Top 5 Fruits For Glowing Skin

No more excuses for having tired looking skin! Get your skin glowing with these 5 fruits - they're affordable, terrific for your skin health and easy to eat while on the go or during a break.  

 
Banana:  Loaded with vitamins A, B and E, which have powerful anti-aging properties.  A great   source of iron, magnesium and potassium.

Lemon:  Increases skin firmness by strengthening collagen, which slows the skin aging process.  Contains Vitamin C, an antioxidant. Start your day with a  glass of warm water, teaspoon of honey and a dash of lemon juice on an empty stomach - cleans your kidneys therefore cleanses your entire body.

Papaya:  Papaya is rich in antioxidants and contain a special enzyme called papain that can kill dead cells and cure skin impurities. Try drinking a glass of papaya milk or  applying the flesh of papaya on your skin to brighten your skin.

HoneyDew Melon: This hydrating fruit keeps your skin plump and looking healthy. 
Increases firmness of skin by strengthening collagen. Contains Vitamin C (antioxidant).

Mango:  Often referred to as the King Of Fruits, mangos have health benefit,s. especially for the skin.  Contains vitamin-A and rich antioxidants, fights against skin aging, regenerates skin cells and restores elasticity of the skin. For more benefits of mangoes, see my post Why Mangoes Are Magnificient.

Use any of these fruits for a skin facial.  Just mash the fruit and spread over your face, lie down and relax for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with water.

MONEY SAVING TIP: Go conventional when buying these fruits. Yes, it's best to eat organic. However, no need to go organic for these fruits, since they tend to be low in pesticides, compared to "The Dirty Dozen"* that are usually loaded with pesticides.


** The Dirty Dozen = celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines,
     sweet bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens, potatoes and imported grapes.

 

Popcorn: The Wonder-Snack!

 

Popcorn: The Wonder-Snack!

At the scientists recently reportered that popcorn actually delivers more antioxidants  (polyphenols) than fruits and vegetables. 

Popcorn Has a Higher Concentration of Antioxidants (Polyphenols) than Fruits and Vegetables.

• Polyphenols are more concentrated in popcorn, which averages 4 percent water, while polyphenols are diluted in the 90 percent water that makes up many fruits and vegetables.

Give The Hulls Some Love

• The hulls of the popcorn  (the part that tends to get stuck in the teeth) actually has the highest concentration of polyphenols and fiber!

The Perfect Snack Food

• It's the only snack that is 100 percent unprocessed whole grain. One serving of popcorn will provide more than 70 percent of the daily intake of whole grain. The average person only gets about half a serving of whole grains a day, and popcorn could easily fill that gap.

Prepare It the Healthy Way: Air-Popped is the Best.

• Air-popped popcorn has the lowest number of calories. Microwave has twice as many calories as air popped. About 43% of microwave popcorn is fat, compared to 28% if you pop the corn in oil yourself.. Cooking with oil is the worst - it has twice as many calories as air-popped popcorn.
• Stay away from "movie-theater" style or "kettle corn" popcorn.  The slathering of butter and salt in movie theater popcorn or sugar loaded "kettle corn" is loaded with fat and calories. 

Not a Replacement For Fruits and Vegetables

• Popcorn can't replace fresh fruits and vegetables in a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and other nutrients that are critical for good health, but are missing from popcorn.

Add Nutritonal Yeast To Kick Up The Nutritional Value

• One ounce of nutritional yeast contains 14 grams of protein and 79 calories. Nutritional yeast is a  great alternative to animal-based protein.

• Nutritional yeast contains a high amount of fiber, containing more than seven grams per ounce. Diets high in fiber can help eliminate constipation, assist in lowering cholesterol, reduce the risk of colon disease, and protect against high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
• Many brands of nutritional yeast also contain vitamin B12, which is essential for red blood cell production. B12 maintains the myelin sheath that insulates nerve cells, making it a vital part of normal nerve function.
• Low sodium alternative to salt.

Source: American Chemical Society (ACS) (2012, March 25). Popcorn: The snack with even higher antioxidants levels than fruits and vegetables.