5 AWESOME VEGAN SNACKS FOR YOUR SKIN

Growing up I had no idea how much my diet affected my skin, and how certain foods make my acne worse. Today it’s practically common knowledge that dairy and sugary foods can wreak havoc on our skin and acne.

With these acne-aggravating foods everywhere I turn I like to have a few go-to snacks to satisfy my cravings without sacrificing my skin.

There are plenty of skin-healthy options out there, but if you want the junk food without the junk, then I’ve got 6 tasty,vegan recipes that you’ll love!

HUMUS

Hummus is one of my all-time favorite snack options, and it’s surprisingly great for your skin!

Hummus is made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans),a legume high in protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals.Chickpeas’ high fiber and protein content means they’re a great choice for that’s aggravated by insulin spikes.

Chickpeas are also high in iron and zinc, two important minerals for making collagen (the stuff that keeps our skin strong). The C and B vitamins in chickpeas also have important roles in our skin’s health.

I like this recipe from Inspired Taste, which keeps it simple with easy-to-follow instructions for a base hummus recipe. You can change the seasonings as you like to get your perfect mix (I add extra garlic)! Try it as a dip with whole grain snacks, pita, or raw veggies. Bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, and celery (which add nutrients your skin loves) are all favorites of mine.

Salty and savory vegan recipes not for you? Maybe you’d like something a little sweeter!

SMOOTHIES

I have a smoothie almost every single day, and it’s one of my favorite ways to pack in nutrition while I’m enjoying a treat.

Smoothies are a quick and easy snack that never lets me down because I always make it to suit any craving. Hot summer day on the go? Have a smoothie with banana, pineapple, and mango! Need a heartier meal? You can hide oats or white kidney beans in almost any smoothie! Throw it all in a mason jar and take it with you anywhere.

I usually follow standard vegan recipes and adjust it depending on what I’m feeling that day. I use:

• 1 cup of soy milk
• 1-3 handfuls of fresh or frozen spinach (or 1-2 stems of kale)
• 2 tablespoons of flax seeds freshly ground
• 1 banana, just ripe
• ½-1 cup fresh or frozen fruit of choice (I prefer berries)
• water to thin

Blend the soy milk and greens together first, before adding the rest.

I love to change up the fruit, but if you want something more decadent, I like to add 1 tablespoon each of peanut butter and raw cacao. Yum!

What makes a smoothie great for your skin is entirely what you put in it. The soy milk is fortified, and a great source of skin-healthy nutrients. Spinach is another source of zinc,fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, and other nutrients important for the skin.

Adding in the flax seeds adds fatty acids and lignans that keep your skin hydrated and strong. The berries, spinach, bananas(and white kidney beans – try it!) are also full of antioxidants that fight inflammation.

Since smoothies are a little different each time, don’t be afraid to play around with the recipe and find what works for you! You might even find yourself craving them!

ROASTED CHICK PEAS

Looking for healthy vegan recipes for the oven? Look no further.

Another fun way to enjoy snacks like chickpeas is to season and roast them! This makes a delightfully crunchy treat that’s a good substitute for the chip addict in you. You can even season them with cinnamon and sugar to please a sweet tooth while you’re at it.

Chickpeas are the star here because they really are that great for you.Did I mention that the selenium and choline in chickpeas can also help our bodies fight acne by reducing inflammation?

I love these Spicy Oven-Roasted Chickpeas from Chowhound, but you can dress them up any way you like!

I like to make and store them in a mason jar, to crunch on the go or whenever I’m craving potato chips!

GUACAMOLE

Guacamole, or ‘guac’, is probably my second favorite healthy snack that satisfies the junk food lover in me. Not only is guac, like, the tastiest thing ever, but my skin (and hormones) love it, too.

It’s hard to make bad guac, and easy to find many amazing vegan recipes.A standard recipe (which makes enough to share) might look something like this:

• 3 large ripe avocados
• 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons of lime juice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ripe cherry tomatoes diced

Mash the avocados, mix in the rest, and chill for 30 minutes or so. Serve it with sliced veggies, whole grain crackers, or crispy vegetable chips!

Avocados are a good source of vitamin E and folate, both of which may help your skin feel hydrated and radiant.

Not only are the avocados full of skin-loving fats, but the garlic and onion act as prebiotics, foods which help the bacteria that call your gut home.

But maybe none of these are sounding very tasty right now. Maybe you’re thinking pastry, something sweet, something decadent.

BANANA BREAD

Every now and then I just want to sink my teeth into something cakey. And cupcakes are always my first thought. But most cupcakes are full of sugar, which causes my skin to go haywire.

Although not the best for on-the-go living,banana bread is still a super decadent and healthy alternative for the cake lover in you.

Due to the over-ripe bananas, the bread is naturally sweet and rich. Plus, if you fill your bread up with oats it will add extra vitamins and minerals to build and protect healthy skin. The flax seeds used as egg substitutes in vegan recipes offers healthy fats, too.

This Vegan Banana Bread recipe from Oh She Glows is a great option, as it contains oats and whole grain flour. These help keep the sugar in the recipe in check for your skin. I like to throw some vegan chocolate chips in, too, because life’s too short not to use chocolate chips.

The best part about banana bread is you can cool it, toss it in the freezer, and have a tasty, healthy treat whenever you want it!

If you’re getting tired of banana bread, you can even mix it up and try this ridiculously good carrot cake, or zucchini bread recipe. Hey, healthy recipes don’t have to mean sugar-free!

But before you get too excited about these healthy snacks, remember that notmany people can just eat their way to clear skin.A lot more goes into creating and clearing acne than just what we eat.

Still, there are many healthy food choices we can make to promote our overall wellbeing, and these healthy vegan recipes are a good start. And sometimes when we improve our well-being with good food, our skin, and our perspectives improve, too.

For more information on vegan acne, check out our blog post How to Cure Your Vegan Acne in 7 Simple Steps.