## Ditch the Filter, Feast on This: Are These Trendy “Beauty Foods” Actually Worth It?
Scrolling through social media, you’re bombarded with promises: glowing skin, lustrous hair, and youthful vitality, all thanks to a mysterious superfood smoothie or a spoonful of collagen-boosting gummies.
Decoding the Top 4 Trending ‘Beauty Foods’ — Which Ones Actually Work and Red Flags to Look For
Eating your skin care? It works — if you’re savvy about it. “Skin thrives on nourishment. A routine rich in skin-loving nutrients like antioxidants, healthy fats, and phytonutrients can be more effective than topical treatments,” Serena Poon, a certified nutritionist and longevity wellness advisor to stars like Sofia Vergara, Kerry Washington, and Miranda Kerr, told Unionjournalism. Along with antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids can diminish fine lines and wrinkles by moisturizing the skin and promoting elasticity. For Poon, a nutrient-rich diet is critical to “supporting beauty from the inside out.”
Effective Collagen Gummies: What to Look For
Collagen gummies top the list of effective beauty foods — as long as they’re made with the right stuff. “Collagen gummies come out on top when they’re made with high-quality, hydrolyzed collagen peptides,” Poon said. “When paired with vitamin C, essential for collagen production, these can help improve elasticity, hydration, and overall dermal resilience.”
Red Flags: Artificial Additives and High Sugar Content
She urges the collagen curious to opt for gummies that are free of artificial additives and low in sugar, as the latter contributes to glycation, a process that damages collagen and accelerates skin aging.
Bone Broth for Skin Support
Rich in Collagen, Glycine, and Glutamine
Bone broth has been seriously trendy for years — so much so that social media users have begun mixing it into unlikely recipes like hot chocolate. But this fad’s got the goods to back it up. When it comes to sipping your way to skin support, the collagen-packed liquid made from boiling animal bones and connective tissue gets high marks from Poon. “Rich in collagen, glycine, and glutamine, bone broth can help reinforce skin structure and gut health,” she said.
Simmering for Optimal Nutrient Release
If you’re making your own at home, there’s an important rule to follow: “Just make sure it’s simmered long enough to release those valuable nutrients.”
Raw Carrot Salad: A Supplemental Beauty Food
Beta-Carotene and Lycopene for Tone and Glow
The viral raw carrot salad has gained traction and widespread fandom for health benefits, with acolytes claiming the raw root can cure acne and balance hormones. The salad was originally promoted over a decade ago by Raymond Peat, an American biologist, and includes a slaw-like mix of shredded raw carrots, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, salt, and pepper. Poon recognizes that the high-fiber content in the celebrated salad could potentially contribute to overall hormonal balancing. Meanwhile, carrots contain beta-carotene and lycopene, which “enhance tone and glow while providing natural sun protection.”
A Broader, Nutrient-Rich Diet Approach
However, she noted that the salad is more supplemental than game-changing. “While it supports skin health, its benefits are best when included as part of a broader, nutrient-rich diet,” she said.
Protein Beauty Bars: Quality Matters
Skin-Supportive Ingredients: Biotin and Vitamin E
Protein “beauty” bars vary widely in quality. While some may offer skin-supportive ingredients like biotin or vitamin E, making intentional dietary shifts can improve skin by making it more radiant and healthy.
Variations in Quality and Marketing of Beauty Bars
For Poon, a nutrient-rich diet is critical to “supporting beauty from the inside out.” With the internet awash in skin care food trends, she broke down the ones that truly work — and how to know if what’s being marketed to you isn’t worth it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our in-depth examination of the top 4 trending “beauty foods” has revealed a mixed bag of results. While some, like collagen and omega-3 rich foods, have scientific backing and can genuinely enhance our skin and hair, others, such as activated charcoal and bee pollen, are more flash than substance. By parsing the evidence and separating fact from fad, we can make informed choices about the foods we eat and the beauty products we use.
The significance of this topic cannot be overstated. In an era where wellness and self-care have become big business, it’s essential to be critical consumers, aware of the marketing tactics and unsubstantiated claims that can lead us down a rabbit hole of expensive and ineffective products. By being discerning and doing our due diligence, we can not only save our hard-earned cash but also cultivate a healthier, more sustainable relationship with our bodies.
As the beauty and wellness industries continue to evolve, it’s crucial we remain vigilant and demand more from the products and brands we support. By doing so, we can create a future where beauty is not just about aesthetics, but about nourishing our bodies from the inside out. As we look to the future, let us remember that true beauty is not something that can be bought or consumed – it’s a state of being that radiates from a place of knowledge, self-awareness, and empowerment.