Feb 03, 2021

LET’S DISH! Let’s Talk About Foods For Great Skin

By MaryAnn Miano

Caring for your skin throughout your life’s decades is probably the No. 1 way to help you look your best through the ages. Of course, there are cosmetics and medical ways to enhance one’s skin, but is there a way to be beautiful through food? The answer is a resounding YES! By consuming foods rich in vitamin C, you will help produce collagen that strengthens capillaries which supply the skin. Vitamin C is the secret to building the collagen which makes our skin firm, supple and wrinkle-free. Vitamin C also helps heal skin after it has been damaged by burns, cuts and dryness.

The best sources of food to deliver precious vitamin C to your skin are blackberries, black currants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi, oranges, papaya, raspberries, strawberries and sweet potatoes.

It’s also worth noting that we can use certain foods on the surface of skin to act as moisturizers and exfoliate in place of pricey cosmetics and creams. For naturally glowing and healthy skin, try using the following foods:

  • Olive oil moisturizes the skin and assists in fading away blemishes. Use a thin layer as a night cream or use to remove stubborn makeup.
  • Coffee with coconut or almond oil mixed together into a paste and used as a gentle scrub helps remove dead skin cells from your face.
  • Yogurt mixed with turmeric and honey into a paste creates a face mask that helps moisturize dry skin.
  • Honey helps fight acne and prevents pimples. Spot treat by mixing it with a pinch of cinnamon to keep blemishes away.
  • Papaya is rich in alpha-hydroxy acids that exfoliate the skin and remove all the dead skin build-up. It clears out blemishes; just mash it up and leave it on your face for about 20 minutes, then rinse.
  • Cucumber, aloe vera and honey mixed together and applied on a cotton pad onto the face will help give you a healthy glow.
  • Tomato slices rubbed on your skin reduce the look of pores and removes dullness.
  • Green tea misted onto your face will help your skin feel tight and firm.
  • Potatoes’ juice has enzymes that prevents dullness, removes pigmentation and helps combat acne.

Now that we know ways to use food for great, younger-looking skin, let’s get cooking with some of them to enjoy eating healthy and doing something good for our skin. The recipe of the month will boost vitamin C intake.

 

CHICKEN WITH HONEY-ORANGE SAUCE (Serve with couscous or rice on the side.)

INGREDIENTS:

–           2 navel oranges

–           2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

–           ½ teaspoon salt, divided

–           ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

–           4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ¼ pounds), trimmed and tenders removed

–           1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

–           1 tablespoon canola oil

–           1 cup white wine

–           ½ cup golden raisins

–           2 tablespoons honey

–           1 3-inch cinnamon stick

–           ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted (to toast, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes)

DIRECTIONS:

–           Zest and juice one orange. Remove the skin and white pith from the other orange, then halve and slice. Reserve zest and juice separately from the orange slices.

–           Combine flour, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer the remaining flour to a small bowl, add broth and whisk to combine.

–           Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

–           Add wine to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour-broth mixture, the reserved orange zest and juice, raisins, honey, cinnamon stick and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil.

–           Reduce heat to a simmer, return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan and cook, turning the chicken over once or twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F and the sauce has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.

–           Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Discard the cinnamon stick. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the reserved orange slices and almonds.

Recipe from EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2009