Your body utilizes the foods you consume to maintain healthy skin. Without the right mix of vitamins and minerals, your skin can begin to look dull, wrinkled and sagging. Incorporating healthy foods into the diet also helps to fight inflammation and damage to the skin. By staying hydrated and eating healthy foods, you can achieve healthy, glowing skin.
Benefits
A healthy diet benefits the skin in a number of ways, according to Science Daily. Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables help to minimize sun or skin damage caused by free radicals in the skin. Other vitamins, such as vitamin A, help to repair skin tissue, such as tissue affected by acne blemishes. Eating a healthy diet also helps the body to make new skin cells, giving you a fresher, more glowing appearance.
Considerations
An important companion to the foods you eat are the things you drink, according to Health Castle. Keeping hydrated throughout the day helps to keep your skin moist and healthy-looking. Drink water regularly and sip herbal teas, which can incorporate antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body into your diet. Because caffeine is a diuretic, it can contribute to dehydration, according to Weight Watchers. Water or decaffeinated herbal teas are your best bet.
Solution
Your diet should consist of foods that contain a mix of vitamins and minerals, according to Science Daily. A diet that features lean proteins also may offer anti-aging benefits--examples include fish, skinless chicken, turkey and soy products. Add in whole-grain foods, low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables. These foods, especially fruits and vegetables, contain a variety of vitamins that maintain healthy skin and ensure healthy cell growth.
Warning
Just as some foods contribute to healthy skin, others can be harmful to skin. This includes those that contain saturated fats, according to Randall Neustaedter, a holistic health professional, writing on Cure Guide. These foods include cheese and red meat. Foods made with partially hydrogenated oil also may contribute to poor skin, such as prepackaged cookies and crackers.
Expert Insight
While more research should be conducted on additional links between diet and healthy skin, following a healthy diet helps the body to perform at its best, according to Dr. Susan C. Taylor, a dermatologist and professor of dermatology on Science Daily. "Eating a variety of healthy foods and drinking plenty of water so the skin stays hydrated should help most people improve the appearance of the skin," according to Taylor.
Member Comments