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.