Healthy Foods and the Good Skin Diet

We've all heard the mantra, "You are what you eat." Now you’re wondering – “If I eat healthy foods, will it really make a difference in my skin?"

This saying took on new meaning for me after strolling around the grocery store, peeking into carts. Those filled with white bread, doughnuts, soft drinks and potato chips were often pushed by people with pasty complexions and lifeless hair. And those loaded with fresh spinach and strawberries, fat-free milk, whole-wheat bread and salmon had shoppers with rosy, smooth skin and shiny hair behind them.

The truth is, what you eat does affect how you look -- today and down the road. Here's a rundown of the nutrients you need for a good skin diet – and healthy, glowing skin.

Benefits of Vitamin A

This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for the maintenance and healing of epithelial tissues, with skin being the largest expanse of epithelial tissue you've got.

Best Vitamin A foods Egg yolks, oysters and nonfat milk. You can also get vitamin A from foods rich in beta carotene (see below), which the body can convert into vitamin A.

Beta carotene benefits

German researchers found that as little as 30 milligrams a day (the equivalent of 1 1/2 cups of cooked carrots) can help prevent/reduce the redness and inflammation associated with sunburn. "Beta carotene accumulates in the skin, providing 24-hour protection against sun damage," says Ronald R. Watson, Ph.D., professor of public health research at Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson. Also, when combined with vitamin E, other carotenoids (cousins to beta carotene) like lutein seem to reduce redness associated with sunburn and reduce skin sensitivity to sunlight, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Best sources of beta carotene Dark-colored produce, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, broccoli and spinach.

Now that you’re heard about the benefits of vitamin A and beta carotene, read on to discover what other nutrients you need for a good skin diet.