5 Best Foods for Your Skin

5 Best Foods for Your Skin

Healthy skin is directly influenced by your diet. Eating the right foods can help you avoid skin problems that crop up with aging. Many foods are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that strengthen your skin and make you look more youthful.

Grab the kids and head to one of Atlanta’s many great farmer’s markets to find these foods. If you don’t have a favorite, try the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market, the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, or the Decatur Farmer’s Market and stock up on these five foods. Each are guaranteed to keep your skin radiant and healthy for a long time:

1. Berries

Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and other berries are rich in antioxidants. Consuming berries protect from collagen damage and minor skin infections. They also deliver hefty doses of Vitamin C, which reduces wrinkles and skin dryness. One cup of strawberries, for example, contains 150 percent of the daily recommended serving of Vitamin C for a healthy adult.

2. Leafy Greens

Spinach might not make your arms as big as Popeye’s but it has the right ingredients for creating young-looking skin. Leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli and carrots are high in Vitamin A. When skin has a Vitamin A deficiency, it can result in acne breakouts and the skin becoming dry and scaly. If these types of vegetables are not to your taste, low-fat yogurt is another good source of Vitamin A.

3. Green Tea

Next to a glass of water, there is no better option for a drink. Green tea contains tons of polyphenols. These have anti-inflammatory properties that can reverse sun damage and fight off radicals that age skin prematurely. Green tea also contains catechin, which has been shown to block skin cancer cells from forming. You should drink at least two cups per day to get the full effect.

4. Tomatoes

Most tomatoes may be red, but eating these vegetables will keep you from getting red-faced out in the sun. Lycopene, the substance that makes tomatoes have their red skin, is also a UV ray blocker with a SPF of about 3. It keeps free radicals given off by UV rays from doing damage to your skin. Cooked tomatoes act as a natural sun blocker. It’s a good enough reason to eat an extra helping of spaghetti before heading to the beach—but remember that you will still need additional sun protection for a day in the sun.

5. Salmon

Vegans might not like hearing it, but eating some fish has benefits. Salmon contains Omega-3, an essential fatty acid that acts as a natural moisturizer for skin. It prevents dryness that ages skin and opens the door for skin irritations to develop. If you aren’t a fish lover, walnuts are another good source of Omega-3.

Tips courtesy of Advanced Aesthetics Plastic Surgery Center
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