more attractive appearance, it’s as easy as eating your fruits and veggies.
When shopping for the best health and beauty items, you may want to head to the produce section of your local grocery store. Research has shown that eating more fruits and vegetables tends to improve your overall appearance. As more of these foods are consumed, your skin begins to look more refreshed and rosy. This is due to the impact of carotenoids, which are the red and yellow plant pigments that, when consumed, are distributed to the surface of the skin. When positive changes in skin color are realized, this also associates with better health and overall attractiveness.
Ross Whitehead, a lead researcher at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, noted that within a six-week study period, fluctuation in fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with skin color changes. Skin not only looked healthier at the end of the study period, but it was deemed more attractive, as well. Simply put, if you want to improve your appearance, eat more fruits and vegetables.
Whitehead’s study group examined the fruits and vegetables consumed by 35 people over the six-week period. The study revealed the changes in skin color associated with eating more fruits and vegetables were linked in a second experiment with increased attractiveness. This would suggest skin color reflects improved health, per the researchers. On the other hand, those who ate less of these items realized a paler complexion. The study essentially revealed that people who ate more vegetables and fruits had a much healthier skin tone, with their skin appearing more tanned and golden, something that nearly everyone desires and which is why so many enjoy getting out in the sun.
So, what is the best produce to consume? It seems tomatoes and carrots lead the pack here. This is primarily because of the carotenoids found in these items. Carotenoids are rich in antioxidants, but they are also the nutrients that give tomatoes and carrots their rich color. Antioxidants continually work for you, as they absorb the compounds in your body that can wreak havoc on your skin, compounds associated with stress, anxiety and other issues you may face in your daily life.
Even though spending time in the sun gives your skin a bit of a darker color, the color that comes from eating fruits and vegetables is more of a golden hue, appearing more natural than a sun tan, thus making you seem more attractive to others. But it’s not just the outside of your body that benefits. Fruits and vegetables also help to keep your organs healthy and working at their optimum level.
In theory, changing your diet equates to looking better, which can in turn lead to a better quality of life. If you starting consuming more raw foods, your skin begins to look more attractive. Better- looking skin attracts more people, which can instill more confidence in yourself as a result. That confidence can then translate to all other areas of your life, as you may find yourself wanting to improve more than just your physical appearance.
Being attractive to others is definitely a confidence-booster, and not only will your skin benefit, but so will your hair, your teeth, your fingernails, your eyes and your face. In fact, every part of your body will be a happy beneficiary of your new diet, thanks to all the raw fruits and vegetables you consume. This supports the adage that we are what we eat, and it shows in your skin. A diet high in antioxidants – such as olive oil, nuts, fruits and veggies and less dairy and red meat – helps the skin fight off the effects of aging and even skin cancer.
When shopping in the produce section, look for a variety of colors in the fruits and vegetables you select, as each color provides its own unique benefit. And when it comes to fruit, don’t just squeeze it for the juice. Go all in for the skin and the pulp. By eating the whole plant, you increase your chances of getting all of the benefits the plant has to offer. Fruits and vegetables keep your skin structurally strong, healthier and protect it from the damaging rays of the sun.
Unfortunately, less than 30% of Americans consume the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables, and despite repeated efforts to increase awareness of their value to our overall physical health, increased consumption is not on the rise. Hopefully, once word gets out, we will see an increase in demand for kale, carrots, cantaloupe, tomatoes and more. Making this a part of your everyday diet is simple, too. If you find yourself in a rush in the morning, grab a mini banana or some unsweetened dried fruit. If you have a bit more time, opt for berries or frozen, thawed pitted cherries and toss them into a bowl of oatmeal or cold cereal. If you are feeling even more ambitious, whip up a fruit smoothie with almond butter, organic skim milk or non-dairy milk, some rolled oats and a dash of cinnamon.
At lunchtime, make salad your staple and add a variety of greens and raw veggies, including some lean proteins such as lentils, beans, chicken, shrimp or tofu; some whole grains, such as wild rice or corn; and some healthy fats, including avocado, nuts, pesto or extra virgin olive oil.
When you feel the need for a snack, ditch the candy bar and munch on some seedless grapes or almonds or dive into some fresh apple or pear wedges, coupled with a few tablespoons of nut butter. At dinner, make veggies the primary star of your plate and build around those. Use spaghetti squash instead of pasta or make a bean chili full of a variety of chopped vegetables.
It’s true our skin is a reflection of our overall health, and the healthier your skin is, the better it will function. When your body is healthier, your skin is healthier, and when your skin is healthier, you look more attractive, no matter what your age!
