What Is Quinoa?
Chances are you've already heard of the super food quinoa. Loaded with protein, naturally low in fat, gluten-free, and a great source for iron and fiber this seed has become a vegetarian and vegan food staple and made its way into mainstream cooking as well. An ancient South American grain quinoa is easy to cook and can be made into everything from breakfast porridges to salads to a stuffing for vegetables like peppers.
There are even entire cookbooks devoted to quinoa recipes.
Quinoa has many health benefits. For instance quinoa is high in fiber which means it can help you feel full after eating less and protect against heart disease. Quinoa contains iron which keeps our red blood cells healthy. Quinoa also contains lysine which is needed for tissue growth and repair.
How Eating Quinoa Can Benefit Your Skin
Before I discuss topical skin care products that contain quinoa I want to briefly discuss how eating quinoa may benefit your skin. As discussed above quinoa is very healthy in general. When it comes specifically to your skin can help in a few ways. Quinoa is a low-glycemic food which means it does not make your blood sugar spike when consumed. Recently there has been a lot of research that shows a link between a high-glycemic diet and acne so incorporating foods like quinoa into your diet instead of pasta might help stop acne and help you to have clearer skin. The antioxidants in quinoa can benefit the skin by guarding against free radical damage
How Quinoa Can Help Your Skin When Applied Topically
Quinoa is also fast catching on as a skin care ingredient; it is also used in hair care products. When it comes to skin care products quinoa is used in two different forms: hydrolyzed quinoa and quinoa-seed extract. Essentially when used on the skin quinoa is said to be hydrating and to have antioxidant benefits which means it protects against free radical damage to the skin.
Free radicals, which are formed by sun exposure and pollutants in the air, breakdown the collagen in our skin and cause skin aging. Using topical antioxidants help protect our skin from the damage caused by the sun and other environmental factors we can't avoid.
Unfortunately it seems that when applied to the skin quinoa might not be so fabulous. There still needs to be more research into how this super food can help the skin from the outside in. While there are some products on the market (see the list below) that contain quinoa it will be interesting to see what future research reveals about this ingredient. In the meantime you can actually make a couple of quinoa skin care products on your own from the comfort of your home. Recipes are listed below.
Products To Try:
- Laneige Gel Moisturizing Eye Cream
- Cowshed Quinoa Hydrating Daily Moisturizer
- Clarins Double Serum
- Osmia Protein Exfoliating Mask
- Aubrey Organics Revitalizing Therapy Cleanser
DIY Quinoa Skin Care Products
- The first way to use quinoa in a DIY skin care product is by finely grinding up the dry seeds. Use as a gentle exfoliant by adding to your favorite cleanser. Or add the finely ground up quinoa to olive or jojoba oil in order to gently exfoliate.
- You can also make a facial mask with cooked quinoa: cook 1/4 of quiona in soy milk and allow to cool. Combine with 3 teaspoons of yogurt and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Blend thoroughly in a blender. You can also add a little olive oil if you want. Apply to your face and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse completely.
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