Beauty Fix: Eat Your Way Pretty

Nutraceutical beauty is on the rise! “Get gorgeous” supplements are flying off shelves, juicing has proven to be more of a lifestyle than a passing trend, and ingestible powders are popping up faster than you can say pitaya. These antioxidant-rich, superfood-packed products promise to get you glowing from the inside out. But can dusts, pills and potions really give us the luminous skin, shiny hair and endless energy we’re after? The Daily polled three industry experts to find out.

THE JUICE GUY
Founder and CEO of Juice Generation, Eric Helms

Juicing obviously has many health benefits. In your experience, can modifications in diet visibly change the look of one’s skin and hair?
Juice is the original nutraceutical. It works from the inside out, helping to diminish wrinkles, develop dewier skin, brighten eyes, and create that distinctive “juice glow.” The rejuvenating effect of consuming vegetables, especially leafy greens, is partly due to their alkalizing effect. Then there are high levels of naturally occurring antioxidants, which help combat the aging effects of pollution and environmental stress.

What single ingredient provides the biggest beauty benefit?
Leafy Greens! Kale, collard greens, and swish chard have vitamin K, which helps brighten your complexion and reduce dark circles. Kale and spinach also have vitamin A, which encourages skin to repair itself and retain moisture. I also think cucumbers are incredibly effective. And aloe is an amazing detoxifier that produces collagen and elastin repair.

You were the first to bring mangosteens to market from Southeast Asia, and you were importing pitaya fruit from Nicaragua before anyone had even heard of it. In a way, you’ve led the country’s superfruit movement. What would you say is the next big food or ingredient to look out for?
Brain food. We’re working on a line of supplements made from plants and herbs that can improve mental performance and brain health. Products designed to improve mental function are something we’ll see a lot of in 2018.

THE DERM
New York City Dermatologist, Francesca J. Fusco

In your experience, can modifications in diet or the addition of beauty supplements visibly change skin from the inside out?
Modification to diet, supplements and vitamins can indeed make a major difference in skin. If an individual is lacking certain vitamins or minerals it can manifest itself in the skin, nails and hair. Of course, maintaining a healthy diet through proper nutrition is the best way, but not everyone can do this. Thus, supplements can augment nutrition of skin.

Some people believe beauty supplements are the future of skincare. Do you agree?
Yes, I believe beauty supplements are the future of skincare. We nourish our skin, scalp and hair from the outside with antioxidant creams, peptides, and collagen-boosting products. All the beauty creams in the world cannot make up for poor nutrition. We live in a fast-paced society and don’t always have time for well-balanced meals.

What single food or ingredient provides the most beauty benefits?
I believe Vitamin A is one of the most important supplements for healthy hair and skin. It is easy to identify foods high in Vitamin A. They are usually bright in color (many times orange), like carrots and sweet potatoes.

Collagen supplements seem to be popping up everywhere. Are there benefits to ingesting collagen? Is it safe?
Collagen supplements are beneficial to individuals not ingesting sufficient collagen. Collagen is a protein and healthy collagen means youthful skin. There are many types of collagen found in the body and our bodies produce collagen, but it slows with age. A food with high collagen content is bone broth. It’s not always easy to find and ingest these types of foods, though. This is where a supplement helps.

THE NUTRITIONIST
Registered Dietitian and Founder of Molly’s Best, Molly Rieger

In your experience, can modifications in diet make someone more beautiful?
Absolutely! The right foods have a ton of beauty benefits. They can make skin glow, eyes more clear, hair and nails can become stronger – the list goes on! Most importantly, I find that people who fuel themselves properly exude more confidence and positive energy.

What single food or ingredient provides the biggest beauty benefits?
Healthy fats like avocado, nuts, coconuts, and salmon. They lubricate us from the inside out, allowing for that glowing skin and shiny hair we all want! Foods high in Vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, also have a ton of beauty benefits as they help boost collagen production to prevent wrinkles and fine lines.

Are there any foods or ingredients you recommend staying away from entirely?
Artificial sweeteners! Artificial sweeteners change the profile of your gut microbiota causing low-grade inflammation in your digestive tract. Because your body is getting the sweet sensation without any calories, it gets totally confused and actually starts extracting more calories from the food you’re eating in order to compensate. Studies have also shown that those who consume artificial sweeteners have more sugar cravings throughout the day.

You helped curate Broken Coconut’s new “eat pretty” menu. Is there one item on the menu that you believe is most beneficial from a health and beauty standpoint?
While each dish has multiple health benefits, one we are really proud of is our coconut yogurt. It’s extremely high in probiotics. Probiotics help restore and maintain balance in the gut, which in turn leads to a strong immune system, steady energy, fewer cravings, better mood and even increased sex drive!

If someone wants to start “eating pretty”, where do you recommend they begin?
The first step is drinking tons of water, at least 3 liters a day. Next would be eating healthy fats, and avoiding sugar and processed foods as much as possible!

Here, our picks for the best beauty and wellness supplements.

Perricone MD Skin Clear Supplements, $95 for a 30-day supply