Beautifying Foods

Beautifying Foods

Minerals vitamins & antioxidants for beauty thats more than skin deep

Words By Vanna Rasmusen

Have you heard of the phrase, “Put your money where your mouth is”? Why throw away half your paycheck on temporary beauty solutions, when you can pick up authentic beauty enhancers at a place you visit regularly... the grocery store.

Next time you are strolling through the local market, realize that you are selecting your cellular makeup. An investment that will determine how much energy you will have, influence your mood and give you that “just left the spa glow” better than any product or procedure, if you choose wisely. After all, eating and drinking are two things that we must do every day, why not learn exactly how to do this to our greatest advantage?

Everyone knows that drinking (1/2 your body weight in oz.) water helps us to purge toxin and improves our skin. There are also essential edible components, if consumed regularly and prepared properly, can drastically improve our appearance: Vitamin A, Antioxidants and Key Minerals.

We have all heard of these mystical molecules, let me share what they do in the body, which foods have the most of them, and the best ways to preserve these precious little gems in the cooking process.

Vitamin A (beta-carotene)

A main contributor to the health of our hair, skin, nails, eyes and teeth. This vitamin is usually associated with foods that are red, orange and yellow in color. Foods that contain high amounts of vitamin A include: sweet potato, winter squash, dark greens like: kale, chard and collards, turnips, carrots, red peppers, mango, cantaloupe, and grapefruit.

Antioxidants

These are molecules that combat oxidation (death) of a cell, known as a free radical. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin E and C, defend your body on a cellular level. Food that rank especially high in antioxidants include: black berries, blueberries, mint, oregano, basil, cinnamon, pomegranates, artichoke, avocado, walnuts, pecans, and cacao (chocolate nut).

Key Minerals

There are many essential minerals that play imperative roles in the body. Here are the top three that majorly contribute to the quality of our overall appearance: Selenium – Improves the skin by combating inflammation, soothing redness and dry skin. Found in: Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, mushrooms and green/brown lentils.

Zinc –Reverses aging, protects against the sun, helps produce collagen and repairs DNA. Found in: hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, lentils, cacao (chocolate nut), pine nuts, peanuts and cashews.

Magnesium- Effective in reducing stress and increasing restfulness, allowing the body to repair. Found in: cacao (chocolate nut), avocados, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, many seeds, basil, coconut and bananas.

Raw cacao nut (chocolate)

Kirlian Photography – A form of photography that captures the electrical potential and vitality. Using this technology, we can see and measure the lifeforce a food supplies. If you are going to shell out the extra bucks to get high quality ingredients, do yourself a favor and protect this investment. According to the Mayo Clinic, 50-80% of our food’s nutrients are lost in the cooking process through heat, oxidation and evaporation.

Raw cacao nut (chocolate)

Cacao captured by Kirlian Photography technique

T his is H.O.W. to protect your beauty enhancing compounds:

HEAT

Turn down the heat! Resist the urge to crank up the heat when cooking. Low and slow is the way to go to keep in the goodness. Nutrients are lost rapidly when cooking temperatures exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which include: frying, steaming, boiling, most baking and certainly the microwave.

OXIDATION

The exposure to light and air, the nemesis to our lovely antioxidants and the cause of aging. For example, to minimize oxidation most supplement are often packaged in dark containers with a label suggesting to store in a cool, dark place. The same idea applies to food preparation and cooking. Minimizing the exposure to light and air protects the vibranc Orange Bisque y and nutritional density of food. This means cooking with a tight lid on, stirring as little as possible and a limiting the use of the oven. Note: if your food is losing color, it is losing nutrients.

WATER

Often added in the cooking process to tenderize and keep foods from sticking and burning. However, if this moisture is evaporated or drained off, so are the water-soluble nutrients. To prevent this: add a minimal amount of water when cooking and keep the lid on as much as possible. Note: if you smell foods cooking, you are smelling evaporated nutrients.

As you can see, beauty is an inside job. By simply choosing the right foods and preparing them with these tips in mind, you can look your best, and feel absolutely incredible! After all, we are what we eat, so eat beautifully.

For more info on tools, tips and recipes in the kitchen: @cookwithvanna Youtube: cookwithvanna

Blended Beauty

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 cup spinach

¼ cup hemp seeds

¼ cup cacao powder

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp cinnamon

Honey or dates can be added for sweetness Blend with a high speed blender until smooth.

Blended Beauty : Cacao Smoothie

Orange Bisque

2 red/yellow bell pepper

3 medium tomatoes

1 yellow onion

4 garlic cloves

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup water 12 oz.

12 oz coconut cream

salt & pepper

1 handful of fresh basil (for garnish)

Roughly chop the veggies into 1”chunks and put them into 3-5 qt. pot with all the other ingredients. Cover & cook on medium heat, unopened for 15 minutes. Open and blend, then garnish with fresh basil.

Orange Bisque

Green Goddess Dressing

1/2 English Cucumber

1 avocado

¼ cup olive oil

2 lemons with skin removed

2 garlic cloves

1 handful of fresh herbs of choice

½ cup sunflower seeds

1 tbsp pink salt

Blend in a high speed blender until smooth. Add water as needed until desired texture is achieved.

Green Goddess Dressing