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The Age of the Superfood: 6 Foods That Will Transform Your Life

Over the last decade or so there have been a barrage of supplements that have been released which claim to make you feel your best, every day.

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We’re not here to question their effectiveness – but surely there’s a more natural way of achieving this, without ploughing our body with brain-changing chemicals.

In fact, science suggests there really is. The “superfood” phenomenon has hit us with a bang over recent times, and there are certain natural foods which can do wonders for your standard of living.

Glowing skin? Check. Shiny hair? Check. Feeling great all of the time? Check. How about reducing the risks of cancer? That’s another check.

Here are the six main foods which can help you achieve the above, and more.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Once upon a time, any food which contained ‘oil’ may have been classed as a definite no-no. Now, especially when it comes to extra virgin olive oil, there’s a completely different set of ideas.

One of the key reasons behind extra virgin olive oil’s effectiveness is the fact that it contains mono-saturated fat. As we all know, some fat is bad, but there are some times which are good as well.

Mono-saturates fall into the latter category and will do your health no-end of favors.

As well as this, extra virgin olive oil also happens to be hugely hydrating and nourishing.

It’s led many experts to suggest using it for dry scalps, with its concentration of fats also ideal to sort out any hormone imbalances which might be blighting your head of hair and keeping the moisture away.

Finally, a lot of the extra virgin olive oil components are able to fit against inflammation. Oleic acid and oleocanthal are two that can both achieve this; protecting you from free-radical damage and maybe even killing cancerous cells in the process.

Sweet Potatoes

For those of you who are looking to defy the effects of aging, look no further than sweet potatoes. Over time, we have been taught to try and cut out carbs – but sweet potatoes are a little bit different (a little bit special, if you like).

First of all, let’s take a look at the color. They’re orange for a reason; this is because of the amount of beta-carotene they contain.

The fact that this is a precursor to vitamin A says everything you need to know about its importance, it’s essential to healthy living.

It’s not just healthy living that this is able to promote though; it’s also able to encourage pure beauty.

It has been known to prevent your skin wrinkling and increase collagen production – giving you that glowing skin we all crave. On the subject of skin conditions, it can reduce the effects of acne, sun damage, eczema and a whole host of other skin conditions.

In summary, sweet potatoes will give you the ‘glow’.

Walnuts

We’ve already touched upon the ‘good fats’ through this piece, and walnuts are another type of food that fall into this category. We’ve also spoken about how some of these foods can benefit your skin and again, walnuts can come to the rescue.

In terms of the way it can boost your skin, this is mainly due to the vitamin E which is found within walnuts. It’s not just any type of vitamin E though, it arrives in gamma-tocopherol form. This type is especially good for the health of your skin.

Want an even more scientific summary? This vitamin E will stop the fats we consume from being transformed into free-radicals.

While one could write a whole dissertation on free-radicals, all you need to know is that these are one of the reasons why our skin ages and wrinkles. Therefore, the fat that vitamin E is able to prevent this process is hugely beneficial – walnuts can make you look younger.

Salmon

Few of you will be surprised to see salmon next on our list, this is something that has hit the headlines for all the right reasons over recent years. More and more research is emerging which proves just how effective salmon is from a health perspective.

One of the principle reasons it is one of the best foods out there is due to its essential fatty acid contents. In other words, this means it contains plenty of Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Why is this important? It’s difficult for your body to produce such fatty acids naturally, so actually consuming them just gives your system a break and helps it out considerably.

That’s not all though. While salmon is magnificent from a general health perspective, it can make the world of difference to your hair and skin.

It’s again all related to those fatty acids, which help keep your skin hydrated. Without this hydration, your skin tends to produce the wrong amount of oil and this can either result in dry or sensitive skin, or even breakouts.

In terms of the hair, the same rules apply. It adds much-needed moisture to your hair, prompting those shiny locks that only seem to appear on television adverts.

Berries

Again, there are going to be few surprises with this next item. Just like salmon, berries also seem to be appearing in every ‘top’ list on the planet and it’s not just because of their exquisite, juicy taste.

As well as that, they boast vast amounts of antioxidants. In simple terms, this means that your cells are more protected than ever and again, there are suggestions that it can delay aging.

Staying on the topic of the skin, berries are rich in anthocyanidins as well. These are able to increase our collagen productions and as we’ve already mentioned, this has the knock-on effect of suppressing wrinkles.

Green Tea

The last member on our list is a type of food which seems to be included, at least in some shape or form, in a lot of supplements nowadays. When one considers the properties that green tea has, it’s again hardly surprising.

Green tea is something which contains catechins. The beauty of these isn’t just the fact they are antioxidants which can protect our cells, but they are also able to fight inflammatory and reduce the risk of cancer.

Not only this, but these anti-inflammatory properties are able to fight problems like acne and eczema – so there are plenty of everyday benefits associated with this item as well.

Of course, there’s an added skin benefit as well. All of the chemicals within it combine to protect the skin from cancers which can be directly caused by the sun.

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About George Allen

George Allen – Author – An AFPA Certified holistic and preventative nutrition professional. George is a well known exercise physiology and sports nutrition expert, the co-founder of MensAnswer.com.
Syracuse University graduate: bachelor’s degree in nutrition/dietetics (B.S.) and a master’s degree in nutrition science with a concentration in counseling (M.A.)
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