Happy aging: A pleasurable diet for timelessly beautiful skin - Part II

It's so easy to eat delicious, healthy food. If only it weren't for your inner bastard. I keep reading recommendations that say: "If you're craving sweets - reach for fruit." Between you and me, what's that supposed to mean? If I have a real craving for chocolate, then I don't want an apple. That's it!

Snacking allowed

Oscar Wilde already knew: "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to give in to it." 

Good man! I think with an otherwise balanced diet, we can indulge in the occasional sweet sin.

As a pleasure and a comfort to the soul at the same time, chocolate simply evokes emotions like no other sweet treat.

 

 

 

But is chocolate healthy?

Over 300 bioactive ingredients make the cocoa bean a nutritional rock star.

Above all, however, it is rich in antioxidants that protect the skin from free radicals.

In 2016, a study was conducted on the subject of cocoa and anti-ageing. Now guess where? Exactly! In South Korea.

Click here for the placebo-controlled, double-blind and randomized study.

Here is a brief summary of cocoa versus wrinkles:

Frequent sunbathing damages the collagen fibers in our skin and this leads to premature skin aging (photoaging). In a study, South Korean researchers investigated whether and how cocoa ingredients can counteract the formation of wrinkles caused by sun exposure. 

The potential anti-ageing effect of cocoa was tested on 64 South Korean women aged between 43 and 86. They were divided into two groups and exposed to moderate sunlight. Group A was given four grams of pure cocoa powder daily for 24 weeks, while Group B only consumed a placebo mix of flavorings and sugar. Both products smelled and tasted identical. The parameters measured after 12 and 24 weeks were elasticity, wrinkle formation, moisture content and the roughness value of the skin. The skin appearance of the women in the cocoa group was already significantly better after 12 weeks than that of the women in the placebo group.

That's impressive, isn't it?

Unfortunately, raw cocoa loses a large part of its healthy effect during its processing into milk chocolate. So my tip: choose chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content.

Sin without remorse

Or pamper yourself with a chocolate mask. This is figure-friendly and conjures up wonderfully soft skin. Melt dark chocolate (from 85% cocoa content) in a bain-marie and apply to the face, neck and décolleté with a brush. Leave on for around 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water. 

Wonderful! And that scent ...

 

 

 

Oat flakes: 3 convincing reasons to start the day with these power flakes.

The tender or crunchy flakes are a home-grown superfood in a class of their own, providing valuable nutrients for skin and nails in addition to complex carbohydrates (the good ones):

• Trace elements: Magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, copper and zinc for healthy skin and strong fingernails.
• Protein: The protein booster oatmeal contains around 14% vegetable protein per 100g. The building blocks of proteins, the amino acids, are important for a firm skin structure.
• B vitamins: Biotin, which stimulates the formation of new skin and nail cells, is particularly worth mentioning here.

 

My breakfast tip: Lightly toasted rolled oats and slivered almonds with natural soy yogurt and fresh berries. It tastes like angels in a glass and gives you a vital start to the day. ♥

 

 

Walnuts: A delicious snack for a clean and smooth complexion

Walnuts are a beauty cocktail of minerals, B vitamins (including B7 biotin) and the cell protection vitamin E. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can counteract inflammatory processes in our skin.

However, with around 700 calories per 100g, they are also a small calorie pack. That's why you should enjoy them in moderation, not in bulk.

By the way, I love walnuts in raw vegetable salads. 

Here is one of my quick recipes for you:

 

Beet and apple salad with roasted walnuts

3 raw peeled beet tubers

1 cored apple (I like to use Braeburn)

1-2 shallots

2-3 tbsp fruit vinegar or balsamic cream

1-2 tbsp walnut or sunflower oil (cold-pressed)

1 small handful of walnuts - roasted in a pan without oil

Salt and pepper

Optional: honey - if you like it a little sweeter.

Halve or quarter the beet, apple and shallots and blend with the liquid ingredients in a food processor to make a coarse salad. Season with salt and pepper and optionally refine with honey. Finally, fold in the roasted and chopped walnuts. Bon appétit!

 

 

Matcha - the crown of tea creation

It is green, healthy and an energizing treat for connoisseurs. Matcha, the finely powdered green tea with an ancient tradition, has become the lifestyle drink of the 21st century. 

As the "drink of immortality", it was reserved for the Japanese imperial family for centuries. Today, tea lovers pay up to 130 euros for 30 grams of matcha. 

The crown of tea creation

It is not for nothing that matcha is called the crown of tea creation, growing in special shade tea plantations - also known as matcha gardens.  

The last four weeks before the harvest, the tea plants are covered with dark nets. This reduces around 90 percent of the sunlight. 

The reason: LTheanine is an active ingredient in the tea leaf. Sunlight converts it into catechins (bitter substances), which give it a very bitter taste. However, they only develop to a small extent in the dark.

At the same time, the tea leaves produce more chlorophyll and build up amino acids, which result in the typical delicately sweet taste.  

Harvest

Traditionally, matcha is harvested by hand, with only the last two leaves of the tea leaf tip being picked. After being quickly transported to the tea factory, they are steamed to keep them fresh and green.

Active ingredients

Just like coffee, matcha contains caffeine. A chemically identical ingredient, but with different effects, coffee provides a quick and short wake-up kick. 

Matcha, on the other hand, has a delayed stimulating effect. The plant-based bitter substances are slowly broken down in the intestinal mucosa, providing a gentle energy boost that lasts up to six hours. 

Matcha provides the perfect cell food consisting of secondary plant substances, amino acids, vitamins, trace elements and minerals. 

The abundant chlorophyll also has a highly antioxidant effect and can counteract premature skin ageing. 

 

 © Wood Coasters Info

 

Matcha latte

½ tsp matcha powder

100 ml hot, non-boiling water (optimum: 80 degrees)

Foamed cow's or plant milk 

Honey or agave syrup to taste

Froth the matcha powder with the hot water and sweeten if necessary. Use either the traditional bamboo whisk (chasen) or a simple battery-powered frother.

Froth the milk and add to the matcha. Et voilà - you have a delicious and healthy energy boost that also looks great.

 

Mhhh, I think I'm going to make myself a delicious matcha latte with oat milk. Maybe I'll snack on a piece of chocolate and stretch my nose towards the sun. Perfect day!

Enjoy spring and stay healthy.

All my love,

Your Christiane