CosBeauty Magazine #83

Classics
Dark leafy greens
Leafy green vegetables are packed full
of goodness, and spinach is the best
of the bunch. It contains Vitamins
A and C and folic acid, as well as
magnesium, which is thought to
help fight cancer and lower the risk
of heart disease and stroke. It also
blocks free radicals, which cause signs
of ageing on the skin, and may even
help prevent osteoporosis.
Avocados
Up until a couple of decades ago,
avocados had a relatively bad name,
thanks to their higher levels of fat
than most fruits and vegetables.
However, word is definitely spreading
that this fat is good fat: healthy
monounsaturated fatty acids actually
appear to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol
levels and raise the ‘good’ levels.
Avocados are also rich in
antioxidants, which are thought to
slow the body’s ageing process by
destroying free radicals and slowing
oxidation. Antioxidants also reduce
allergies and the risk of heart disease
and cancer.
Oily fish
Sardines, herring, trout and salmon
are all rich sources of omega-3 fatty
acids, which help prevent heart
disease. They’re also good news for
osteoporosis prevention and can
improve the texture of the skin
and hair.
Oily fish is a good source of
Vitamins A and D. Vegetarians can
boost their intake of omega-3 by
taking supplementary capsules daily.
Essential fatty acids play an integral
part in skin hydration, cell renewal
and protecting the epidermis against
harmful bacteria. These unsaturated
fatty acid chains maintain the
permeability barrier of the stratum
corneum – or the top layer of the
epidermis. This barrier protects the
skin from bacteria to prevent acne
and inhibits trans-epidermal water
loss to maintain skin hydration. cbm
Green tea
Most types of tea contain flavonoids
called polyphenols; however green tea
contains less caffeine than black tea
and is also thought to aid digestion
and may stimulate the metabolism.
Many green tea drinkers also report
that drinking a couple of cups a day
helps to maintain clear skin.
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