Overview
Your skin, the largest organ in your body, has the important job of protecting you from harmful environmental factors such as viruses, bacteria, chemicals and extreme temperatures. It contains the pigment melanin, which protects against the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun. You can help your skin look great and perform at peak efficiency by choosing foods that contain generous amounts of the nutrients skin needs.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are a key food group for your skin health. Spinach, a leafy green vegetable, is a good source of vitamin A, a nutrient that can help you get rid of acne and aids in skin repair. Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, which plays a part in collagen production, according to Women'sHealthMag.com. Collagen is a fibrous skin protein that helps minimize skin wrinkles and keep your skin supple. Blackberries, blueberries and strawberries are fruits that contain an abundance of antioxidants, substances that protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals may arise from exposure of your skin to the sun's ultraviolet rays, and antioxidants neutralize these radicals before they can attack skin cells.
Low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, like spinach, are good sources of vitamin A for skin health. In addition, yogurt contains the useful bacterium acidophilus, which facilitates digestion and promotes intestinal health. A healthy digestive tract is linked to healthy skin. Cottage cheese provides selenium, a trace mineral that gives your skin a fresh, smooth appearance.
Nuts
In the assortment of nuts available as dietary choices, the brazil nut stands out as one that supports skin health. This is because brazil nuts are an easy way to get your daily supply of selenium. In addition to promoting a good skin appearance, selenium plays a part in the body's synthesis of the intracellular antioxidant glutathione. Like the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables, glutathione rids skin cells of harmful free radicals that come from body processes and environmental factors such as air pollution and cigarette smoke.
Fish
Eating 3 oz. of canned tuna fish each day is another way you can get adequate amounts of selenium into your diet. If you prefer fresh fish, king mackerel, caught in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic, provides selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids aid in smoothing out wrinkles, keeping your skin moisturized and decreasing skin inflammation.
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