Our dietary choices play a big role in our overall well-being. And, as scientists learn more about the interactions of diet with our body, it’s increasingly clear that our food intake also plays a significant role in the health and aging of our skin. “You are what you eat,” is more than a popular slogan, it seems, when it comes to one of our most important—and largest―organs.
Beyond the natural effects of aging, our skin also takes a daily beating from environmental stressors, including those glorious summer rays. So, it’s important to feed our skin what it needs to combat these troublemakers.
Despite the emphasis placed on skin cleansers, moisturizers, and serums for achieving radiant, blemish-free skin, diet is still often overlooked. The foods we consume, though, are paramount to looking our best.
Luckily, the summer season offers a bounty of foods lush with skin-protecting compounds and nutrients to provide the building blocks for healthy skin cells, which can help support structure, elasticity, and hydration. It’s all about harnessing the power of seasonal foods to glow from within.
While diet is no substitute for using sunblock judiciously, these recipes contain an arsenal of foods that will help keep your skin in the game. Consider them the ultimate vanity fare.
Thai-inspired Chicken Noodle Watermelon Salad
This refreshing noodle salad—fit for a sultry summer night—may become your new favorite way to luxuriate in watermelon. The flavorful sweet-sour watermelon sauce is the perfect foil for the slippery noodles and crunchy vegetables. Alternative cooking methods include oven roasting or pan frying. If you want to fire up the flavor a bit, add more chili sauce.
Pesto Salmon Frittatas
This simple, yet delicious, recipe is perfect for making ahead for a tasty picnic in the sun. Breaking up a whole frittata into individual parts slashes cooking time and allows the egg cakes to be easily packed up for a summer picnic. The arugula pesto adds fresh flavor, with chunks of salmon adding substance to the individual frittatas. They can also be served warm or at room temperature.
Sweet Potato Waffles with Dolloped Vanilla-scented Yogurt and Zesty Peach Sauce
Rise and dine on these tender waffles with layers of flavor. The simple peach sauce is a great way to enjoy fresh, juicy peaches during peak season. It’s also marvelous strewn over ice cream. The batter can be prepared the night before and kept chilled. But it’s best to let the batter sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.
Tofu Scramble Quinoa Bowls
Anyone interested in eating more plant-based meals will appreciate this recipe for its simplicity and satisfying flavor. And it’s full of nutrition that will bestow numerous skin benefits. If you wish, you can serve this dish taco-style with the tofu mixture stuffed into corn tortillas.
Chunky Lentil Farro Minestrone
Soup need not be relegated to the colder months. This satisfying plant-based Italian-inspired minestrone is packed with colorful summer-fresh veggies to give your skin a helping hand. If farro is unavailable, the soup can be made with other whole grains, including wheat berries, spelt, or even oat groats.
This collection originally appeared on alive.com as “Nourishing Your Glow.”
