Foods That Help Get Rid of Cellulite

The scourge of many a dieter, cellulite is simply fat pushing up against your skin causing it to wrinkle and pucker — but you don't need to be overweight to experience it. Genes could play a role in how much cellulite you have, but poor diet, lack of physical activity, hormone changes and overall body fat also contribute to its appearance. Though there's little you can do about the genes — sorry! — there are steps you can take to feel more confident in your jean shorts. The emergence of cellulite may simply mean that the skin's collagen is becoming weaker and lacking optimal connective tissue to support smoother, un-dimpled skin.

Tempting as they sound, skip the lotions and potions promising blemish-free legs, and chow down on these dimple-fighting foods instead. In addition to supporting collagen production and promoting skin elasticity, they help draw toxins out of your body that promote fat storage. Stock up to smooth out your skin and speed up weight loss.

Note: Though proper diet and exercise can help reduce cellulite appearance, experts have yet to find a way to get rid of cellulite completely.

This herb does much more than take your taste buds South of the border: Fresh herbs like cilantro promote detoxification by helping to remove heavy metals from the body that tend to hide in fat cells. These heavy metals can disrupt normal tissue function and, as a result, prevent your body from healing and functioning properly. By reducing overall toxins in your body, you can help get rid of excess stored fat, which can help lessen the appearance of cellulite. Bonus: This botanical will also keep you vacation-ready by boosting immunity and reducing the frequency of colds. Bye, bye, summer colds.

Eat This! To include more of this herb into your diet, try adding small amounts of cilantro to dips like guacamole and salsa, or add them to salads, stews and sandwiches.

This incredibly potent herb often gets pushed to the side of people's plates, but it does far more than make your meal look nice. In addition to helping rid the body of toxins, it also acts as a diuretic, which helps flush out your kidneys, preventing bloating and water retention. Not to mention, parsley is also a rich source of vitamins A, C and E, nutrients important for healthy, vibrant skin that help smooth out the appearance of cellulite.

Eat This! Use parsley the same way you would cilantro by adding small amounts to soups, salads and sandwiches for added flavor and health benefits. You can even slip some leaves into a weight loss smoothie without altering the flavor.

This lesser-known grain gives trendy quinoa a run for its money. Buckwheat is a slow-burning, easily digestible whole grain that, in addition to being a complete protein, is also rich in B vitamins and fiber. While you might focus on fiber for its waist-whittling and satiating effects, the nutrient is also incredibly important in the fight against cellulite because it helps push toxins out of fat cells. If you needed anymore reason to search out this grain, buckwheat takes another swing at cellulite with high amounts of lysine, an amino acid that helps repair body tissue and collagen.

Eat This! Make a healthy breakfast porridge with kasha (the cooked form of buckwheat), or include buckwheat flour in baked goods and pancakes. Soba noodles are also made from buckwheat and can be tossed with sauteed or steamed veggies for a healthy, cellulite-blasting meal.

We know you're already eating them for their rich essential fatty acid content, but nuts are another diet staple that help lessen the appearance of cellulite. Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to the health of the skin cell membrane, a two-fold protector of your body: It not only blocks harmful compounds like toxic chemicals but also holds in healthy elements (like water) to make your skin look softer, fuller and wrinkle-free. Essential fatty acids can also help delay the skin's aging by reducing the body's natural production of inflammatory compounds.

Eat This! Add crushed nuts like walnuts or almonds to yogurts and oats, or just eat them solo as they're one of the best high-protein snacks out there.

Long a darling of dieters for its fat-burning ability, this citrus fruit can help your skin appear smoother thanks to their vitamin C content. C may be recognized as the cold-fighting vitamin, but it also helps build up and repair skin collagen — an essential component in the fight against cellulite. Eating this tangy fruit can also keep you hydrated, which is an easy way to make your skin look brighter and plumper. Some research has even found that consuming grapefruit regularly can help boost metabolism. Keep your calorie-burning furnace humming will boost your fat loss, helping dimpled thighs look trimmer and tighter (especially when combined with a regular workout plan).6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Eat This! Reaping the benefits doesn't have to be more complicated than simply cutting a whole grapefruit in half and digging into the segments with a spoon. (Grapefruit spoons work best because they have small ridges that help break into the fruit.) But if you're not into eating it straight, grapefruit segments can be used in refreshing summer salads or even added to smoothies for a zest.

Spiking your water with a simple lemon wedge can help shoo away cellulite in three ways: by hydrating your body, flushing out toxins and delivering a big hit of vitamin C. Your goal is to avoid dehydrated skin, which can look and feel dry, dull and lumpy while adequately hydrated skin appears soft, supple and smooth. With the added vitamins from the lemon, your skin will not only feel and look softer, but also have the necessary nutrients to fight against damage from things like the sun and air pollution.

Drink This! Start your day off with a hot cup of water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You can choose to drink this detox water hot or cold, but your body absorbs the warmer water more quickly because it doesn't have to work to heat it up.