New “super-food” fads come and go, but there are some vegetables that should be a staple in your diet for good. Carrots, for example, have numerous health benefits – including for your skin.
Carrots are a source of vitamin A, which can help reduce the signs of eczema. Vitamin A also boosts the cell renewal process, making skin look younger whilst filling out wrinkles. You can also try carrot seed oil, which is an emollient, meaning it provides moisture to the skin. This powerful vitamin reduces the over-production of sebum, which can cause acne breakouts. If you have oily skin, consider introducing more carrots into your diet to help clear up acne.
Beta-carotene is the carrot’s skincare secret weapon! This all-important ingredient gives carrots their orange pigmentation, and essentially converts into the body as Vitamin A. In fact, beta-carotene provides half the vitamin A in your diet. Like vitamins C and E, beta-carotene is a powerful anti-oxidant. Free radicals such as pollution and sun damage attack the skin’s surface and cause a breakdown in collagen production, which in turn leads to wrinkles. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene fight and interact with free radicals and produce a protective barrier, which helps protect skin from such damage.
So whether it’s in a salad or a smoothie, finding a way to work carrots into your diet may have more hidden benefits than you think!