Korean women were widely known for their glowing skin and some believe that was due to their intense skincare routine. However, the key to their luminous-flawless skin is so much more to healthy and well-balanced diets than just a bottle of high-end beauty products. Diets can greatly affect how your skin looks, just like the wise saying of “you are what you eat”. The healthier you eat, the prettier your skin can be. Thus, never solely rely on topical creams, instead focus on nutrition, such as antioxidant dishes, food rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fibre. Here are top five secrets of what Koreans eat to maintain their enviable plump skin and lustrous hair.
KIMCHI OR OTHER PROBIOTIC FOODS
Kimchi is an iconic Korean side dish of fermented cabbage which is served almost on every meal time. It is made with fermentation technique, then resulting in the occurrence of lactobacillus, the same good bacteria category of probiotics found in yogurt and kombucha. This bacteria is beneficial for your gut to fight against bad bacteria (thus boosting immunity) and helps healthy bowel movement for the digestion process. Having a good digestive tract will prevent skin issues such as acne as your gut’s condition doesn’t suffer from inflammation. Besides, kimchi is dense with various beneficial properties, such as minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that helps promote skin youthfulness and restore hair’s optimal condition. Alternatively, If you’re travelling and want to make sure you’re consuming enough probiotics to ensure your gut’s health, you can take Adrien Gagnon Probiotic 7 Billion as a dietary supplement.
GINSENG
Ginseng is an Asian tonic herb that is fully packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are good to regenerate new skin and enhance skin’s healthy glow. Other advantages of consuming ginseng is its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities that help to protect skin from free-radical damage, thus making it useful especially for people with aging-concern.
Due to these benefits, the beauty industry is flooded with ginseng-based beauty products, from mask sheets to moisturizer and even skin supplement. To boost the effects from within, you can steep a few chunks of ginseng with hot water for several minutes then drink it like tea.
SEAWEED SOUP
Seaweed soup is one of the regular menu items served during breakfast in Korea, and also popularly consumed as a birthday dish or post-partum dish. Different from most vegetables, sea plants like seaweed contain a wider variety of minerals. This food is also rich in healthy benefits including; omega-3s and antioxidants to help protect skin from harsh effects of sun damage and free-radicals, iodine reduces swellings in your body, calcium for stronger bones and teeth, and fiber for digestion. If you don’t know how to make seaweed soup, you can easily eat dried seaweed as a regular snack.
MAKGEOLLI
Makgeolli is a famous Korean alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice wine. Because of the technique of making it using fermentation, thus makgeolli contains probiotic cultures which is a beneficial component for skin and gut. Additionally, this drink is also full of amino acids and vitamin B, which can enhance your skin appearance by brightening and firming the sagging skin. For maximum effect, drink freshly brewed makgeolli (brewed for about one week) rather than the old one.
BARLEY TEA
South Korean Women love to drink barley tea due to its antioxidant content which once again, prevents skin damage from free radicals. Additionally, consuming barley tea on a daily basis will give you numerous health benefits, for instance improvement on your blood circulation, sleep quality, and digestion process. To enjoy a cup of barley tea, brew roasted barley to boiling water for 20 minutes. Let it cool for a while, then you can enjoy its unique slightly nutty-taste.