Drinks are a key aspect of our diet and they can certainly contribute to your health and beauty, especially, your skin. There are many drinks that can harm your skin so it is good to know which drinks will be of most benefit to keeping your skin looking healthy and radiant.
Following a
drinking regime is as much important to your skin as choosing what to drink. Keeping track of what you have in the day can be useful to learn what might be lacking in your healthy drinking routine. So, a simple list can help you include the right drinks in your diet. Without doubt, the huge benefits of drinking water daily are a well known fact, but it’s the other drinks which are good for you that you need to make sure you include in your daily fluid intake.
Drinks are about enjoyment as much as food, therefore, it is up to you to combine what you like to drink most and what can benefit your skin most. So, feel free to pick and choose out of the selection of skin friendly drinks we mention but do always include water in your routine.
We also highlight drinks that could affect the
health of your skin, so if you are having skin problems, try excluding them from your diet to see if it makes a difference to your skin.
Everyone knows to
drink eight glasses a day. But a lack of water and dehydration can effect the skin. To improve the appearance of your skin, nothing is going to be better than consuming enough water. Water is the single most important element for the integrity of your cells. If you use moisturisers on your skin on the outside, then drinking water will moisturise your skin from the inside outwards.
The body absorbs about four ounces of water every then minutes, therefore, water is very essential to help maintain the elasticity and suppleness of your skin and helps prevent dryness. To look more youthful, water can always give you a helping hand.
Mineral bottled water is the best water but to save money on bottled water, you can purify it at home using a water purifier.
For those who find the taste of water boring perhaps, try and add fresh mint leaves, slices of strawberry, apple, lemon, or lime to a jug of water. Keep this ‘fruit water’ in the fridge and have this great tasting water chilled and ready for you to drink.
If you are not a fan of cold water, try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to normal temperature water. Adding the juice of one lemon to warm water taken in the morning on an empty stomach, can act as a fantastic liver detoxifier. You can also add low sugar cordials to enhance the taste.
The best way to know if you are drinking enough water is to look at your urine. It should be a very light shade of yellow or pale white. If it is darker, definitely drink more water.
Green tea is made from leaves which are not fermented and therefore, it is said to have the highest level of polyphenols (also known as flavonoids), which are chemical compounds that produce pigment and photo protection, acting as a defence mechanism against harmful environmental conditions.
Green tea appears to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays. Since it is a well-known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, the polyphenols are likely to slow down the development of some signs of ageing. This does not mean it will get rid of wrinkles but it can no doubt help the skin rejuvenate.
Green tea leaves usually available from any Chinese store are said to be the most pure form of the tea. Although, you can get it in many varieties today in tea bag form. Most experts suggest drinking between three to ten cups of green tea day to get a return from its healthy properties.
If drinking the tea is perhaps a problem due to taste, then feel free to add honey or lemon to the tea for taste. An alternative is to freeze freshly brewed green tea as ice cubes and you can use them as a toner on your skin, after letting them thaw slightly.
Black tea is made from the same leaves as green tea, black tea can also come in flavours such as sweet, spicy, and even chocolate. it contains ten times more antioxidants than found in fruits and vegetables. It also contains theaflavins and thearubigens, that can contribute to your health generally. It contains more caffeine than green tea, so be aware of what time of day you drink it.
Researchers found that adding milk to black tea reduces its antioxidant, vasodilating and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, for maximum black tea benefits, avoid adding milk to your cup.
As well as drinking benefits, black tea works very well when applied to skin. Its strong antioxidants along with vitamins E and C fight the free radicals that can cause premature aging. And the tea is also a great astringent that will help with puffy eyes, spots and blemishes, as well as toning lips, perking up the complexion, highlighting hair, and making our feet smell sweet. Simply use a warm teabag on the skin for most of these.
Oolong tea means ‘black dragon tea’ and is one of the most highly consumed teas served in traditional Chinese restaurants. It is available from most Chinese supermarkets. Oolong tea is made from the same plant from which green tea is processed, but oolong tea is more oxidised than green tea.
Oolong is a rich polyphenol tea which can help prevent several skin problems including eczema and wrinkles. Clinical trials of oolong tea have confirmed that a regular intake of tea, two times a day for three months at least, is effective in enhancing Superoxide dismutase (SOD) within the body, which combats radical damage to skin.
Trials also confirmed that oolong is very effective in delaying the appearance of signs of ageing, such as dark spots and wrinkles. It strengthens the effect of Copper-Zinc-SOD, which acts favourably within the cutaneous cells of the skin.
In addition, oolong tea is highly recognised for its help with weight loss. According to a classical Chinese medical book called the Bencoa Shiyi, the tea can help prevent obesity due to the polyphenols.
Therefore, drinking oolong tea can be a great way of delaying the ageing process of skin and loosing some pounds!
These are juices not made from concentrate but made from real vegetable and fruit juices. Drinking fruit and vegetable juices can help reverse the effects of harmful free radicals in the body and skin.
Juices which are made from 100% of the fruit or vegetable, are full of beneficial vitamins for the skin and body. Whilst tasting sweet or tangy, they can have the power of cleansing out the bad toxins in your system.
You can make the juices yourself or buy them pre-made. There are huge choices of juices available. But try and go for those high in antioxidants. Research suggests that the darker the juice, the more potent its effect. Therefore, pomegranate or blueberry juice are said have a high level of antioxidants which provide many health benefits especially for skin. Another example is an old favourite, cranberry juice, which boasts beneficial qualities for women during their time of month.
The water substance within these fruits or vegetables – their ‘juice’ in essence, provides a useful secondary source of natural hydration for the body. You can get the juices from fruit if you make smoothies, and to top it up add juice to the smoothie from a carton instead of milk.
Another great drink for the skin can be made using mineral water, fresh vegetables, and a Vitamin C capsule. Place the vegetables into a blender and mix them on medium speed until they are fully liquefied. Then, pour into a glass and add the contents of the vitamin capsule. Mix it up and enjoy.
Over the last few years there has been the advent of ‘Beauty Drinks’ designed to help you look after your skin and complexion. Although their for most of them their main content is natural water, they do have specific minerals and ingredients which aim to promote healthier skin. They might be pricey but they can help. Here are some examples of beauty drinks:
- SIP - this drink which is 100% natural comes different flavours such as Elderflower, Lemon-grass and Ginger, Mango, and Strawberry and Mint. Each drink keeps you and your skin completely hydrated. They contain a great source of vitamins that aim to help your hair, nails, and especially skin. The ingredients include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Violet Extract, Rose Petal and White Tea Tincture, which all are important for good skin.
- Fushi – this drink comes in different flavours including Valerian and Passion Flower, Horsetail and Burdock, Milk Thistle and Dandelion and Green Tea & Bilberry. It is a formulation that addresses hormonal balance, circulation and liver function which affect skin, hair and nails. They contain a great range of detoxifying ingredients aimed to cleanse the body and promote better skin.
- Borba Skin Balance Water Replenishing – a drink which adds moisture and is great during the summer to keeps you fully hydrated. The drink includes papaya, guava, 4 essential B vitamins, and ingredients from a Lychee fruit. This drink would be good for someone with dry skin or acne blemishes.
Now having covered the best drinks for skin, there are drinks which you should avoid or take in moderation to promote healthier skin. These include:
- Coffee - high levels of caffeine and sugar can cause oily spots and rob your body of moisture. Therefore, try decaffeinated varieties or the many teas available instead.
- Alcohol - spirits and alcohol drinks can dehydrate your skin, especially after over indulging. Many drinks, such as cocktails, daiquiris and margaritas, also tend to contain lots of sugar.
- Pop and Soda – this includes excessive amounts of Red Bull and similar drinks. Getting your eight glasses a day from soda can do damage to your skin. The sugar and artificial elements make it more difficult for your body to hydrate. So, avoid them at all costs for better skin.
Be sure to drink even more fluid whenever you: increase your physical activity; eat a high fibre diet; are outside in hot weather; travel at high altitudes; venture in low humidity locations, and when you’re sick, especially if you have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea.
Results are always about trying things to see if they can help, so you will need to try to see which drinks aid your skin most. However, one thing is for sure, always drink as much water as you can and keep dehydrated.
