Feed Your Face: 10 Foods for Better Skin

Feed Your Face: 10 Foods for Better Skin
You Are What You Eat
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Source: Life Script

Wouldn’t it be great if the food you ate made you more beautiful? Well it can – if you’re eating the right stuff, that is. You can’t just shove junk food in your face and expect to have radiant skin. But if you swap those cheese puffs for a cup of cottage cheese, you just might get glowing results. Read on for 10 yummy foods that’ll fill your belly AND nourish your skin. Plus: Take our quiz to find out if you’re skin care savvy…

At some point, you have to realize that what shows on the outside is a reflection of what’s on the inside. A dull, dry complexion is a blinking neon sign that you’re not eating right. Lucky for you, you can put your best face forward with a better diet.

Face Food #1: Avocadoes
You had to know we couldn’t talk about face foods without mentioning the avocado. This creamy, green fruit is abundant in essential oils and b-complex vitamins that nourish your skin inside and out. Niacin (vitamin B3) is especially important for skin health, and is found in abundance in avocadoes. As an anti-inflammatory, niacin soothes irritated skin and can calm down red, blotchy skin. One avocado has 3.8 mg niacin – 27% of your daily need.

Blend half an avocado with yogurt and frozen berries to make a tasty morning smoothie. The creamy, nutty flavor will make you seriously question why you’ve been using bananas as a thickener all these years. Plus: Keep reading for a great avocado face mask recipe that will solve your dry skin problems instantly.


Face Food #2: Mangoes
Mangoes have more than 80% of your daily requirements for vitamin A, which is why they’re such a great face food. Vitamin A maintains and repairs skin cells, which is why you’ll have a dry, flaky complexion if you’re deficient in this nutrient. As an antioxidant, vitamin A also fights free radical damage that can prematurely age the skin. And with less than 70 calories per serving, this succulent fruit is the perfect pick for your figure as well as your face.

Face Food #3: Almonds
Not only is it a great shape for your eyes, almonds are also great food for your complexion. With 150% of your daily need for vitamin E, it’s no wonder that getting a bit nutty is good for you. The rich oils in vitamin E moisturize dry skin, while the antioxidants protect against skin damage and premature aging of facial tissue.

Face Food #4: Cottage Cheese
Dairy isn’t just good for your bones, it’s great for your face, too. But it’s the selenium in cottage cheese, not the calcium, that has us really going wild for these creamy curds. Selenium, a mineral, teams up with vitamin E as a powerful free-radical fighting antioxidant. Plus, it’s been touted to protect against skin cancer and even fight dandruff.

Face Food #5: Acerola Cherries
Your average cherry doesn’t supply a significant amount of vitamin C, but don’t tell that to this particular cherry. One single Acerola cherry supplies 100% of your daily allowance for vitamin C, which is great news for your skin. As an antioxidant, vitamin C fights skin damage and wrinkles. It also plays a central role in the production of collagen, the structural protein in your skin. Ain’t life just a bowl of cherries?

Face Food #6: Oysters
Whether they’re an aphrodisiac or not, oysters are certainly in love with your skin. As a rich source of zinc, oysters may help fight acne. Since zinc plays a role in sebum production, a deficiency may contribute to acne problems. Not only can getting enough zinc in your diet help clear up acne, it can also help boost elastin production with the help of vitamin C.

Face Food #7: Baked Potatoes
Unlike the greasy French fry, a plump, steaming baked potato is actually good for your skin. One baked potato (with the skin) supplies 75% of your daily recommendation for copper. This mineral works hand-in-hand with vitamin C and zinc to produce the elastin fibers that support skin structure. Too little copper in your diet can reduce your skin’s ability to heal and cause it to become rigid and lifeless.

Face Food #8: Mushrooms
This fungi isn’t only great for shish kebabs and stir fries, it’s also rich in riboflavin, a B vitamin that’s vital to your skin. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is involved in tissue maintenance and repair, but actually goes beyond basic skin care to improve skin blemishes caused by rosacea. This vitamin is so important for skin repair that the body will use up large amounts after sustaining a burn or wound, or undergoing surgery.

Face Food #9: Flaxseed Oil
It’s no secret that Omega-3s are great for your skin, but did you know that flaxseed oil is one of the best sources of this essential fatty acid? That’s great news if you’re not a fish-lover. Just one teaspoon of flaxseed oil per day provides 2.5 grams of Omega-3s, which in turn hydrate the skin. Essential fatty acids are also beneficial for diluting sebum and unclogging pores that can otherwise lead to acne.

Face Food #10: Wheat Germ
Don’t let the “germ” scare you – it’s actually just the embryo within a grain of wheat, meaning it’s very nutritious. Wheat germ is a good source of biotin, a B vitamin that is crucial to skin health. Biotin is so important that even a mild deficiency can actually cause dermatitis, a skin condition characterized by itchy, scaly skin. Sprinkle wheat germ on yogurt for a tasty way to get more biotin in your diet.

Slather it on!
Not only can eating all of these foods nourish healthier skin from the inside out, some make for great facial masks, too.

Try this avocado mask to instantly moisturize your skin:
Mash one whole avocado.
Add 1 tsp flaxseed oil and 1 tsp honey.
Mix together until smooth and creamy.
Apply to face and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse clean with warm water.

Take care of your skin by eating right and having fun with your food. Also be sure to drink plenty of water and exercise daily to flush out toxins, and don’t put toxins right back in your body! Smoking damages healthy skin and makes it more prone to wrinkles and an ashen, gray color – not pretty. And, finally, always wear sunscreen, especially on your face, whether it’s clearly sunny out, or cloudy and gray. Buy a face moisturizer that contains an SPF of at least 15 to protect your face or wear a hat that provides shade.