Skincare secrets: spring shopping list

Never has the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ been more true than when it comes to skincare. Our skin mirrors what we put inside our bodies. While the odd treat won’t derail our efforts for great skin, our diet is something we need to be mindful of. 

In terms of diet, some foods are fantastic sources of the vitamins and minerals we need for our skin, whereas others are what I call beauty betrayers. In an ideal world, we’d fill our plates with seasonal vegetables and fruits, raw oils and natural proteins while avoiding refined sugar, processed snacks and alcohol in excessive amounts. 

Now that Spring has truly sprung, I wanted to offer you a shopping list of seasonal essentials that are great to incorporate into our shopping list. Think of this as your pretty pantry that will aid your spring awakening. 

The foods we should eat during Spring for glowing skin

Almond milk 

Almond milk is something we should reach for all year round. If almonds aren’t your thing, coconut and oat milk also possess lots of benefits for your skin. Fortified non-diary milk is often responsible for as much as half of your daily recommended dose of Vitamin E, which will keep your skin supple and protect it from the sun. 

Bee pollen 

Bee pollen is another pantry essential that we can benefit from all year round. These tiny little pollen granules are packed fulls of nutrients that support both beauty and energy. Bee pollen is a source of complete protein as it’s made up of 22 amino acids that are vital for the production of new skin cells and keratin. Hello, beautiful hair, nails and skin! 

Coconut 

If you’re in search of a tropical beauty treat, reach for the coconut. As a natural powerhouse, coconut is full to brim with beauty benefits. Whether you choose coconut water, oil or meat, it contains potassium which is excellent for enhancing your skin. As an added benefit, coconut supports healthy electrolyte balance too. 

Garlic 

When it comes to anti-inflammatory benefits, garlic is off the charts. As well as preventing disease, garlic is excellent for fighting off the signs of ageing, boosting circulation and supporting the production of glutathione – which keeps your antiaging defences in top form. 

Lemon 

Lemon is another pantry essential that should be in your kitchen all year around. However, in Spring, lemons are said to be fresher and taste better. As you probably know, Lemons are chock-full of Vitamin C, which is great for building collagen. What’s more, they’re rich in bioflavonoids which are great for boosting immunity and your lymph flow. When life gives you lemons, make sure you use them! They’re truly a powerhouse. 

Rhubarb 

Did you know that Rhubarb is a vegetable, not a fruit? Now that fun fact is out of the way, I’ll get to the benefits. Rhubarb is made up of phytochemicals such as quercetin and lycopene which protect your skin from sun damage – particularly relevant considering we’ve had so much sunshine lately. In addition, it’s great for detoxifying our liver, improving digestion, and it’s a great source of calcium! 

Spinach 

There’s a reason pop-eye ate so much Spinach, and it wasn’t just to get strong. He was ahead of the game when it came to skincare. Spinach boosts levels of two essential antiaging nutrients, glutathione and Vitamin A. As Vitamin A works head to aid skin-cell turnover for glowing skin, glutathione defends against DNA and mitochondrial damage. 

Strawberries 

Believe it or not, seasonal fruit is quite scarce in Spring. Thankfully, juicy strawberries steal the show. Strawberries are great to anti-inflammatory as they increase the anti-oxidant capacity of our blood, fighting off the signs of stress and ageing. While we often associate oranges with Vitamin C, one handful of strawberries is home to more Vitamin C than a whole orange. 

If I were to list out every seasonal staple that is great for good skin in Spring, I’d be here all day. If you’re keen to find out more, do some research and take the time to understand the link between our diet and our skin.