Best Skin Diet for Healthy Skin
"You are what you eat."
Does it sound familiar? You probably have heard of
it. And yes, it is true. What you eat affects how well you are and
how you look- today and for the years to come.
Balanced diet is needed for optimal health and well-
being; as well as having a healthy skin. However, balanced diet is
primarily set to prevent malnutrition and vitamin/ mineral deficiencies.
The aim of this article is to provide tips that will
help you achieve the skin you have always longed for.
Choose foods rich in vitamin A. Naturally
occurring vitamin A or retinol is commonly found in fish oils, dairy
products and liver. Vitamin A found in plants is called beta-carotene
and is commonly found in yellow/ orange fruits and vegetables like
carrot and cantaloupe.
This is essential for the maintenance and healing
of epithelial tissues, with skin being the largest expanse of epithelial
tissues we have. This diet includes plenty of dark orange (carrots,
sweet potatoes, winter squash) and dark green (broccoli, spinach,
kale) vegetables -- all of which are high in vitamin A.
Choose foods with plenty of B vitamins like
B-2 and B-3. These foods convert calories into energy for
metabolism and are components of enzymes that maintain normal skin
function. The best sources for these are green leafy vegetables, lean
meats, eggs, avocados, fish, brewer's yeast, whole grains and peanuts.
Vitamin C for collagen maintenance.
Best sources are citrus fruits and juices, slow cantaloupe, strawberries,
tomato sweet peppers and green peas.
Vitamin E to protect your cells against
free radicals. This is a powerful antioxidant that helps slow the
aging of skin cells and promote healthy skin. A powerful antioxidant,
it protects your cells against the effects of free radicals, which
are potentially damaging by-products of the body's metabolism. Foods
rich in vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, broccoli,
wheat germ, peanuts and vegetable oils.
Zinc is for boosting the immune system
and promoting optimum health. Zinc can be found in eggs, seafood,
turkey, pork, whole grains, nuts and mushrooms. This trace mineral
helps maintain collagen and elastin fibers that give skin its firmness,
helping to prevent sagging and wrinkles. It also links together amino
acids that are needed for the formation of collagen -- essential in
wound healing.
Selenium is
a mineral antioxidant that will help minimized the damage of ultraviolet
lights. Researches show that it might even aid in skin cancer prevention.
Good sources of selenium include tuna, wheat germ, sesame seeds, nuts,
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mushroom and whole grains.
