5 beauty foods for natural radiance

I just returned from a fabulous, but jam-packed, four-day conference in San Diego and when I walked into the office this morning my exhaustion and jetlag showed. There’s only so much coffee could do. (Here are 4 health reasons I won’t be quitting my coffee habit, in case you’re interested.)

So what better time than now to talk about beauty foods for natural radiance?!

These 5 foods are worth adding to your grocery cart:

For your smile...
Raisins: You might think that because raisins are sweet and sticky, they’re not good for your oral health. But research has shown that antioxidants in raisins fight the growth of a type of bacteria that can cause inflammation and gum disease.

Other food solutions to try: Green tea—a daily cup of green tea significantly lowered Japanese men’s risk of developing gum disease. Find two more foods for a beautiful smile here.

For your skin...
Edamame: Collagen—the fibrous protein that keeps skin firm, youthful-looking and wrinkle-free—begins to decline starting in your twenties! Eating edamame and other soyfoods may help to preserve skin-firming collagen because it is rich in isoflavones. In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, mice fed isoflavones and exposed to ultraviolet radiation had fewer wrinkles and smoother skin than mice that were exposed to UV light but didn’t get isoflavones. The researchers believe that isoflavones help prevent collagen breakdown.

Other food solutions: Sardines. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), one of the omega-3 fats in fatty fish like sardines, has also been shown to preserve collagen. Find 15 more foods for beautiful skin.

For your eyes...
Cucumbers: Place slices over puffy eyes—cucumber’s anti-inflammatory properties may help to reduce swelling, says Alan Logan, N.D., co-author of Your Skin, Younger (Sourcebooks, 2010).

Related: 5 Simple Things You Can Do for Healthy Eyes

For your breath...
Parsley: This herb has been shown to help kick garlic breath. The polyphenols (compounds that act like antioxidants) break down the smelly sulfur compounds in garlic. For the biggest benefit, combine garlic and parsley in the same dish, though it may be possible to get the garlic-breath-fighting benefits of polyphenols by eating it in dishes separate from the garlic, as long as they are consumed during the same meal.

Other food solutions: Basil, apples and spinach are also rich in polyphenols.

For better sleep...
Tart cherry juice: You’ve heard people say they need their “beauty sleep”—and it turns out there’s some truth to that, according to a recent study in the British Medical Journal. (People rated study participants as healthier and more attractive when they slept 8 hours a night compared to when they were sleep-deprived.) Up your odds of getting that much-needed beauty rest by drinking a little tart cherry juice. In a small study, when adults with chronic insomnia drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day they experienced some relief in the severity of their insomnia. Tart cherry juice contains melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness.

What are your go-to foods for natural radiance?

Brierley's interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as nutrition editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master's degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.

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