Eat Your Way to Younger Skin

You are what you eat. You have surely heard this before and it could not be more true. How you feed your body is directly reflected on the outside. The condition of your skin can be helped or harmed depending on your diet. It is important to know which foods from each food group can help you on your way to glowing, youthful skin.

Vegetables

The two top vegetables for your skin are Romaine lettuce and tomatoes. Yes, tomatoes are technically a fruit, but they are also very closely related to vegetables. Romaine lettuce is number one in terms of these two vegetables. Just six leaves gives you 100 percent of your vitamin A every day. Vitamin A is critical for cell turnover and this is necessary to prevent dull, aging skin. It also contains potassium to help with increasing circulation, oxygen and nutrients in the skin.

Tomatoes have an interesting effect on the skin. This red vegetable actually helps to calm redness on your skin. This can help to defend against issues like rosacea and even sunburn (though this is not an excuse to skip the sunscreen). Tomatoes are also high in antioxidants which help to fend off furrows and fine lines.

Fruits

If you love fresh strawberries then you are in luck. Just a single cup of these sweet, red berries has 130 percent of the vitamin C you need each day. This helps to firm and smooth the skin, as well as increase collagen production to help prevent wrinkles and lines. While research is still pretty new, some promise is shown in strawberries helping to reduce your cancer risk, so if you have sun damage this is good news for you.

Apples come in as a close second for skin-protecting fruits. In the peel of an apple lies quercetin which is an antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from burning when you are exposed to the UVB rays responsible for cancer. So, you still need sunscreen, but an apple a day could help to keep skin cancer away.

Proteins

Soy has fallen under scrutiny recently in terms of how it could affect hormones, but its benefits to the skin remain uncontested. This is known to help with skin firmness and fine wrinkles. You only need to get a little bit each day to reap the benefits.

Eggs are another food that is just being widely accepted again because people feared the yolks for so long. However, you want to eat the entire egg so that you can get the zeaxanthin and lutein. These antioxidants are known to aid in preventing skin cancer, fine lines and brown spots by protecting against the UV damage that causes them. An egg a day also tends to lead to firmer, softer and more hydrated skin.

Fats

You are going to love this because dark chocolate is good for your skin. Some spas actually have chocolate face and body facials due to how well this food helps the skin. Just a little dark chocolate every day can increase circulation and improve your overall complexion. Long-term use results in smoother, softer and more hydrated skin.

Extra-virgin olive oil is another good fat for your skin. The essential fatty acids are known to help in protecting you against UV damage. They can also help in keeping skin supple and hold in moisture.