The witching hour has arrived today and these terrible creatures will be wafting around on their broomsticks and casting spells with their wands, but what do you think they must eat to make them look so hideous? Well the clues are there.
Bad teeth: Witches aren’t great about going to the dentist, or even brushing their teeth once, let alone twice, a day. But what are they eating that is making their mouth so full of decaying and awful teeth? Well, it is mostly down to a lot of sugary foods and drinks. Sugary foods and drinks will help the growth of bacteria and plaque on teeth, eating away at the roots and generally doing damage. Cutting down on sugary foods and drinks and brushing teeth regularly can help protect teeth from this damage and prevent that scary witch look.
Bad skin, boils, and acne: Eating a lot of fried and battered foods and highly processed salty and sugary foods can be the cause of this. It is difficult to know why witches sometimes have green skin, but it is probably not due to too much fruit or vegetables. Poor skin can be a sign of a poor diet, lacking in fruits and vegetables. Five portions of fruit and vegetables each day can help the growth of healthy skin.
Black, greasy, thin, hair: This may be a sign of deficiencies in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B complex, copper, and zinc. Vitamin B complex is essential for the growth of healthy hair and is found in wholegrain cereals, dark green vegetables, legumes, lean meat, and eggs, Copper is needed for hair colour and is found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, offal, and wholegrain breads and cereals. Zinc, also needed for hair growth, and can be found in fresh fruit, potatoes, egg yolks, Brazil nuts, and dried fruit.
Long, brittle, nails: This could also be a sign of a calcium deficiency, which can be caused by a lack of dairy products. Having three portions of dairy a day can help give you the calcium you need for healthy nails, as well as healthy teeth and bones.
So while the witches may be able to fly and cast spells, they have a hideous image, most likely down to a poor diet including a lot of foods high in fat and sugar — it's just as well they only make an appearance once a year.
So to avoid a witching look, try to follow a healthy balanced diet, including three regular meals every day, and base your meals and snacks on the foods from the bottom four shelves of the food pyramid, and include sparingly the high fat, high sugary foods from the top shelf.
Re-create that witching look this year with good make-up and an imaginative costume, as the effects of a poor diet can last a long time. Happy Halloween!
Cara Cunningham, community dietitian
