Foods to Eat for Good Skin

Foods to Eat for Good Skin
Photo Credit salmon image by cherie from Fotolia.com

If you want beautiful skin, it starts from within. It is essential to practice a healthy lifestyle that incorporates nutritious foods, exercise, enough sleep and plenty of water to achieve good skin. Eating foods rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids will help skin stay supple, youthful, clear, even-toned and in good condition for years to come.

Fish

Eating fatty fish, such as salmon, will give your skin a healthy glow. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which improve skin texture by reducing inflammatory substances in the body, paving the way for clearer pores and preventing fine lines and wrinkles. Salmon is also rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B and Vitamin D, which help fight against free radicals in the body, preventing the effects of aging. Snapper is another fish full of beneficial fatty acids, as well as the mineral selenium. Selenium helps protect skin against sun damage while giving skin an even-toned, healthy glow. The fatty acids in oily fish also help skin stay moisturized and maintain its elasticity, which helps combat aging.

Berries

Berries are powerful allies for the skin. Berries are packed with antioxidants, which neutralize harmful free radicals in the body. Free radicals from the environment build up in the body and cause aging, including wrinkles and sagging skin. Berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, are high in Vitamin C, which help protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun. When choosing berries, pick darkly colored ones, as they provide more vitamins and nutrients than the lighter berries. Blueberries are doubly helpful to the skin as they offer anti-inflammatory substances, which help keep your complexion clear and free of fine lines.

Avocados

Avocados offer a host of skin benefits. The green fruit is packed with nutrients, including protein, beta carotene, potassium, folic acid, B vitamins, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and magnesium. The antioxidants in avocados protect skin from the aging effects of free radicals. Vitamin E helps protect the skin against ultraviolet radiation from the sun, as well as environmental pollutants. Avocados also have healthy fats, or monounsaturated fats, which lower cholesterol and help skin stay moisturized, protecting against fine lines and wrinkles. The oil in avocado also sparks the skin's production of collagen, a substance that helps skin maintain its elasticity and youth.

References

Article reviewed by Helen Covington Last updated on: Mar 23, 2010

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