1、Top 5 Foods for Beautiful Skinby Julia LaytonWith people all over the globe spending billions of dollars on skin-care products every year, youd think cosmetics companies had replicated the fountain of youth in the laboratory. In fact, skin creams have gotten more and more expensive and less and less
2、 based on real science. According to most experts who arent hawking half-ounce jars of $200 youth serum, the science behind skin care is simpler than most of us think.As with most health benefits, it comes down to lifestyle, rather than how much you can afford to spend on products. The things you ca
3、n do to beautify your skin are remarkably similar to what you can do to strengthen your heart, control your weight, lift your mood and live longer and better: Get regular exercise, sleep enough and eat well. Of course, what you can eat to improve your skin tone, texture, evenness and clarity might b
4、e different from what you eat to avoid, say, heart disease.So what are we looking at when it comes to a beautiful-skin diet? In this article, well find out what you want to throw in your shopping cart to improve your skin, why those foods work on traits like smoothness and tone, and whether skin-hea
5、lthy foods are, in fact, different from the foods youd eat to promote overall health.First up: You may not like the smell, but youll love the smoothness5. SeafoodActive components: Omega-3 fatty acids, zincBenefits: Smooth, clear and glowing skinMost of us have heard that fish can be really good for
6、 your overall health - its a primary component in whats known as the “Mediterranean diet.“ Many types of fish and shellfish can also work wonders for the skin, especially oysters and fatty fish like salmon.The primary nutrients that make fish so good for your complexion are zinc and, especially, ome
7、ga-3 fatty acids. Increasing omega-3 intake can reduce dryness and inflammation. Inflammation can cause skin to age faster, and research shows that getting too little omega-3 may contribute to inflammatory disorders like eczema and psoriasis. Omega-3 fatty acids can also help keep the hearts arterie
8、s clear and so improve circulation. Good circulation is crucial to skin health.Zinc can help fight acne because its involved in metabolizing testosterone, which affects the production of an oily substance caused sebum, a primary cause of acne. Zinc also assists in new-cell production and the sloughi
9、ng off of dead skin, which gives the skin a nice glow . Youll also find these benefits in flaxseed oil and walnuts.Next up: Peel some of these for tighter skin.4. Citrus FruitsActive component: Vitamin CBenefits: Smooth and taut skinVitamin C is a prime skin-care ingredient in tons of beauty creams.
10、 This vitamin aids in the bodys production of collagen, a protein that forms the basic structure of your skin. Collagen breakdown, which starts speeding up significantly around the age of 35, can leave your skin saggy. Consuming extra vitamin C in foods like oranges, grapefruits, Acerola cherries (a
11、 single Acerola has 100 percent of your vitamin C for the day) and tomatoes can help tighten the skin and prevent wrinkles.Vitamin C also may fight inflammation, and its antioxidant properties can neutralize the free radicals (highly reactive oxygen molecules) that damage cells and can prematurely a
12、ge your face.In case you get tired of eating all that fruit, hot peppers, bell peppers and sprouts also have good amounts of vitamin C.Next up: Veggies are good for way more than weight control.3. Red and Green VegetablesActive components: Vitamin A, beta-caroteneBenefits: Bright and smooth skinSkin
13、 is the bodys largest organ. It makes sense, then, that whats good for your whole body is also good for your skin - and as far as food goes, it doesnt get much better than vegetables. Youll especially want to look for red-orange and green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.Orange-re
14、d vegetables are full of beta-carotene. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which acts as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage and premature aging. In the case of vitamin A, you also get anti-acne benefits - vitamin A has been used in acne medications (think Retin-A) for many years.Sp
15、inach and other green, leafy foods provide tons of vitamin A, too, which helps your skin produce more fresh new cells and get rid of the old ones, reducing dryness and keeping your face looking bright and young.Mangoes are also a great source of vitamin A. Its best to get this vitamin from food and
16、not from supplements, though, since too much vitamin A can cause health problems.Next: Youll probably be happy to find out that whats good for your skin can also be really good for your taste buds2. NutsActive component: Vitamin EBenefits: Young and soft skinAs with many of the skin-healthy foods on
17、 our list, the good stuff in nuts - especially almonds - has to do with antioxidant activity. Vitamin E combats skin-aging free radicals, especially protecting skin from sun damage due to UV-sunlight-generated free radicals. Vitamin E also tends to help skin hold in moisture, relieving dryness and m
18、aking skin look younger.Pairing vitamin E with selenium can enhance its antioxidant abilities, so go ahead and throw some almonds into your cottage cheese (great source of selenium) for a skin-revitalizing snack.Almonds, pistachios and walnuts also provide a nice supply of omega-3 fatty acids, anoth
19、er great skin nutrient.Our last beauty food: Keep it whole to get fantastic overall results1. Whole GrainsActive components: Rutin and B-vitaminsBenefits: Clear and moisturized skinThe “whole food“ movement has whole-body advantages, not the least of which is great-looking skin.Whole foods are basic
20、ally unprocessed - whole wheat bread instead of white bread, for instance. The whole grain buckwheat is a good source for the antioxidant rutin, which helps combat inflammation-related skin damage. Wheat germ provides the B-vitamin biotin, which assists cells in processing fats. If you dont have eno
21、ugh biotin in your body, your skin can become dry and scaly.In general, whole grains instead of processed carbohydrates can improve your complexion. Processed (or refined) flours can cause an insulin spike, which in turn can encourage acne. Replacing your refined-flour pancakes with buckwheat pancak
22、es is a good acne-reducing move. Incidentally, this would also help reduce your risk of developing diabetes.Not into buckwheat? Avocadoes and mushrooms can provide similar benefits.Now, while oranges, buckwheat, oysters, spinach and almonds are great foods for your skin, achieving great-looking skin
23、 through dietary changes doesnt have to be so specific. A healthy body means healthy skin. Just feed your body good, healthy foods, get some exercise and keep your stress low, and your skin will reap the benefits.For more information on skin health and related topics, including home recipes for facials, look over the links on the next page.http:/
