Changing your diet to match the seasons is one of the best ways to feel good and stay healthy. Adding seasonal fruit and vegetables to our diet is a great way to not only boost your health, but your skin alongside it. My book Eat Beautiful is divided into the four seasons, with delicious skin-friendly foods to add into your diet each season, and quick, easy and healthy recipes that feature them. To kick start summer, here are some fruits for better skin you can enjoy today!
Fruits For Better Skin
Avocado
One of the healthiest fats out there to add to your diet, avocados contain monounsaturated fatty acids that help to keep skin moist and healthy and protect skin from UV damage. They are also rich in antioxidants and can help protect against cell damage, as well as preventing inflammation.
Banana
As well as potassium, bananas are rich in vitamins C and B6, which help to promote skin elasticity and restore natural radiance. Vitamin A is good for hydration and skin repair and the banana’s high fibre content makes it good for flushing toxins through the body, which combined with its high natural sugar content makes it a great natural hangover cure, too!
RECIPE: Frozen Banana Lollies
Cucumber
Just like an avocado, many people mistake the cucumber for a vegetable, but it’s actually one of the healthiest fruits around thanks to its low sugar content. It is 95% water making it great as a hydration boost, and it is known for eliminating toxins and reducing inflammation – it is a great natural internal cleanser. They are packed with antioxidants and cucumber skin contains silica, a mineral that activates enzymes involved in the process of making collagen. And of course, placing a slice over each eye really can reduce puffiness, too.
Fig
Figs, which taste delicious when eaten fresh from the tree on a summer day, are full of fibre so they’re great for supporting your digestive system – in fact in my book Eat Beautiful I refer to figs as the ‘inner exfoliator’! They’re a great choice if you want to detoxify your complexion, so they’re good for problem skin.
RECIPE: Fig Salad
Kiwi
Kiwis have a higher vitamin C content than an orange, making them a skin superfood. It is a powerful antioxidant and good for brightening and repairing skin. You can even mash up a ripe kiwi and apply it to your skin directly to enjoy the benefits!
RECIPE: Kiwi Pancakes
Strawberry
Nothing says summertime like strawberries, especially when served up with cream alongside a game of tennis! The sweet berries are packed with Vitamin C and fibre which we have already discussed for their skin-boosting properties, but they also contain folate, which helps to speed up cell regeneration and prevent collagen breakdown.
TOP TIP: Get your five a day and whizz up a tasty skin-friendly smoothie by choosing a combination of these and adding a splash of plant milk or coconut water.
READ NEXT: Summer Spicy Fish Recipe | Summer BBQ Recipe Ideas
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