Skin Nutrition

You are what you eat" couldn't hold more true when we think of how nutrition impacts the skin. Your skin reflects your diet and what you are eating in many ways. The following table provides you with a recipe for beautiful skin.

Nutrient	Foods Containing	Benefit to Skin	If Diet is Deficient
Beta-carotene	Apricots Cantaloupe Carrots Spinach Sweet Potatoes	Fundamental to maintenance of tissues that make up surface of skin	Increased cell damage Accelerated aging Increased risk of skin cancer
Copper	Nuts Shellfish	Necessary for collagen synthesis
Lean Proteins	Beans Fish Poultry	Protein which are made of amino acids, enables production of collagen, the connective tissue that provides support to skin Contains zinc, which is a mineral necessary for the synthesis of collagen and one that may provide protection against wrinkles and at high levels, may help to reduce acne	Unhealthy skin that heals poorly due to lack of ability to produce and synthesize collagen The dermis (middle layer of skin) becomes thin
Mono-unsaturated fats	Canola Oil Olive Oil	Protects against wrinkles Reduces oxidative damage Helps in absorption of fat-soluble antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin E and lycopene found in many antioxidant-rich vegetables	Increased cell damage Accelerated aging Increased risk of skin cancer
Niacin (Vitamin B3)	Dairy Eggs Fish Poultry	Works together with iron to deliver oxygen to skin cells, giving them the support they need to live and multiply into new skin cells	Creates deficiency of amino acid tryptophan, (found in protein-rich foods) causing pellagra, a disease characterized by scaly skin and inflammation
Omega-3 Fats	Avocados Fatty Fish (Salmon, herring, sardines, tuna and trout) Flaxseed Green leafy vegetables like spinach Walnuts	Essential because you can only get them in your diet and your body can not produce them on its own Maintains oil barrier of skin, which protects the body from fluid loss and infection Reduces internal inflammation	Dermatitis - inflammation of the skin Eczema - dry, scaly and rough skin and brittle nails Psoriasis - a skin disorder characterized by white scales with redness surrounding them
Omega-6 Fats	Seeds Nuts Vegetable Oils (sunflower and safflower oils)	Maintain oil barrier of skin, which protects the body from fluid loss and infection Essential because you can only get them in your diet and your body can not produce them on its own	Dermatitis - inflammation of the skin Eczema - dry, scaly and rough skin and brittle nails Whiteheads and blackheads due to production of oil (sebum) An imbalance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 creates blocked pores and overproduction of oil
Polyphenols	Apples Eggplant Garlic Onions Tea	Protects skin against oxidative stress that contributes to aging and disease
Selenium	Brazil nuts Brown Rice Chicken breast Eggs Shrimp Tuna Turkey	Rids body of harmful free radicals that contribute to skin cancer and the aging process Provides tissue elasticity	Increased cell damage Accelerated aging Increased risk of skin cancer
Vitamin A	Egg Yolks Fish Fortified milk Is converted from Beta-Carotene	Helps to keep skin smooth Helps protect against sunburn	Bumpy, rough skin that is covered with fine scales
Vitamin B	Fortified cereals Whole grains	Work together with iron to deliver oxygen to skin cells, giving them the support they need to live and multiply into new skin cells
Vitamin C	Broccoli Oranges Peppers Strawberries	Protects against free radicals (highly reactive oxygen molecules generated inside your body from environmental pollutants, smoking, sun exposure and stress, among other agents) Synthesis of collagen	Scurvy - a condition associated with swollen and bleeding gums, loss of teeth and bleeding underneath the skin
Vitamin E	Asparagus Avocados Nuts Seeds Spinach Vegetable Oils Whole Grains	Keeps skin moist and smooth Protects against wrinkles	Increased cell damage Accelerated aging Increased risk of skin cancer
Water	Hydrates skin, helping it to keep soft, smooth and moist	Skin becomes dry and more susceptible to wrinkles
By: Lisa Drayer, M.A., RD