Eat your retinol! Dermat shares recipe of ‘retinol salad’

Add retinol to your diet as well with this healthy and tasty salad that includes a special component which turns into retinol.

Youthful, glowing skin is one of the coveted skincare goals. Retinols target these anti-ageing concerns and treat fine lines and wrinkles, making them a fan-favourite among skincare products. Typically, retinoids belong to the family of retinoids and have several formulations, from cream-based to serum. But what if you could eat it?

The salad has a hero component that is organically present.(Shutterstock)

Dr Shammi Theesan, a Melbourne University-trained dermatologist, took to Instagram on March 18 to share a supercharged salad recipe featuring a combination of vegetables and dressing sauces that contain a power-packed compound, which eventually converts into retinol. Besides skin benefits, some of the vegetables and sauces also support a healthy gut microbiome.

Here's how to whip up the bowl of goodness that benefits you inside out:

Retinol salad

There's one component that's organically present within all the veggies Dr Theesan selected for the veggies and it's beta-carotene, making this regular salad a game-changer for skincare concerns.

Ingredients:

• Carrots (in ribbon)
• Capsicum (red or orange)
• Sweet potato (diced with skin on)
• Squeeze lemon
• 1 tbsp Tamari sauce
• Sesame oil
• Rice wine vinegar

Each of the veggies or sauces added a rich value to the salad. None of the ingredients are nutritionally shallow. Highlighting the hero compound of the salad, she explained, “Carrots have beta-carotene that converts into retinol. I like cutting mine into ribbons. Capsicum and bell peppers go for as red or orange as you can that means more beta-carotene. And remember beta-carotene converts into retinol.”

Sweet potato has double benefits, along with beta-carotene, suggesting to keep the skin, instead of peeling it as it's good for the gut microbiome.

Explaining the benefits of lemon, Dr Theesan added that it infuses the salad with vitamin C and antioxidants, which serve as the "building blocks for collagen and elasticity."

Elaborating on the dressing's sauces, she recommended choosing tamari sauce over soy sauce, as it is a healthier alternative. Sesame oil enhances the fragrance, making the salad more appetizing and mouth-watering. The final sauce, rice vinegar, is beneficial for both the gut microbiome and overall gut health.

When to have this salad?

Dr Theesan shared some telltale signs of ageing, such as skin dryness and wrinkles. She recommended eating this salad two to three times a week.