Dec 292017
 

For thousands of years, lettuce has also thought to contain medicinal properties and its health benefits have been confirmed by science. In this article, Healthy Guide will show you some of the best benefits of lettuce for health and beauty that you should not skip out.

List Of Benefits Of Lettuce For Health And Beauty:

Now, I will show you some of the nutrition facts of lettuce as well as benefits of this leaf veggie for health and beauty. So, if you love this kind of veggie and want to know more about benefits that you can reap from the consumption of lettuce, keep the eyes on this article right now.

  1. Nutrition Facts Of Lettuce

Lettuce is cultivated with ease. It is a great source of antioxidants, vitamins A, C, K, iron, potassium and folate. Although lettuce looks like cabbage, one of the differences between them is the water content, Lettuce is crunchier while cabbage contains less water and is tougher than lettuce.

This leafy green vegetable helps in fighting inflammation, diabetes and cancer. The omega-3 fatty acids found in lettuce help to protect the heart and simultaneously improve hair and skin health.

  1. Benefits Of Lettuce For Health, Skin And Hair

Keep in mind that not all varieties of lettuce are created equal. You just get all of the benefits if you consume the Romaine variety of lettuce. Some of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes include:

  1. Reduce Diabetes Risk

This is the first one on the list of benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes that I want to mention in this article and want all of my readers to know for good. Studies have found that the consumption of lettuce can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Also, one cup of lettuce has only 5 calories and 2g of carbs, making it a great addition to your diabetes- friendly diet. Moreover, lettuce contains lactucaxanthin that helps reduce blood glucose levels, making it a potential remedy for diabetes.

List of 26 Best Smoothies For Diabetes Treatment and Relief will show you some of the healthiest smoothies that patients with diabetes should drink for good, so check it out!

  1. Improve Vision Health

The omega-3s found in lettuce can help improve vision health and fight off any eye-related ailments. Besides, Romaine lettuce also has a super antioxidant called zeaxanthin, which can promote vision health and prevent age-related macular degeneration. Actually, Romaine lettuce is a great replacement for spinach that is another kind of veggie great for eye health. This is also one of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes that we would like to reveal in this article!

Read on Top 19 Healthy and Nutritional Foods for Eyes Improvement to discover some of the best foods you should consume to help you improve eye health.

  1. Reduce Cholesterol Levels

Lettuce can help to reduce cholesterol levels that can cause cardiovascular diseases as well as other health conditions. Actually, the high levels of “bad” cholesterol are harmful and can lead to heart attack and stroke. According to a study conducted on mice, lettuce consumption caused a reduction in cholesterol levels if compared to mice that did not consume lettuce.

  1. Work As An Antioxidant Agent

Studies have found that lettuce contains antioxidants, which are necessary for human health. Actually, these antioxidants work to fight against free radicals produced during cellular metabolism. Studies indicated that these free radicals could attack healthy cells and tissues and then mutate them into cancer cells, resulting in the development of diseases. On the other hand, antioxidants fight against these free radicals and then neutralize them.

  1. Fight Cancer

When it comes to benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes, you should not skip its ability to fight cancer. The extract from lettuce leaves can help control some certain types of cancer. Some studies found that human cancer cells could be controlled after being treated with the extracts from lettuce leaves.

  1. Induce Sleep

One of the common uses of lettuce is its use to induce sleep. The white fluid called lactucarium is what you see when breaking lettuce leaves. This contains relaxing and sleep-inducing properties. Therefore, if you are suffering from problems with sleep, simply consume a few lettuce leaves or drink lettuce juice.

  1. Protect Neuronal Cells

Neuronal cells have to form physical connections in order to make up memory. Therefore, the death of neurons can cause memory loss. In some cases, the neuronal death can lead to the onset of mental diseases like Alzheimer’s. The lettuce extracts had a control of neuron cell death thanks to its effect in glucose/serum deprivation. Besides, the research has also shown that lettuce could be used in neuroprotection as a natural treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.

  1. Fight Inflammation

If you are looking for benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes, you should know that this leafy veggie can help you fight inflammation. Some certain proteins in lettuce can help control inflammation. According to a study, lettuce is rich in vitamin K that can help lower inflammation. Other veggies that are rich in vitamin K are spinach, kale, broccoli and cabbage. Also, the omega-3s found in lettuce contribute to its anti-inflammatory effect.

  1. Improve Bone Health

Vitamins A, C and K are essential for collagen production and bone formation. And lettuce is a great source of all three vitamins. Vitamin A helps with new bone cell growth, and the deficiency of vitamin A can cause osteoporosis and a higher risk of fractures. Vitamin K supports to build cartilage as well as connective tissues and a lack of vitamin K can cause reduced bone mass and a higher facture risk. And, vitamin C helps fight bone depletion.

  1. Taste Great

Although lettuce is very low in calories, many varieties of lettuce still bring on a sweet taste. Lettuce called Lactuva sativa is often added to salads, soups, sandwiches, grilled and wraps.

There are other benefits of lettuce for health and beauty in this article. So, keep your eyes on this interesting article right now and then consider adding this healthy veggie to your daily diet for good.

  1. Aid Weight Loss

A reason why lettuce can be a great option for weight loss diets is calories. A serving of lettuce has just 5 calories. Besides, lettuce helps make up for the lack of micronutrient on a low-calorie diet. Also, lettuce is low in energy density. For example, Romaine lettuce has 95% water and just offers 1g of fiber per cup. And we all know that fiber keeps you full. Moreover, lettuce is also very low in fat, so it can be an ideal addition to your weight loss diet.

  1. Good For Pregnancy

The benefits of lettuce for pregnancy may come from its high content of folate, which can help reduce the risks of developing birth defects. Besides, the vitamin K found in this leafy veggie can also help reduce the risk of hemorrhaging. And, you do not forget the fiber content in lettuce can help prevent constipation, which is a common problem in pregnant women.

  1. Prevent And Treat Arthritis

When you are looking for a treatment for arthritis, you should not skip lettuce. As we know that patients with arthritis have to avoid consuming foods that are high in calories and fat because they can increase the pain and swelling to the body. With that reason, consuming lettuce may be helpful in preventing and treating arthritis.

In fact, this is one of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty as well as health purposes that I want to mention in this article and want all of my readers, especially those with arthritis to include this veggie in their daily diet as soon as possible.

  1. Improve Digestion Systems

It is very important to keep the digestion systems healthy. And, lettuce may be one of the best options for you thanks to its high content of dietary fiber. It helps to improve the functions of gastrointestinal tract. To use lettuce for promoting digestion system, you just need to combine a lettuce salad with other veggies such as carrots and cucumber to get a healthier digestion system.

  1. Improve Skin Health

If you want to have a perfect skin, you can take a natural action rather than applying chemical substances on your skin. As you know, consuming healthy foods is a natural way to improve the skin health. And, green vegetables like lettuce is known as a great source of essential vitamins and minerals that are good for skin.

Lettuce supplies most of the nutrients that our skin needs. It provides protection against pollutions and ultraviolet rays thanks to the combination of vitamin C and E. Moreover, it makes your skin youthful and prevents signs of aging. Therefore, improving skin health is one of the best benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes that you should not look down.

  1. Improve Hair Growth

Another one among benefits of lettuce for beauty and health purposes is that this food can help to improve hair growth. Actually, lettuce has nutrients that can support the hair health. It helps nourish the hair, prevent hair fall and graying of hair thanks to its content of vitamin K and potassium. Therefore, consuming lettuce on a regular basis can help you enjoy a beautiful and healthy hair.

Consuming green vegetables is a great way to get the nutrient that our body needs. Thus, you should consider adding this vegetable to your daily diet to reap all of its benefits for skin and beauty. If you know other benefits of lettuce for health and beauty purposes, remember to share them with us by leaving your comments below.

Author Bio: Lien Nguyen – Writer and Blogger, who has more than 6 years of experience in the industry of Health and Skincare. I work for Healthy Guide – reliable resources that help readers solve all their health, beauty concerning, and many other issues in life. I also focus on nutrition, relationship, fitness, lifestyle, men and women’s issues. Find more of my articles on Facebook.

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Sep 032017
 

Collagen just may be the secret ingredient to pausing the hands of time. While collagen has long been associated with skin health and is an ingredient commonly seen in skin care product. It is the oral intake of collagen that can provide a wide range of benefits to improve your total health.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein found in our bodies. You have it in your muscles, skin, bones, blood vessels, tendons and digestive system. Collagen is what gives our skin elasticity and holds our joints and tendons together. Collagen is naturally high in amino acids such as proline, glycine, glutamine and arginine. All of these amino acids have a wide variety of key roles within the body.

As we age our collagen levels naturally decline. It is this drop in collagen that directly causes our skin to sag, wrinkles to appear and joint pain to begin. Of course when we eat a diet that is high in sugar, processed foods and have a high exposure to UV rays and pollution, the signs of ageing will be accelerated, regardless of collagen levels.

Your skin and collagen

Taking collagen can improve all aspects of your skin. Studies have shown that women aged 35-55 who consumed 2.5-5gm of collagen hydrolysate daily for eight weeks, reported a significant improvement in skin elasticity, and hydration. (1)

Collagen and your joints

As a structural component of your joints, collagen helps with flexibility in the ligaments. As collagen declines, stiffness can set in. Our joints contain type 2 collagen (there are over 6 different types of collagen!), which is high in chicken, for this reason, chicken bone broth is great for managing stiff and painful joints. Multiple studies have shown an improvement in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and general joint pain when taking collagen. (2,3)

Collagen and Gut Health

Collagen is an important structural component of the lining of our digestive system. This lining is essential for regulating what does and doesn’t enter the blood stream. When this layer gets compromised, undigested molecules enter the blood stream, resulting in inflammatory and immune responses. I have written about this extensively here and here. I can’t stress enough that gut health is key to good health. 

How to take collagen

Collagen is naturally found in animal based foods such as poultry, fish, beef, pork, dairy and eggs. For the vegetarians and vegans out there, you can ensure your body makes its own collagen by eating plenty of the cofactors that are required for collagen production. This includes vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, silica, copper and manganese.

Bone broth is a great way to add collagen into your diet. Here is a recipe to show you how easy it is to make this healing broth.

Collagen supplements are a great way to really take a therapeutic dose of collagen. Collagen supplements come from bovine, porcine or marine based sources. Marine collagen is the best choice as the collagen is a smaller molecule, making it easier to absorb. The most abundant form of collagen is called Type 1 collagen. Marine collagen is rich in this Type 1 collagen, making it a great all-rounder that will benefit all aspects of your health.

I use Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Water. This is a marine based collagen that dissolves into liquid and has no nasty fishy taste to it. You can purchase this product from iherb.com (I have no affiliation with this product, it is simply a good quality and ethically sourced product.)

Image Source – vital proteins

 

Refreshing Daily Collagen Drink

2 scoops of marine collagen (10-20gm collagen)

1Tbs chlorophyll

250ml cold coconut water

Blend and enjoy

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