The Best Foods to Eat On Your Wedding Day
You've been planning your wedding for months, poring over every detail, and the big day's finally arrived! If you're looking to feel your best (and what bride isn't?), make sure not to skip any meals--you'll need your energy! Read on for the best five foods to eat on your wedding day to keep you feeling energized and full.
1. Best food for all-day energy: Oatmeal
An important part of feeling your best on your wedding day is to eat the right food so you're not on an emotional roller coaster, says Keren Gilbert, RD, founder of Decision Nutrition.
The goal is to fuel your body with food that lets blood-sugar levels rise slowly, stay even for a long period of time, and go down slowly. A great way to do this is to kick off your big day with a bowl of oatmeal. “It contains soluble fiber to slow the absorption of glucose from food in your stomach, which keeps your blood-sugar levels steady.
2. Best food for your sex drive: Oysters
For a hotter wedding night, consider snacking on some oysters during the champagne toast. Oysters are packed with the mineral zinc, which may work as a libido-enhancer by helping with testosterone production—higher levels of the hormone are linked to an increase in desire in both men and women.
RELATED: Best Foods for Better Sex
3. Best food to ease water retention: Salad
Waking up with puffy eyes can make you look less than photogenic and swollen feet can keep you off the dance floor. You can trick your body into letting go of excess liquid by noshing on natural diuretics. For a triple dose, try tossing half of a sliced cucumber with ¼ cup parsley and 1 tbsp lemon juice, says Jackie Keller, a celebrity nutrition expert based in LA who has worked with stars such as Reese Witherspoon, Angelina Jolie, and Charlize Theron.
4. Best food to stay hydrated: Tropical fruit
Not getting enough fluids can leave you feeling lethargic. Fruits and vegetables are natural hydrators since they’re 60 to 95 percent water. Melons, papaya, and mangos are especially good because they also contain potassium, which helps regulate your body’s balance of fluids and minerals, Keller says. Cut a cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds, and fill with sliced papaya or mango for a quenching treat.
RELATED: Healthy Wedding Cocktails from a Celeb Planner
5. Best food for glowing skin: Chia seeds
These little black seeds are the highest natural source of omega-3s, and when your cells are nourished, your skin glows. Omega-3 fatty acids benefit your skin because they help strengthen cell membranes’ barriers to allow water and nutrients in and keep toxins out, Gilbert says. Mix chia seeds in your oatmeal or a natural fruit shake, or sprinkle them on your salad on your big day.
More on SHAPE:
10 Tips for Wedding Thank-You Notes
3 Real-Life Runaway Brides
Designer Bridesmaids Looks for $250 or Less
