As a person who loves chocolate, imagine how happy I was when I found out that the Journal of Nutrition just published a study about the skin benefits of drinking cocoa! Yummy cocoa plus good skin!? Sign me up!
Researchers have found that certain components of cocoa may help improve the skin’s hydration, may decrease skin roughness and peeling/scaling, and may also help the skin more effectively defend against UV damage. These skin boosting benefits were attributable to the presence of flavanols, which are particularly rich in cocoa and have previously been found to improve blood flow and functioning of the blood vessels.
In this study, 24 women were assigned to one of two groups. One group drank a high-flavanol cocoa beverage, while the other group consumed the same amount of low-flavanol cocoa over a 12 week period. During this 12 week research cycle, participants were tested three times on the skin quality indicators of skin blood flow, sensitivity to UV radiation, skin hydration, and skin structure and texture.
Women in the high-flavanol group demonstrated significant improvement on all of these indicators of skin quality. Those in the low-flavanol group did not improve on any of these measures. Skin texture, hydration and structure seemed to improve with flavanol consumption.
Though that’s not the only exciting finding. This study is the first to suggest that regular consumption of cocoa flavanols may help the skin’s defense against UV light. In this study, participants in the high-flavanol group showed a reduction in skin sensitivity when exposed to artificial sunlight. This may be due, in part, to the improvement in blood flow to the skin associated with flavanol consumption.
Regular consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa has been shown in other studies to increase blood flow to the skin, and these outcomes were maintained as long as cocoa flavanols continued to be consumed.
So what this means for me? I just might give up my morning cup of tea for a cup of flavanol-rich cocoa with yummy marshmallows. That would give me a really sweet start to every day.
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One of the best ways to consume flax seed is to grind it and add to cereal or juice. Flax seed is most potent when its fresh, and you’re likely to get the most benefits from its potency and fiber when its eaten as a grain or seed rather than when it is consumed as an oil or capsule.
If you could benefit from adding flax seed into your diet, consider it a welcome addition in your quest for better skin (and body) health.
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You’ve probably heard a alot about “Omega-3″ in terms of being a “good fat”- one that you must have in order to increase your heart health, and skin health. But did you know how omega-3 fatty acids actually work?
Simply, they contibute to the health and structural integrity of the cell membrane. The cell membrane is the barrier which keeps harmful substances out, while also acting as a pathway or passageway for transfer of nutrients into the cell, and for waste products to leave the cell.
Since the structure of this membrane influences the capacity of the cells to hold water, having a healthy barrier leads to softer, more wrinkle-free skin.
According to Nicholas V. Perricone, MD, the author of The Wrinkle Cure, omega-3 foods also help the body reduce production of compounds which lead to aging of the skin.
Dr. Perricone describes these inflammatory compounds as naturally occurring and directly involved in how the skin looks and feels. The more inflammatory compunds present in the body, the less healthy the skin will look and behave.
Other information suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may also inhibit cancel cell growth.
Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids include flax seeds, walnuts, and chinook salmon.
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