Skin Health Breakfast Recipe

Following on from our last blog linking skin health and nutrition, we’re back to give you some tips on how you can help those nutrients we mentioned find their way into your diet.

We’ve put together some recipes that contain two or more foods with properties known to protect and repair skin. (But keep in mind, though studies suggest certain foods can protect our skin or repair skin damage, they’re not a substitute for preventative measures like sunscreen). 

Previously, we’ve touched on how there are many factors that contribute to achieving clear, glowing, blemish-free skin we all strive for. Such as stress, busy schedules and lack of dietary variety. Therefore, to ensure these recipes are achievable and sustainable in everyone’s busy and diverse lifestyles, we’ve kept it simple. Through these recipes we aim to save you time whilst ensuring you receive all nutritional benefits by combining foods that enhance one and others nutrient bioavailability. So, when it comes to eating your way to better skin you can sustain taking a dietary approach.

Overnight Porridge

Breakfast is often the meal that people skip due to lack of time or inspiration. We’re here to help with both. We recommend this simple recipe as a fantastic solution, especially as it takes only a couple of minutes to make the night before. As well as being convenient, overnight porridge is versatile.

The Base (3-4 Day Supply)

1½ cup of rolled Oats

3½ cup of unsweetened milk of choice

½ tsp of maple syrup

Dash of vanilla extract

Pinch of salt 

Brief instructions and why it’s good for skin

For all recipes, the base consists of whole rolled oats soaked in milk of your choice overnight with a dash of maple syrup. Whole rolled oats are a good source of manganese, phosphorus, copper, B vitamins, iron, selenium, magnesium, and zinc which all essential nutrients for healthy skin cell function (1). Ensure you use whole oats as these have been less processed and have a slower absorption rate, decreasing any unnecessary spike in blood sugar levels and helping you avoid those AGE’s we mentioned.

Tips for overnight oat success

Refrigerate your oats plain, as detailed in the base recipe and top them in the morning! That way, dried fruit stays chewy and nuts and seeds are crunchy, not gummy. Prep a big batch ahead for oats all week! Store in your fridge in an airtight jar and use different toppings each day.

Here’s 4 recipes to start with.

Turmeric and Walnut Oats

Added ingredients

½ tsp of turmeric

½ tsp of cinnamon

1tsp of honey (sweeten to taste)

1 tbsp of walnuts

1 tbsp of chopped mango (frozen, fresh or dried)

1 tbsp shelled hemp seeds

Why it’s good for skin

Start the day with anti-inflammatory spices and the essential fatty acids to help absorb their therapeutic properties. Turmeric contains curcumin which is linked to down regulating the unwanted cytokines that can irritate skin cells (2) and the omega 3 essential fatty acids in the walnuts helps the body absorb the curcumin from the turmeric. Also, cinnamon is linked to helping regulate the blood sugar levels, reducing those glucose spikes (3) We recommend you stir in the turmeric, cinnamon and honey the night before. In the morning, top with mango, hemp seeds, and walnuts.

Cherry Berry Chia

Added ingredients:

1 tbsp scoop of yogurt or coconut yogurt

½ cup of cherries and berries (fresh or frozen)

1 tbsp of almonds

1-2 tsp of Chia seeds (soaked in a cup of water overnight) (1part Chia seed to 9 parts water)

Why it’s good for the skin

Cherries are highly nutritious and packed with fibre, vitamins, and minerals. They are another fruit rich in that all-important nutrient vitamin C. Along with potassium, vital for nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and many other critical bodily processes that can interfere with skin health and trigger inflammation (1). As mentioned, Chia seeds are great for all important anti-inflammatory promoting essential fatty acids they provide (as well as being high in protein and fibre, they contain many other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc. Combined this recipe is a good source of B vitamins, manganese, copper, magnesium, and vitamin K.

Sweet Sesame Tahini

Added Ingredients:

1 tsp tahini

1 tsp shelled pistachios

1 tbsp pomegranates

1 tsp honey drizzle

1 tsp sesame seeds

Optional:

1 tsp Dried apricots

Why it’s good for skin

Pomegranate seeds are a rich source of polyphenols, an antioxidant known to protect against the adverse effects of UV radiation (4).

Sesame seeds are a good source of energy due to their high mineral and healthy fat content. They contain fibre, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus that helps boost energy levels and maintain balanced blood sugar levels. Also, their polyunsaturated fatty acids help with skin inflammation. Clinical trials have shown their consumption can lead to enhanced vitamin E bioavailability (increased tocopherol levels) and bioactivity within the body (5).

Honey (if possible, buckwheat or live manuka honey) has been shown via clinical trials to be most effective in reducing ROS levels due the antibacterial properties its phenolic constituents provide wound-healing products (6).

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Added ingredients

1 tbsp almond butter

1 tsp of dark chocolate chips

1 tsp cacao Nibs

1 tsp of honey

Sprinkle of almonds

Add banana if you want to change it up

Why it’s good for skin

Although it tastes like a chocolate chip cookie, this recipe really does have health benefits that can help support skin health. Combined these ingredients are high in manganese, Vitamin E, magnesium, fibre and healthy fats that work in synergy to slow the release of carbohydrates, maintaining balanced blood sugar levels. The processing of almonds into butter helps release the tannins from the almond skin. As well as, cacao nibs are dense class of polyphenols known as flavonoids, such as epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins shown to help protect the skin against UV rays (7). They are also a good source of zinc which is linked to reducing several dermatological conditions (8).

References

(1)   Schagen, S., Zampeli, V., Makrantonaki, E. and Zouboulis, C. (2012). Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermato-Endocrinology, [online] 4(3), pp.298-307. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2019].

(2)   Liu, X., You, L., Tarafder, S., Zou, L. and Fang, Z. (2019). Curcumin-releasing chitosan/aloe membrane for skin regeneration. Chemical Engineering Journal, 359, pp.1111-1119.

(3)   Hasanzade, F., Toliat, M., Emami, S. and Emamimoghaadam, Z. (2013). The Effect of Cinnamon on Glucose of Type II Diabetes Patients. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, [online] 3(3), pp.171-174. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3924990/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2019].

(4)   Afaq, F. and K. Katiyar, S. (2011). Polyphenols: Skin Photoprotection and Inhibition of Photocarcinogenesis. Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, [online] 11(14), pp.1200-1215. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22070679.

(5)   Cooney, R., Custer, L., Okinaka, L. and Franke, A. (2001). Effects of Dietary Sesame Seeds on Plasma Tocopherol Levels. Nutrition and Cancer, [online] 39(1), pp.66-71. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15327914nc391_9 [Accessed 1 Aug. 2019].

(6)   Van den Berg, A., van den Worm, E. and Quarles van Ufford, H. (2008). An in vitro examination of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of buckwheat honey. Journal of Wound Care, [online] 17(4), pp.172-178. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18494436 [Accessed 1 Aug. 2019].

(7)   Williams, S., Tamburic, S. and Lally, C. (2009). Eating chocolate can significantly protect the skin from UV light. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, [online] 8(3), pp.169-173. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19735513 [Accessed 1 Aug. 2019].

(8)   Bae, Y., Hill, N., Bibi, Y., Dreiher, J. and Cohen, A. (2010). Innovative Uses for Zinc in Dermatology. Dermatologic Clinics, [online] 28(3), pp.587-597. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20510767 [Accessed 1 Aug. 2019].