Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Best Foods to Eat for Healthy Skin, Hair, and Nails

food that's good for hair, skin, and nails

We all know food impacts our health—but it can even boost a beauty regimen. These are some of the best foods to eat for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Our favorite foods do more for us than we think. Each food has its own chemical makeup that, when eaten, can do great (or not-so-great) things for our bodies. Matcha, for example, provides the body with natural energy, and almonds promote a good night’s sleep.

If there’s a bodily change you’re looking to make but you’re hesitant to spend time and money on supplements you see on Instagram, don’t worry; all you have to do is eat real food (not sponsored)!

For instance, if you want to keep your hair, skin, and nails healthy and in tip-top shape, there are several foods you can enjoy that will give you beauty benefits.

At any rate, they certainly won’t hurt. Bonus: Most foods that are good for your hair are also good for your skin and nails, not to mention your overall health, so dig in. But always consult your doctor for actual, personally tailored health advice.

Sweet Potatoes (Hair)

sweet potato hash recipe with eggs

Chowhound

I personally can’t resist sweet potatoes. I think they’re such a versatile ingredient; you can cook them with sweet marshmallows or earthy cumin and they’re equally delicious. It turns out sweet potatoes are even more versatile than I thought, since they’re also great for your hair. The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes is a good source of vitamin A, and vitamin A is a godsend for hair. It keeps your mane healthy by speeding up the rate of hair growth, promoting thicker hair, and preventing existing follicles from regressing or weakening. Since one sweet potato contains about four times your daily vitamin A needs, why not start your Sunday mornings with our Sweet Potato Hash recipe? It’s delicious, savory, and your hair (and stomach) will thank you.

Avocados (Hair)

avocado

Westend61/Getty Images

Avocados are doubly good for hair growth. First, they are chock-full of vitamin E, which restores follicles and skin on the scalp to ensure growth of healthy hair (so looks like avocados are good for the skin, too). Second, avocados are full of fatty acids, which have been linked to hair growth. This would explain the avocado masks people apply to their hair, but wouldn’t it be better—and cleaner—just to eat avocados instead? Grab a bag of your favorite chips and whip up some of our Easy Guacamole the next time you start freaking out about your hair. If nothing else, you’ll be distracted by how delicious the avocado is.

Greek Yogurt (Hair)

non-dairy oatmilk yogurt oat yogurt health benefits

Thodsapol Thongdeekhieo / EyeEm / Getty Images

Packed with proteins needed for your hair to grow long and strong, Greek yogurt is a great food for the hair-conscious. Greek yogurt also contains pantothenic acid, an ingredient found in some hair care products. Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, increases blood flow to the scalp and fosters hair growth. B5 is even believed to prevent hair loss, so if you want to keep your locks around longer, indulge in some Greek yogurt. It’s a good ingredient because it can be eaten on its own or as the base of parfaits, dressings, or sauces. Enjoy it alone, or whip up our Jalapeno Cilantro Yogurt Spread that goes great with your favorite veggies (you could always be eating more of those).

Related Reading: Why We Love Yogurt for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Spinach and Kale (Hair)

kale recipe

Chowhound

Dark leafy greens are great if your hair is particularly brittle or straw-like. There is a laundry list of vitamins and minerals in both spinach and kale—vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron, just to name a few—that all work to moisturize the scalp and hair so that you don’t have to worry about split ends. You can incorporate darker greens into your diet by substituting them in your favorite salads. If you need inspiration, start with our Pear and Spinach Salad or Kale and Mint Salad. Both are delicious, refreshing, and great for your hair (and the rest of your body).

Related Reading: The 7 Healthiest Salad Greens You Can Eat | The Ultimate Guide to Kale

Dark Chocolate (Skin)

dark chocolate

Pixabay

Yes, chocolate is good for you (in moderation, and if it’s the right kind). Studies found that eating dark chocolate high in antioxidants actually makes the skin thicker, more hydrated, and less sensitive to sunburn. I think it’s safe to officially call dark chocolate a superfood, and now we can enjoy this Dark Chocolate Mousse recipe without feeling guilty. The other great thing about this mousse is that the secret ingredient is avocados, so this dessert is also good for your hair—and it’s vegan, as long as you buy vegan chocolate!

Green Tea (Skin)

green tea

Shutterstock

It’s no secret that green tea is fantastic for the skin. Green tea contains antioxidants that can repair UV-damaged DNA and fight against skin cancer. It can also reduce signs of aging, irritation, and redness. It hydrates the skin and flushes out toxins by unclogging pores. Vitamin B2 in green tea maintains collagen levels, and the caffeine in green tea is actually a good thing if you’re looking to get rid of those dark circles under your eyes. So, long story short, green tea is probably the best thing you could put in your body if you want healthy skin. It works great as a coffee substitute, or you can make a pitcher of our Pink Grapefruit and Green Tea Drink to sip on every day.

Salmon (Skin)

Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Pepper Compound Butter

Chowhound

Salmon—or any fatty fish, really—is high in omega-3, zinc, and vitamin E, all of which reduce inflammation and dryness, help produce new skin cells, and work to make the skin more resistant to UV rays. While you can do anything with salmon, I personally am a sucker for the classic salmon-lemon combo. So, for your next date night, I suggest our Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Pepper Butter recipe. Your skin will thank you, and your date will too.

Watermelon (Skin)

summer watermelon

Raw Pixel/Unsplash

Watermelon is low in sugar, which means it—unlike so many other foods—does not compromise the collagen levels in your skin. It also reduces wrinkles and inflammation—especially around the eyes (this is thanks to the lycopene it contains). So if the skin on your face is your primary concern, I’d definitely start with some watermelon. We have plenty of watermelon salads you can try, but my favorite by far is this Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad.

Almonds (Nails)

smoked almond recipe

Chowhound

Almonds contain both vitamin E and zinc, which are both key to promoting healthy and strong nails. Enjoy almonds alone, in your favorite trail mix, or treat yourself to our Strawberry-Blueberry Crisp recipe with an almond topping for a little bit of extra flavor.

Beer (Nails)

types of beer glass

Jack Andersen / DigitalVision / Getty Images

You read that right! Don’t overindulge here, but wheat-based beers are high in silicon, which does actually strengthen both bones and nails. So a cold one never hurt anyone—especially if your nails are brittle. Crack one open or, if you’re also concerned about your skin, try our Beer and Watermelon Cocktail recipe.

Related Reading: The Best Beer Clubs for Suds Lovers

Blueberries (Nails)

how to pick, store, and use fresh blueberries

Unsplash

It’s important to maintain collagen so that our nails stay strong and don’t break easily. Vitamin C and antioxidants contribute to the maintenance of collagen, and blueberries are very high in both. You can bake blueberries into pies, muffins, or pancakes, but I prefer them when they’re fresh and juicy, so I recommend this Homemade Acai Bowl recipe. It contains other fruits, too—that means even more Vitamin C for your nails.

Cucumber (Nails)

David Chang Momofuku quick pickle recipe

Chowhound

Cucumbers contain biotin, which helps the body metabolize fats and proteins in order to promote healthy hair, skin, and nails. Biotin is absorbed at the very core of the nail for growth, so it is important to keep those levels up. Put your fancy pants on and try our Cucumber and Lemon Sandwiches before your next manicure.



from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2J7LWBY
via IFTTT

French Vanilla Ice Cream

This homemade vanilla ice cream is made with a custard base, sugar, cream, and real vanilla beans. So classic, and so good!

Continue reading "French Vanilla Ice Cream" »



from Simply Recipes https://ift.tt/35Moynb
via IFTTT

How to Line Every Pan with Parchment Paper

cookie sheets vs sheet pans

Ever struggle to line a circular cake pan with parchment paper? There’s an easy way to do it and have it fit perfectly every time! There’s also an easy way to line a small square pan with parchment, without dealing with wrinkly corners, and a few tricks for preventing rolled parchment from curling up on your sheet pan.

How to Line a Cake Pan with Parchment

A lot of cake recipes call for lining your pan with parchment paper.  You can do that by tracing around the pan with a pen and cutting along that line, but more often than not, you’ll still need to trim off bits—and that’s annoying.

Former Chowhound Senior Food Editor Jill Santopietro demonstrated this trick for home cooks who have trouble sizing parchment paper for a round cake pan. Instead of trying to guesstimate the radius of your circle, fold the paper into a smaller triangle and cut it to fit. That way, when you open the paper into a circle, it should match your pan perfectly:

Related Reading: The Best New Baking Books for Fall

How to Line a Brownie Pan with Parchment

What about a small square pan, say for brownies or bar cookies? There’s still a little origami involved, but the real trick lies in using two pieces of parchment to make a sling, instead of trying to make a single sheet fit and ending up with awkward, crinkly corners. (And while you can line your pan with more malleable foil, many prefer parchment.)

best baking pans and bakeware

Apichat Thongmalai / EyeEm / GettyImages

You’ll cut both pieces of parchment longer than your pan by at least a couple inches, but only as wide as the pan itself (even a little narrower is fine). You brush the pan with softened butter or melted coconut oil before pressing in the first layer of paper (that helps it stick), then grease the parchment to help the second layer of paper (which you place in the pan running the other direction) stick to that. The overhanging parchment is folded out of the way; you can also trim it with scissors, or secure it with binder clips.

TecUnite Assorted Silver Binder Clips, 150 for $11.99 on Amazon

These office staples are surprisingly useful in the kitchen too.
Buy Now

See it in action courtesy of Thomas Joseph:

The above method also works for deeper rectangular baking pans, as long as you adjust the sizes of your two pieces of parchment paper according to the length and width of your particular baking pan.

Related Reading: Glass vs Metal Baking Pans

Alternatively, you can simply cut one piece of parchment that’s larger than your pan, and cut slits into each corner so they fold naturally when you place the paper in the pan.

How to Line Cookie Sheets with Parchment

cookie sheets vs sheet pans

Denis Tevekov / GettyImages

Shallow sheet pans and cookie sheets are easy to line—just lay down a single sheet of parchment (which you can even buy in pre-cut sheets) and you’re done.

Related Reading: Parchment Paper vs Silicone Baking Mats | What Is the Difference Between Sheet Pans, Cookie Sheets, and Baking Pans?

However, if you cut it from a roll, sometimes it likes to curl up at the edges. To keep it flat, you can clamp it down with binder clips as above, or even use small magnets (no plastic, paint, or glue, obviously) to stick them to your metal baking sheets.

Or simply grease the baking sheet before pressing the parchment down on top. Too messy? Crumple the paper up before smoothing it out and placing it down; yes, it will be wrinkly, but it should lay relatively flat.



from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/35SIu7S
via IFTTT

Angel Biscuits

Are you ready for the lightest, fluffiest biscuits ever? Angel biscuits have a heavenly texture because they're made with baking soda, baking powder, AND yeast. They will be a new favorite!

Continue reading "Angel Biscuits" »



from Simply Recipes https://ift.tt/2MwzYEg
via IFTTT