A Skin Expert’s 5 Best Recipes To Keep A Dewy Skin Glow This Winter

Dipping temperatures and shedding leaves signify the onset of winter. The sudden drop in humidity can make our skin look and feel dry and tight. Our lips can start chapping. Nails and hair become brittle too. This is a sign that our body’s needs are evolving with the changing season.

As always, nature has the answers in plain sight! Certain foods are God-sent gifts that protect our skin and hair while boosting our immunity on the side.

‘Tis the season to snuggle up with some warm clothes and a warm wholesome meal or beverage. So, how about indulging in some self-pampering while also keeping our skin healthy and glowing?

Here are some fun recipes for you to try this winter that can help keep your skin supple and your immunity primed.

1. Spiced Hot Chocolate

Who doesn’t love a mug of hot chocolate in winters! Photo credit: Unsplash

Ingredients

• 150 ml almond milk
• 1tsp good quality cocoa powder
• 1tsp date palm jaggery
• 2 squares of 70-80% organic dark chocolate
• 1-inch piece of ginger
• 1 mashed green cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1/4th tsp Ceylon cinnamon
• A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Steps:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Let it simmer for a few minutes, stir occasionally.
3. Strain and drink warm.

Dark chocolate is one of the best foods that keep your skin looking great. It contains flavonoids that make the skin glow even in the harsh winter. Almonds are natural emollients that hydrate the skin and prevent dryness. They are rich in Vitamin E which helps to protect the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Almonds contain many antioxidants that combat skin aging.

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“Makeup can make you glow, but the glow from within only comes when the light within you is strong and bright.
This light can make makeup look dull. Turn inwards. Everything is within.” – Luke Coutinho

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2. Carrot Soup

Carrots are a must-have for skin in the winters. Photo credit: Unsplash

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 heaping cups chopped carrots
• 1½ tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable broth or hot water
• Salt and fresh black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coconut milk for garnish (optional)

Steps:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot.
2. Add chopped garlic and let it caramelize. Add ginger and chopped onions and sauté until transparent and soft.
3. Add the carrot. Sauté for a few minutes and cook covered for 5-8 minutes.
4. Pour in the rice vinegar, followed by the vegetable broth or hot water.
5. Allow the carrots to soften.
6. Turn off the gas and let it cool down completely.
7. Blend it in a mixer to a smooth puree.
8. Transfer it back to the pot to warm it up. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil.
9. You can add a dash of coconut milk just before serving.

Carrots are found in plenty in the markets during winters. It is one of the must-have superfoods for skin in the winters. Being rich in Vitamin A and many antioxidants, it helps to keep skin healthy, nourished and glowing. These antioxidants help fight wrinkles, pigmentation, acne, and scars. Carrots also contain lycopene, which protects the skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays. Extra virgin oil is very helpful in keeping skin moisturized during winter. It has Vitamin E and healthy fats which keep the skin healthy and glowing. You can use the oil in food or to massage your skin.

3. Green Tea Kahwa

Green tea kahwa is a great brew to sip on during the winter season. Photo credit: Unsplash

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp green tea leaves
• 3-4 strands of saffron
• 1 clove
• 1 mashed green cardamom
• 1/2 inch stick Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 tsp rose petals
• 1 tbsp slivered almonds
• 1 tsp organic raw honey
• 2 cups of water

Steps:

1. Heat the water in a pan. Add all the spices and boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Switch off the gas. Then add the green tea leaves and allow it to steep for 1-2 minutes.
3. Strain it.
4. Add slivered almonds and honey. Sip warm.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which scavenge the free radicals from the body which can otherwise damage the skin and accelerate aging. These antioxidants also help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

4. Amla-turmeric juice shot

Taking shots of these can cleanse the body and prevent skin illness and breakouts. Photo credit: Unsplash

Ingredients

• 2 fresh amlas
• 1-inch fresh turmeric root
• A pinch of black pepper powder
• 75 ml water

Steps:

1. De-seed the amla and chop it.
2. Peel the turmeric root and slice it.
3. Blenderize the amla and turmeric with 75ml of water to make a juice shot.
4. Pour it into a shot glass.
5. Add a pinch of pepper and drink.

Amla is rich in Vitamin C. It supports collagen production in the skin. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin youthful and taut. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. It helps cleanse the body and prevent skin illness and breakouts.

5. Simple Pumpkin Soup

Beta carotene in pumpkin protects skin from the sun’s UV rays. Photo credit: Unsplash

Ingredients

• 250 gms red pumpkin
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• -3 cloves of garlic
• tbsp groundnut oil
• ½ tsp dried oregano and parsley
• 1 tbsp lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Scrape out the pumpkin seeds. Lightly toast, peel, and save them for later use.
2. In a large pot, warm up the oil, add garlic and onion. Sauté until translucent.
3. Add the chopped pumpkin chunks.
4. Add ½ cup of water. Cover and allow it to cook in the steam.
5. Pierce with a knife to see if it has softened.
6. Let this mixture cool down, then blenderize to make a thick puree.
7. Transfer it back to the pot. Add more water to get the desired consistency.
8. Add the dried herbs and season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve in a bowl and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

Beta carotene in pumpkin protects skin from the sun’s UV rays.

Other healthy foods for winter:

Some other foods and drinks that you must make the most of for glowing skin, while the season lasts are walnuts, sesame seeds, seasonal berries like strawberries and blueberries, eggs, tomato, black tea, sweet potato, all green leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits like oranges, guava, etc.

When it comes to the skin, we believe in an inside-out approach. No matter how many cream and moisturizers we apply externally, we need to nurture the internal environment of our body for a healthy glow.

Following fad diets such as going fat-free might help you lose a few extra pounds, but at the cost of your skin, immunity, energy levels, and that youthful look. Fad diets expedite skin aging by causing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness. In our line of practice, we come across several cases like this, and this is an experience we are sharing with you.

It’s all about going back to the roots. Traditions include eating good fats from nuts, seeds and other visible fats such as ghee during winters. We often see our parents and grandparents whipping up dishes like sesame chikki, peanut ladoo, gond ladoos made in ghee, gajjar ka halwa, panjiri, til-gur rotis, sarson saag, etc. This is mainly to keep the body warm and keep the skin moisturized and supple, shielding it from the unforgiving winter dryness. Let’s embrace the gift of good health and overall wellness with these fun recipes and get prepared for the winter season.

Let us know if you enjoyed creating these recipes in your own kitchen. Don’t forget to share this with your family and friends too. Here’s wishing you a happy winter!

Is skin health a concern for you? Maybe the solution is not another cream, but fixing things within your body. Skin health is an inside-out approach after all. Book a consultation with our skin experts to discuss your skin health. Call us on 18001020253 or email us at kruti@lukecoutinho.com.

From a pimple to cancer, our You Care Wellness Program helps you find a way Talk to our integrative team of experts today  18001020253  info@lukecoutinho.com