Autumn is knocking on our door. Nights feel a bit chillier. We put on extra blankets. We look for our warm socks and sweaters. There are still a few sunny hours during the day, but mostly it is windy and cloudy. It rains on and off, which sets this melancholic picture of coming autumn.
With the summer season waving goodbye, our facial skin can feel somewhat dull, rough, and dehydrated. It has been exposed to intensive sunlight and accumulated a lot of UVR. As a result, pro-inflammatory cytokines were released, causing wrinkles and pigmented spots on the skin. In addition, our skin loses its natural elasticity and glow. What’s a better way of bringing these back than an early autumn detox for our skin? A warming and comforting cup of hot cacao full of flavour is just what we need. We can put as many goodies for our skin in a single cup as we like.
For my favourite recipe I mix almond milk, cacao powder (made by cold pressing of the cocoa bean, thus preserving its natural antioxidants and minerals), honey, cinnamon and a pinch of salt (it brings up all the flavours). I don’t usually add sweeteners to my hot drinks; however, the cacao can leave a strong bitter taste, and in order to make it a bit more palatable, I add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup.
Now, let’s dive in a little deeper into the effects a cup of cacao has on our precious facial skin.
No one can resist the rich chocolaty flavour of this thick and creamy goodness in a mug. Cocoa is a powerful source of antioxidants (flavanols) and minerals (iron and magnesium) that detoxify our skin in a natural way. It prevents lipid peroxidation and neutralises the damaging effect of the released reactive oxygen. It chelates metals that enhance the production of reactive oxygen. Cocoa is particularly rich in theobromine, and it is relatively lower in caffeine compared to tea and coffee, which makes it perfect for people sensitive to caffeine. One cup of cacao a day improves the elasticity and glow of our facial skin. It improves its resilience and smooths out wrinkles. In addition, if a cacao drink containing 329 mg of flavanols is consumed daily for 12 weeks, the effects on the skin become evident. It reduces the UV-induced erythema, skin roughness, scaling and TEWL (transepidermal water loss). It increases skin’s thickness, density, hydration and blood flow to cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues.
When we look into adding more benefits for the skin, choosing a non-dairy milk option can be important. Almond milk is a very good alternative to dairy milk for our cup of cacao. It also adds an elegant note of nutty flavour. It is a perfect source for alpha-tocopherols, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyphenols. These have a great detox potential for the skin. Alpha-tocopherol is the most abundant form of vitamin E in body tissues. It functions in part by preventing lipid peroxidation and increasing the levels of plasma glutathione, another powerful antioxidant. Almond milk decreases wrinkle depth and facial pigment intensity.
A pinch of cinnamon to our mug of goodness will spice it up. It will bring images of cosy autumn afternoons and an aroma of freshly baked apple pie. It has a powerful antioxidant effect, and it is perfect for bringing up the glow and suppleness of our skin. It is very rich in natural coumarin, which has an anticoagulant effect. It also has other systemic effects that improve the glycemic and lipid profiles when added to our cup of cacao.
Honey adds a further sense of warmth and richness to the flavour. Its anti-inflammatory properties for the skin are well known. It reduces skin redness and has a pronounced wound-healing potential.
I normally put 2 teaspoons of cacao powder with 1 teaspoon of honey in a small saucepan over low heat and mix until blended well. Then I add 2 cups of warm almond milk and whisk until blended. I remove it from the heat and add a pinch of cinnamon and salt.
I will follow this skin detox regime, among other things, for the next 12 weeks. I take a bottle of this goodness to work every day. I will have a normal 8 am to 5 pm shift tomorrow, but I will be oncall day shifts at the hospital during the weekend. I am not very excited about this, but I will have my healthy cacao drink with me. I will keep you updated about my progress.
I would be very happy to hear your favourite skin detox recipes for this autumn.
Till next time!
Venelina
