Are the foods you think are healthy really doing the job?

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It seems that every week the experts are telling us what to eat and drink to ensure we are in good health and living our best lives. The problem is, we can get information overload which means we don’t know what to do for the best, and often end up simply eating whatever we fancy.

We’ve had a look at some of the myths out there and hope it will help you work out what is good for you and what isn’t quite up there in the healthy stakes.

Granola makes a nutritious breakfast
Many of us think that granola and cereal bars are a healthy breakfast choice but this isn’t always the case. Yes, you can add granola to fruit and yoghurt, but these cereals often have extra added sugars, so it’s a good idea to check the label before you buy a new box. Grabbing a cereal bar on the go is easy, but do you really know what you are eating and how good for you it really is? One of the best things you can have for breakfast are eggs – be that boiled, poached or scrambled and having rye toast and avocado, will make things even better.

To juice or not to juice?
Fruit juice is considered to be a healthy way to increase your vitamin levels and clock up that all important five a day quota the world over. The reality is that the antioxidant, fibre, mineral and vitamin content of whole fruits are drastically cut when they are juiced. It’s so much better for you to eat fruits rather than to drink them, instead hydrate with water and have juice and smoothies now and again as a treat.

What’s the deal with honey?
Honey might be natural but sugar is sugar and nutrition-wise, agave, honey and maple syrup are no better than the bog-standard white stuff. You can eat it and enjoy it, but don’t over do it because your teeth and waistline won’t thank you.

Is coconut oil a healthy fat?
Unless you have been hibernating, you will probably be aware that coconut oil has been hailed as a ‘healthy choice’ in the kitchen. Yes, it has good points, but coconut oil is still high in saturated fat and it’s the unsaturated varieties that will do more for you in terms of health. Olive, rapeseed and sunflower oils all help to support heart health and they provide us with energy, while strengthening our immune systems too.

Red wine boosts health
Many of us do think that red wine is good for us because of the antioxidants that help fight disease. Yes, there is an element of truth here, but it still contains sugar and can make you feel lethargic and hungover, so don’t knock it back to excess because that will undo any good you have done!

Dark chocolate vs milk chocolate
How many times have you read that eating dark chocolate is good for you??? Well, it might help lower blood pressure but it won’t help with any weight loss as it is still pretty calorific. A little bit of what you fancy is true, but munching a family bar thinking your heart will benefit, might not be quite right so stick to a couple of squares.

Only fresh foods are good for you
We aren’t sure where this comes from, but you can eat frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables and still get the same nutritious benefits you will find in the fresh alternatives, sometimes even more. This is the case because the process of canning and freezing preserves most nutrients and antioxidants, so when you eat them they are still packed with essential vitamins and minerals. One thing to watch out for is tinned fruit that comes in sugary syrup, go for natural juice every time and if you rinse before you eat, even better.

Team Pure Beauty

Up the beauty odds this autumn

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air conditioning, Aloe Vera, antioxidant serum, battering winds, beauty, beta hydroxy Salicylic Acid, bobble hats, brisk, central heating, chilly, chunky knits, coat, complexion, Coneflower, dead cells, Decleor Flash Radiance Mask, Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant, Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance, dull, eased, elderberry, Elemis Lip Revive, Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, environmental attacks, evidence, exfoliate, express mask, feed, fine lines, freezing, gentle, Ginkgo, glow, grape seed, Hydrocotyl, imperfections, infused, intensely cleansed, Jan Marini C-ESTA Serum, Lactic Acid, lavender, layer up, Natural fruit enzymes, non-abrasive, nourished, October, Optimega oils, Padina Pavonica, rare rose extracts, renewed, roses, Saro essential oils, skin, snow, soft and supple, staple, starflower, stimulated, summer, thermal tees, Vitamin C, Wild Yam, winter

While we have been enjoying warm sunshine during early October, those brisk early mornings and chilly dark evenings, and battering winds, are all the evidence we need at Pure Beauty to know winter is on the way.

You can layer up in chunky knits, thermal tees and bobble hats to keep your body warm, but at this time of year you need to be thinking about your skin too. Harsh frosts, rain and lower temperatures mixed with the endless blasts of air conditioning and central heating, means our skin is constantly on high alter for all that you throw at it.

At Pure Beauty we stock some great products which will help your skin to glow all winter long.

One way you can be sure your skin is winter ready, is to exfoliate away the dead cells that are getting you down. We love the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant which is a gentle, non-abrasive exfoliation treatment. Lactic Acid, Beta Hydroxy Salicylic Acid and natural fruit enzymes have been blended to ensure that not only is dull skin removed, but renewal is stimulated too. As you would expect from this brand, conditioning botanical extracts including Lavender, Aloe Vera and Coneflower, have been added and together they soothe the skin and make it as soft as snow.

While roses are usually identified with summer, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm is a perfect winter staple. This deep cleansing balm not only dissolves make-up but daily dirt and pollutant build up too. Skin that has suffered at the hands of the elements is immediately cleansed, nourished and renewed by this gorgeous product. Made from a blend of rare rose extracts from around the world and infused with Elderberry, Starflower, Optimega oils and Padina Pavonica, this is a beauty winner in our book.

If you are thinking of stepping up your mosituriser this winter, the Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance could be a good bet. This ultra-rich phytonutrient moisturiser is perfect for dry skin and thanks to added Vitamin C, fine lines are eased and skin is left feeling soft and supple. Vitamins A and E, and Ginkgo protect against environmental attacks while Hydrocotyl, Grape Seed and Wild Yam, reduce the signs of premature ageing, so you will look better than ever.

The harsh winter months can leave even they healthiest skin looking dehydrate and tired. To combat this, why not feed your complexion with the Jan Marini C-ESTA Serum. This powerful antioxidant serum is packed with Vitamin C goodness that helps to ease the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles that can look more prominent during the colder months. Ongoing use will help skin look smoother and more evenly toned, while deep lines will seem less pronounced and you will look healthie,r even if you are freezing under your coat.

Unless you wear a balaclava, your lips are going to take the full force of winter. Don’t despair, if you carry the Elemis Lip Revive with you, they will stay soft and perfectly moisturised from dawn to dusk, and beyond. A nourishing White Bees Wax base has been enriched with added vitamins and peppermint to create a lip salve that is too cool for school.

For those nights out when you want your skin to glow, why not try the Decleor Flash Radiance Mask? This clever express mask has been created to specifically revive complexions and hide imperfections. Leaving the blend of Elemi and Saro Essential Oils on cleansed skin for just three minutes, will restore radiance and skin will be soft, smooth and even.

We would love to help you decided on which products could be best for you this winter, so why not get in touch and chat through some ideas?

Team Pure Beauty