5 Tips to Not Blow it This Cinco De Mayo

Celebrate Without Sacrificing Your Skin

Cinco de Mayo, celebrated on May 5th, is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. However, over the years it has become an unofficial American holiday celebrating all things associated with the Mexican culture, especially their food and drink. But as we all know, Mexican cuisine is not always recognized for being the healthiest (looking at you chips and cheese!). So this year, lighten up your Cinco De Mayo celebration with these skin saving tips.
  1. Enjoy a healthy lunch before going out to celebrate. Stick with the day’s theme and try this Layered Vegetarian Taco Salad recipe – complete in a cute mason jar – from Pop Sugar. Loaded with “good for your skin” ingredients like red bell peppers (a great source of Vitamin C, which helps with collagen production) and tomatoes (they help protect your skin from damaging UV rays), it’s sure to satisfy.
  2. Fill up on fiber. Foods that are rich in fiber slow digestion, helping your body feel fuller, longer. Order a side of black beans (15 grams of fiber per cup when cooked) and your skin gets a boost of free-radical fighting antioxidants. Garnish food with avocados (6.7 grams of fiber per half) to increase skin moisture, thanks to their monounsaturated fatty acids. Or substitute white rice for brown rice (which contains 3x more fiber) to help prevent breakouts.
  3. Mix up your margarita. You don’t have to completely abstain from alcohol on Cinco de Mayo – remember the 80/20 rule! So, instead of skimping on the alcohol, skimp on the calories with these 21 Healthy Margarita Recipes from Greatist. Double-down by adding super-fruits to the recipe for some great health benefits, like ugli fruit (yep you read that right!), which helps combat skin-related diseases.
  4. Have a big glass of water before bed. Your body naturally dehydrates during the sleep cycle. So, if you’ve been enjoying a few margaritas, or other alcoholic beverages this Cinco de Mayo, you are already going to be dehydrated before you even get to sleep. Drink water in-between your alcoholic drinks and continue to drink water after you stop drinking. Not only will this help keep your body (and skin) hydrated, it’ll also help prevent a hangover the next morning.
  5. Use those leftover greens from your fiesta. Surplus cilantro from Cinco de Mayo can make for yummy herb-infused snacks and healthy meals. Cilantro is also brimming with free-radical fighting antioxidants, complexion friendly minerals and skin boosting Vitamin C. Check out Shape magazines 10 Fun Uses for Extra Cilantro for ideas.
Cheers to a happy and healthy Cinco De Mayo! How will you be celebrating this year? Tell us in the comments. Sources: Wikipedia, WebMD