Being the green juice-centric people that we are, we know all about the connection between food and beauty. There’s nothing like a juice cleanse glow on day three or four! Carla Oates is The Beauty Chef and her fascinating, nutrient-dense beauty powders are connecting the dots between what we eat and how we look like never before. Her Glow Inner Beauty Powder and liquid boosts are filled with fermented, bioavailable ingredients that nourish the skin – and are knocking our socks off. She describes the powders like inner moisturizers and the new boosters like serums that work from the inside.

We’re feeling Carla’s delicious new brand and asked this beauty guru to talk to us about what to eat for beauty over all. Below are her tips and a 101 education on feeding your beautiful self right. Next Friday (March 27) you can join Carla at the also new CAP Beauty in New York (we’re obsessed!) The Beauty Chef will be explaining her philosophy that outer beauty starts on the inside. If you’re in New York find out how to join in all the gorgeousness!

Anti-inflammatory foods
My favorite beauty foods include antioxidant rich, anti-inflammatory wonders like dark green leafy veggies, berries and pomegranate, which are also packed with vitamin C to support collagen production, help protect the skin from UV stress and free radical damage, plus provide a good dose of fiber for cleansing the bowels and skin. Foods rich in omega 3s are anti-inflammatory and moisturize and smooth the skin from the inside – these include flaxseeds, salmons, sardines and chia seeds. Spices are super skin foods too since they are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and rich in skin-protective antioxidants. Inflammation breaks down collage and causes all sorts of skin problems including dryness, pimples and loss of skin tone, so these foods can work wonders.

Protein
Protein is also very important as it builds collagen and keeps blood-sugar levels balanced, which is very important for maintaining healthy skin. Good sources of protein are nuts, fish and grass-fed meats. Chicken bone soup is also an outstanding beauty food to consume due to its high amino acid and collagen content!

Carotenoids
I love my carotenoid-rich veggies: carrots, sweet potato, leafy greens, seaweeds etc. Beta carotene or pro-vitamin A helps rejuvenate the skin and promote cell turnover, which is helpful for helping improve dry flaky skin. Avocado is bursting with skin-boosting carotenoids and also contains incredibly rejuvenating and moisturizing good fats, which help make the carotenoids more available to the skin to use, as they are oil soluble.

Cruciferous Veggies
I also love my cruciferous veggies, like cabbage, kale and broccoli. Cruciferous vegetables are super rich in sulphur compounds that help detoxify the skin and keep it lovely, clear and radiant.

Lacto-fermented foods
I also recommend eating lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut, or trying The Beauty Chef GLOW Inner Beauty Powder. Lacto-fermented foods are rich in bio-available nutrients to feed the skin from within (fermentation predigests the food, so the nutrients are more available for the skin and body to use) and are great for improving digestion as they contain both prebiotics and probiotics. Improving digestion is one of the best things you can do to maintain a healthy weight and give the skin a healthy glow. Your gut is where you make nutrients, metabolize hormones, make detoxifying enzymes and neutralize pathogens. All of these things have a huge impact on skin health. Research shows that gut inflammation can contribute to inflammation in the skin. Most people suffering skin problems will find they have an imbalance in their gut microbiota. Your gut is also where 70% of your immune system lies.

Minerals
Minerals are super important for skin health. For example, silica found in oats, buckwheat, chickpeas and cucumber can promote skin elasticity; zinc found in pepitas is an anti-inflammatory helpful in repairing and building the skin, is great for wound healing and is particularly helpful if you are prone to acne or oily skin. Zinc also offers some UV protection.

Healthy Hydration
Water with a splash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the morning will help to balance and stimulate digestion and to clarify the skin and eyes. It goes without saying that drinking lots of clean water is key to keeping the skin hydrated and cleansed. Other great liquids are green tea (rich in skin-boosting antioxidants) and dandelion tea (a great skin cleanser).