Food for the Skin: Nutrients for a Healthier and Younger-Looking You!

The skin is the most exposed part of our body. It is constantly bombarded with assaults from sun radiation, dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, dirt, and bacteria. It is also the organ that exhibits the most obvious signs of aging and damage. Before you know it, your flawless skin will suddenly become wrinkly, dried up, and old. Although aging is a natural course of life; most people, especially women, tend to look for ways to slow down the process. Most anti-aging medical procedures would cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. However, you do not need to spend that much cash in order to have healthier-looking skin. The most cost-effective beauty tips for the skin is to drink plenty of water every day, use sun screen with the appropriate SPF on exposed areas, and (as what we will be discussing in this article) include common healthy foods to your diet.

Science has proven that beauty is from the inside – what your skin looks like reflects what you eat. You can buy creams and follow beauty tips for the skin all you want but if you’re not getting the right nutrition, your skin will never improve. In the Journal of Dermato-Endocrinology in 2012, they’ve identified these key nutrients that can help prevent skin aging:

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)

You’ve probably heard of this vitamin countless of times during your childhood when you’d get colds. Mothers constantly remind us to take Vitamin C before going to school in order to boost our immune system. Well, besides its immune function, it’ll also do wonders for your skin! It’s an antioxidant that prevents cell damage caused by free radicals. It’s also helps in your body’s synthesis of collagen, which gives your skin its full and supple appearance. In addition to that, it makes your hair thick and healthy.

Common foods that contain vitamin C are citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits and limes. They are also largely contained in vegetables such as red peppers, kale, brussel sprouts and broccoli. A healthy life tip for all you mums is to always have the daily required intake of vitamin C in order to avoid age lines and wrinkles.

Daily requirement: 15 milligrams/ not exceeding 1000 milligrams

Vitamin E (a-tocopherol)

This vitamin works together with vitamin C in fighting free radicals and synthesizing collagen. It’ll help give you gorgeous skin and hair as well as improve your vision and balance your cholesterol levels. Common sources of vitamin E are almonds, spinach, sweet potatoes, palm oil, corn, soy, trout, and kale.  Adding these foods to your diet is a sure fire way to have youthful skin.

Daily requirement: 15 milligrams/ not exceeding 1000 milligrams

Vitamin A (Carotenoids)

From the name itself, these are found in carrots! They are also found in other orange and red produce such as papayas, squash, and tomatoes. This vitamin acts as a photoprotective substance that mitigates skin damage caused by the sun. One beauty tip for the skin is to incorporate some carotenoids in your diet and use some sunscreen to really protect your skin from UV rays.

Daily requirement: 900 micrograms (men); 700 micrograms (women); 770 micrograms (pregnant women); 1300 micrograms (lactating women)

Resveratrol

This substance, which is usually found in the skin of red grapes, has numerous anti-aging properties; from preventing Alzheimer’s disease to improving cardiovascular function, it’s no wonder countless research are directed towards discovering more of its benefits. For the skin, it mainly serves as a free radical scavenger, thereby reducing cell-damage caused by these oxidative species.

Daily requirement: 2000 milligrams as suggested by some research (although not verified)

Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6)

You’ve probably seen terms such as PUFA, omega-3 and omega-6 in the nutritional facts of some of the food you buy in the grocery. These are just different forms of essential fatty acids. Don’t be turned off with the term fatty acids, essential fatty acids will not make you fat. It’s not uncommon knowledge that our body synthesizes fat; however, certain fats cannot be synthesized by our body, thus they are termed essential fatty acids (because they are essential in our diet). They are usually found in salmon, tuna, mackerel, canola oil, chia seeds, leafy vegetables, avocados, and walnuts. They are mainly important in the control of our body’s cholesterol levels and they are also good for the heart. In a review done by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008, they’ve seen a significant decrease in skin atrophy and dryness of those that have the proper dietary intake of essential fatty acids. In simpler terms, those that had the appropriate levels of essential fatty acids had fewer wrinkles and saggy skin!

Daily requirement: Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) – 0.3-0.5 grams; Omega-3 (ALA) – 0.8-1.1 grams

Now, the foods listed in this article are easy to find! You can buy them at your local grocery store or market. Beauty doesn’t have to be expensive and invasive, as it can be as simple as eating the right foods at the right amount. However, like all things, too much of something can be bad for you. So a health care tip is to make sure you’re eating them right. The daily recommended requirements listed in this article indicate the right amount nutrients so that you won’t have to suffer the consequences of things like vitamin toxicity. Also, start eating healthier now! It’s easier to prevent skin damage than treat it when it’s already there. Prevention is the key to a healthier and happier life. You’ll be looking younger for a longer time and you won’t have to spend on expensive skin procedures like botox, face lifts and the like to reverse the damage done to your skin.

Now, the ultimate beauty and health tip for you is to go to the market right now and stock up on some of the foods mentioned above. Also, don’t forget to drink plenty of water, use sunscreen, and have some regular exercise. You’ll not only look great, you’ll feel great as well.

Do you have any other foods in mind that’ll help you obtain a young and glowing skin? Let us know in the comments section below!