Top 10 superfoods
Health and beauty really does come from the inside out. Find out what superfoods you should be eating for a glowing complexion, gorgeous hair and a healthy body.
1. Avocado: Good for youthful skin
Avocado may be naturally high in fat, but most of it is the healthy, monounsaturated type, which is essential for plump, youthful skin and actually helps neutralise bad fat in other foods, meaning it could help you lose weight. Avocado lowers bad cholesterol and is a good source of potassium, which helps the body flush out toxins. It also contains the most potent anti-ageing combination – vitamins E and C – which mop up ageing free radicals and de-clog arteries.
2. Brazil nuts: Good for hair, nails and skin
These nuts are a great source of selenium, which improves the condition of your hair and nails, and boosts skin elasticity. Selenium also wards off opportunistic infections, keeps the muscles in your heart healthy and even helps with acne. Brazils also contain a good amount of zinc, which reduces ageing skin inflammation and eases dry skin problems like eczema and psoriasis that leave the skin more vulnerable to wrinkling.
3. Broccoli: Good for the heart
As well as being packed with antioxidants, this veg provides heaps of beta-carotene, which protects against cancer and disease. It's also rich in folate, which can help to reduce the risk of heart disease. Broccoli is high in fibre, which is vital for cutting the risk of bowel cancer, digestive disorders and heart disease.
4. Cabbage: Good for cutting the risk of cancer
It may have been the most dreaded vegetable at school dinner time, but it contains amazing anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. Studies have shown that people who eat cabbage once a week compared to once a month slash their colon cancer risk by a third.
5. Berries: Good for supple skin
Blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and cranberries all help the body make collagen, the protein needed to keep skin supple, smooth and healthy. Blackcurrants in particular protect against UV skin damage and reduce the ageing effect of sunburn by neutralising free radicals. Cranberries and blueberries both help protect against cystitis by stopping harmful bacteria sticking to the urinary tract.
6. Oily fish: Good for protecting against heart disease, diabetes and wrinkles
Oily fish is the best source of omega 3, an essential fatty acid that the body can't manufacture on its own. Omega 3 has been found to protect against heart disease, adult-onset diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. This fat also reduces skin dryness and improves elasticity, which means wrinkles are less likely to appear. Celebs such as Kim Cattrall follow a salmon-based anti-ageing plan – the Perricone Plan – which lifts and smooths skin in three days. If the recent pollution scares have put you off, tuna, swordfish, anchovy, herring, mackerel and sardines are good omega 3 sources.
7. Grapes: Good for preventing saggy skin
Red and black grapes contain 20 known antioxidants that work together to fend off the free radical attacks that lead to wrinkly skin and disease. These antioxidants are concentrated in the skin, so always buy the most colourful grapes you can find. All grapes contain compounds that strengthen the capillaries and protect against thread veins and skin sagging.
8. Carrots: Good for lowering bad cholesterol and protecting skin from sun damage
The bunny's fave is high in anti-ageing vitamin C and a good source of dietary fibre. One study showed that eating two carrots a day lowered bad cholesterol by 10 per cent. Cook the veg to release nutrients from the tough cell structure and you'll get heaps of beta-carotene. Research has shown that people with low levels of beta-carotene in their blood are more likely to have heart attacks, strokes and certain cancers. This nutrient also protects against the sun's rays. One study found that taking carotenoids equivalent to two large carrots a day gives a natural SPF of 2 to 4 in light-skinned people.
9. Citrus fruit: Good for fighting infection
The orange has been described as the 'complete package of natural anti-cancer nutrients'. It's an excellent source of collagen-building vitamin C and helps maintain the body's defences against bacterial infection. The other wonder citrus fruit is grapefruit, which has a unique type of fibre proven to dramatically reduce cholesterol and help prevent arteries clogging up.
10. Tomatoes: Good for reducing the risk of cancer
Toms are the richest source of lycopene, which forms the red pigment in the flesh. As well as repairing the DNA damage that can lead to crinkly old skin, recent research suggests that lycopene may also help to preserve mental and physical function among older people and reduce the risk of breast, prostate, pancreatic and cervical cancer.