“So what did you learn from the supermodels?”
That’s what the women at my office want to know when I come back from Brazil. I go there as often as I can to meet with herbal healers… and while I’m there, I don’t pass up a chance to visit the world-famous beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
Even though Brazil has a reputation for having the most supermodels, not everyone I see on the beaches of Rio is beautiful. But I have seen a lot of very beautiful Brazilian women in their Brazilian-cut bathing suits. I’ve spent time trying to find out what gives Brazil this advantage.
It could be a lot of different factors, but there’s one that really catches my attention.
Brazilian women focus on beauty from the inside out. They know that when you give your body what it needs, you’ll have no problem getting your hair to shine, your nails to grow stronger, and your skin to glow.
I saw this myself when my friends there took me to the markets near Ipanema. I watched them buy exotic foods that are rich in antioxidants. Even their drinks and their ice cream are made from potent superfruits.
But there’s one fruit that stands above all the rest… It’s called cupuaçu (“coo-poo-ah-SOO”). It’s rich in a type of antioxidants called flavonoids, and it has two that can’t be found anywhere else on earth.
Flavonoids are important for fresh, young-looking skin because they fight off your skin’s number-one enemy: free radicals. Free radicals are rogue molecules in your body that attack healthy cells. They cause damage that ages your skin faster and creates wrinkles.
Cupuaçu also has five fatty acids, including a powerful omega-3. These are essential for improving skin texture and tone.
But there’s more good news about cupuaçu: It’s better than chocolate. Brazilians love it for its unique chocolaty-vanilla taste. Fine restaurants and small cafés all over the country use it to make different drinks, jams, dessert tarts and ice cream.
You don’t have to go all the way to South America to get it. I’m developing a new formula that will bring cupuaçu to you, and it should be ready any day now. You’ll be hearing more about it soon.
In the meantime, look for cupuaçu at grocery stores that specialize in Brazilian foods. If they don’t have any of the fresh fruit on hand, look for it in the freezer section. When you find it, try this easy milkshake recipe…
- Mix 2 tablespoons of finely chopped lemongrass leaves, 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 cups of milk in a blender.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer and put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- For the rest, you need 1 cup of cupuaçu pulp. If you’re using frozen cupuaçu, be sure to defrost it a little first. If you’re using fresh, try blending it together with some ice.
- Separate the pulp into two glasses.
- Top them with the frozen lemongrass mixture and enjoy.
You can also get cupuaçu butter for your skin at your local health food store. I also use it in my mineral-based sunscreen called Solis, from my natural skincare line Pure Radiance. It combines cupuaçu and shea butter to soothe your skin and boost your antioxidant protection.* Click here to try it for yourself.
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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. |