Do it Naturally: Amazing Natural Foods for Glowing Skin

Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). Naturally sweet, organic sweet potatoes are in season in November and December, but can be found in markets year-round. Baking sweet potatoes with the skin on preserves the nutrients and packs the biggest wallop for your skin - one sweet potato provides up to 262% of your daily vitamin A needs. Other nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes include anti-inflammatory properties, which can help soothe your skin during the dry winter months. Choose sweet potatoes with the deepest colors - the deeper the orange or yellow hue, the better.

Turnip greens
Turnip greens contain a wonderful array of skin-healthy vitamins and nutrients, including 158% of your daily recommended value of vitamin A. Turnips greens are the leaves of the turnip root and have a slightly bitter taste. Find them at farm stands and natural food markets still attached to the roots, and choose greens that are crisp with deep green colors. Be sure to rinse the greens well - the freshest will still usually have some dirt hidden in the crevices of the leaves. People shy away from cooking with turnip greens simply because they don't know how. Prepare the greens by removing the center stem and sautéing them with olive oil and lemon juice for a delicious side dish, or add them to a vegetarian lasagna.

Walnuts
Walnuts are one of the more surprising foods that contain antioxidants, and they are available year-round. Walnuts also help improve your circulation - a vital part of keeping skin healthy during the cold winter months. Eating just four walnuts per day will provide you with all their natural skin-protecting benefits. When choosing unshelled walnuts, choose those that feel heavy in your hand. If you buy pre-shelled walnuts, make sure they are fresh - stay away from nuts that look shriveled or rubbery, signs that the nut has been on the shelf and in direct light for too long and has lost most of its protective antioxidant properties. Add walnuts to sautéed vegetables or salads. Roast your walnuts at only 160 degrees for just twenty minutes to preserve the natural oils.

Acai Berries
Acai berries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants available. The acai berry is a tropical fruit from the Amazon rain forest - so you won't find this one in your local farmer's market. Instead, look for frozen acai berry pulp - a thick, rich purple paste that can be combined with low-fat yogurt or banana and blueberries for a super-skin-warming smoothie.

Hemp
Ground hemp seeds are an amazing source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp seeds have a light, nutty flavor, and just two tablespoons of the ground seed contain 300 mg of Omega-3 and 850 mg of Omega-6 with GLA. Nearly all store-bought preparations are 100% organic and contain no preservatives - just make sure that the "best before" date is well in the future - Omega-3-rich foods have a short shelf-life. Prepare hemp powder by blending it with banana, fresh juice, and berries for a fountain-of-youth smoothie that will make your skin smooth, soft, and healthy.

Salmon
The essential fatty acids found in salmon, including Omega-3s, cannot be produced by the human body - they have to be consumed through food sources. Wild-caught salmon has significantly higher levels of Omega-3s than farm-raised, so be sure to choose wild, fresh-caught salmon whenever possible. Eating salmon just twice a week is enough to reap all of the skin-revitalizing benefits this delicious fish has to offer. Salmon is a bony fish, so be sure that all the bones have been removed before you prepare the fish - baking or broiling are the best ways to prepare salmon to maintain all of its skin-healthy benefits.