Eat your way to healthy skin

Nutrition can provide several benefits such as aiding in weight loss, preventing cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, providing pain relief, and much more – including improving skin tone, texture, evenness, and clarity. Many people are unaware that what they eat can affect their skin. In fact, there are certain nutrients that when ingested can give skin a healthier, more youthful appearance.


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If you want to improve the look of your skin, try to increase your ingestion of the following nutrients that are known to promote skin health before purchasing high-cost topical creams and lotions or expensive skin care treatments:

• Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that keep the body’s cell membranes healthy by not only blocking harmful substances to enter cells but also by allowing nutrients to a better pathway to enter. According to a 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil may shield cell walls from damage caused by ultra violet (UV) rays, avert inflammation, and prevent cancerous cells from growing. Oily fish (i.e. salmon) and nuts (i.e. walnuts and flax seeds) are great sources of these essential fats.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, and when consumed can help protect against UV damage and boost collagen synthesis and production. A diet high in vitamin C was associated with less wrinkles and age-related dryness, according to a 2007 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study. Foods that have high values of vitamin C include citrus fruits, berries, and green vegetables.
• Lycopene. A 2008 study published in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics found that participants who had higher skin concentrations of lycopene had smoother skin. This is because lycopene can boost collagen production and thus help reduce wrinkles. What’s more, is that lycopene has been found to help the skin protect against sunburn, which can lead to damaged and wrinkled skin – and not to mention skin cancer. Cooked tomatoes and grapefruits are two excellent (and tasty) sources of lycopene.
• Zinc. Zinc has been found to help the produce collagen and can help firm the skin and reduce sagging, according to a 2010 study published in the journal Cell Structure. Red meat, white kidney beans, yogurt, and oysters all contain high amounts of zinc.
• Vitamin A. Vitamin A is required for the development and maintenance of skin cells, and a deficiency can cause dry, scaly skin or breakouts. Also, according to a 2012 Journal of Investigative Dermatology study, vitamin A could prevent against the development of skin cancer. Foods rich in vitamin A include sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, milk, and egg yolks.
• Isoflavones. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that when mice were fed isoflavones and then exposed to UV radiation, they had fewer wrinkles and smoother skin than mice that were not. This finding indicates that isoflavones may help prevent collagen breakdown. Tofu and edamame are two great foods that are full of isoflavones.

The skin, the body’s largest organ, is considered the outside indicator of a person’s inside health. Consuming the right foods can restore beautiful, youthful-looking skin without the high cost of expensive topical creams and cosmetics.

Author bio: Jeana is an aspiring lawyer whose interests in health, beauty, nutrition, and staying fit. She enjoys informing and engaging others on ways to exercise both the body and mind. In her spare time, when she is not training for marathons or leading her crossfit classes, she studies environmental law and policy with a life-long goal of working in the non-profit sector. She currently is an intern at an environmental law firm in Washington D.C., and has already recruited a few of her co-workers to join her running club. To read more of her articles, check out Modern Health Blog.