There are two universal truths. 1. You are what you eat, 2. The acronym for the Standard American Diet (SAD) is spot on.
Even though most of us are eating more home-cooked meals nowadays, we aren't necessarily eating enough of the things that are going to fuel our bodies and feed our skin properly.
So, we went directly to our nutritional guru, Glotrition Founder and CEO, Lisa Pineiro for one of her easiest go-to recipes. Ladies, meet the Super Beauty Salad!
This is a salad that Lisa preps on the weekends and eats daily throughout the week. Here, we'll break down the ingredients and what each of them are doing to help you get glowing!
1. Start with a bed of greens
Mix your favorites, the deeper green, the better! We like sprouted greens because they contain enzyme-rich pea sprouts. These are full of Vitamin B which can help hydrate the skin. Then we reach for Lacinato kale (sometimes called Dino kale) because it's a little softer and easier to eat. Kale is jam packed with vitamins A, K, C and loaded with antioxidants. This can help to protect collagen fibers, and keep free radicals at bay...we all know how important that is!
2. Red cabbage
Sometimes called purple cabbage, contains 10x more vitamins and cancer-fighting flavonoids than it's green cousin. It also adds a great dose of super antioxidant, Vitamin C.
3. Cucumber
Keep the skin on! The skin is loaded with nutrients like niacin and riboflavin along with vitamin C and zinc, hello immune booster! Cucumber flesh is made up of 95% water and two compounds- ascorbic acid and caffeic acid- which prevent can water retention and puffiness.
4. Broccoli
Chop this powerhouse veggie up into tiny bite sized pieces so it's easier to consume. With twice as much vitamin C as an orange, this one is a no-brainer when it comes to keeping free radical damage at bay. Remember, that's the number one cause of aging!
5. Sweet Peppers
The rule of thumb when it comes to a nutrient dense diet is "eat the rainbow". Sweet peppers are certainly colorful. They are also loaded with vitamins C, A and K, which is essential for healthy blood vessels that lie under the skin.
6. Rainbow Carrots
The most obvious example of "eat the rainbow", this variety takes carrots to a new level of nutrition. These colorful, crunchy babies contain beta and alpha carotene and a list of nutrients too long to list. Rest assured that they are giving you a massive dose of polyphenols and antioxidants proven to help fight free radical damage.
7. Butternut Squash
This is the only veggie in the Super Beauty Salad that we recommend roasting first. Add fresh diced squash to a plastic baggie with a dash of avocado oil and seasoning of your choice. Shake and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400º for 30 minutes. This makes a great savory substitution for chicken and it is loaded with vitamin A which plays an important role in skin health. One serving also provides over 50% of your daily vitamin C intake which helps build collagen.
The Super Beauty Salad
It's easiest to do all your washing, chopping and prepping at one time and keep each veggie in its own container so it stays fresh longer. Then, just open containers and build your salad fresh every day! Use your dressing of choice, but steer clear of creamy dressings that are usually high in fat.
Lisa's Tips: Give everything an extra chopping. Raw, crunchy vegetables are easier to chew and digest in smaller pieces. Aim to eat one good sized serving a day, either as a large salad or as a side to lunch and dinner.
And don't forget to add Super Beauty Elixir to your daily routine. It's a fool-proof way to double down on nutrients and antioxidants, plus get a full, clinically studied dose of Bioactive Collagen Peptides. In fact, we recommend getting it on auto-delivery so you're never without. Studies show that continued daily use equals amazing anti-aging results like 25% reduction in wrinkles and 65% increase in collagen!
Get yours here.