Can Certain Foods Prevent Cellulite?
Cellulite is a frustrating condition that affects 90% of women in the world. Though we now know that the bumpy, orange-peel skin on our thighs, hips, buttocks, and abdomens does NOT necessarily mean a woman is overweight, there is still much we don’t understand about cellulite.
Could the food we eat be the miracle that women are searching for?
Cellulite Explained
The first step in fighting cellulite is understanding what it actually is. Scientifically known as adiposis edematosa or gynoid lipodystrophy, cellulite is caused by fat deposits under the skin that push against the connective tissue and cause the lumpy, bumpy effect we can see. There are many causes of cellulite:
- Stress
- Hormonal changes/imbalances (excess estrogen causes cellulite, which is one of the reasons that it predominantly occurs among women)
- An unbalanced/lacking diet (imbalanced glucose levels a leading cause)
- Lifestyle choices (sedentary or non-active lifestyles)
- Age
- Genetic predisposition
Can Food Help?
When it comes to either losing weight or ridding your lower body of cellulite, food ranks a close second to workouts/correct exercises. Though toning and exercise still tops the list of methods to eliminate cellulite, diet is a simple way to begin and maintain the process.
What to Eat
Your food choices should be ones that eliminate causes of cellulite and promote a healthy system. Here are the five primary categories of benefits to know:
1. Collagen production/healthy skin and cell membranes. Collagen is responsible for making healthy connective tissue, which helps to make cellulite less noticeable. Healthy skin will be stronger and tighter.
- Oranges, lemons, grapefruits
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Kale/Spinach
- Blackberries, cherries, blueberries
- Papaya
- Salmon/Tuna/Sardines (omega-3 improves stability and fluidity of cell membranes, so they won’t degrade and dimple)
- Sunflower seeds (high in vitamin B6, which strengthens and repairs tissue according to Rania Batayneh, nutritionist and author of book The One Diet)
- Apple cider vinegar
2. Flushing out toxins. The body stores toxins in fat pockets to keep you safe. These fat pockets will be larger if there are more toxins in your system.
- Oranges, lemons, grapefruits
- Avocado
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cilantro/Parsley
3.Antioxidants. These break down fat and improve cell function, including that of cells that build your skin.
- Oranges, lemons, grapefruits
- Matcha tea/green tea
- Blackberries, cherries, blueberries
- 80% dark chocolate
4.Balancing hormones/estrogen/stress. High levels of estrogen and stress hormones increase appearance of cellulite.
- Raw nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and pecans)
- Flaxseeds
- Chamomile tea
- Broccoli
- Aged cheese
- Asparagus
- Apple cider vinegar
5.Balanced glucose levels/higher metabolism. If your body has all the sugars and fats it needs, it will stop storing fat for later.
- Garlic/Onion
- Avocado
- Olive Oil
- Blackberries, cherries, blueberries)
- Cayenne Pepper/Chillies
What Not to Eat
Your body creates the fat deposits that we call cellulite for a very good reason. That is where it stores all the poisons we encounter in our daily lives:
- Toxins
- Pollutions
- Heavy metals There are also foods that we can eat that overwhelm our bodies with too much fat, sugar, sodium, or artificial flavorings (which the body often recognizes as toxic). Here are a few of the top foods to avoid:
- White sugar (there are NO nutrients in white sugar and many nutritionists now consider it a poison. It acidifies the blood and depletes the body’s minerals)
- Fried foods (high in low quality fats, many of which, when cooked at a high temperature, become toxic to the body)
- Alcoholic beverages (supplies body with zero nutrients and constricts blood vessels)
Though it is important to consider your other lifestyle choices when combating cellulite, your diet is an important part of your health. When women understand how hormones and food affect their bodies, they can balance them with exercise and finally see results.