You are what you eat
We all experience moments when we look into the mirror and see a reflection of skin that isn’t as bright and glowing as we hope. They say “you are what you eat” and we feel strongly that “you are the nutrients you consume.” The health of your skin depends on the right mix of vitamins and nutrients – just as other parts of your body function optimally when fed the right nutrients.
We enlisted the help of registered dietitian – Amy Fischer, RD (@thegreenfisch) – to develop a recipe to help your skin look and feel its best. Introducing the new Glowing Smoothie recipe, which features foods packed with key vitamins for skin health – vitamins A, C and K.
Key ingredients in the recipe, include:
- Coconut water is full of vitamins and minerals and it is a great way to hydrate from the inside out. Without adequate hydration your skin can become dry and flaky.
- Spinach is loaded with antioxidants and is a great source of iron as well as folate, chlorophyll, vitamin K, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A is important for skin health while vitamin C contributes to normal collagen production and vitamin K is important for bone health. Three cups of spinach in this smoothie contain almost 100 percent of the RDA for iron for women younger than 50.
- Avocado contains healthy (poly and monounsaturated fatty acids) fats, which help to nourish the hair, skin and nails.
- Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C with one orange containing approximately 93 percent RDI. The vitamin C in oranges helps to promote iron absorption and collagen production, which are important for skin health – giving you a glow from inside out. In addition, oranges are a great source of fiber.
- Bananas are packed with potassium, contributing to normal muscle function. They also contain B vitamins and act as a prebiotic, helping digestion by supporting healthy gut bacteria production.
- Ginger is traditionally used for its potential role in digestive health and for its anti-oxidant properties.
If you don’t feel that you’re getting optimal levels of these nutrients on a daily basis, you should speak with your health care practitioner about adding a daily multi-vitamin supplement.
Glowing Smoothie
Equipment: High-speed blender
Servings: 1 (16fl oz)
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut water
3 cups spinach
1 large orange peeled and quartered
½ avocado
½ banana
2 medjool dates (soaked in hot water & pitted)
½ tsp grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon
Optional: ice
Topping (optional): unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
Directions: Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender, blend and serve.