Eat this for great skin

The truth is, what you eat does affect your looks today and down the road. Here’s a rundown of the nutrients you need for healthy, glowing skin.

If you doubt the mantra you are what you eat then, next time you are caught in a supermarket queue, take a peek in the trolleys around you. Then have a look at the people pushing them. Chances are that those filled with white bread, doughnuts, soft drinks and packets of crisps are being wielded by people with pasty complexions and lifeless hair. And those loaded with fresh spinach and berries, fat-free milk, whole-wheat bread and salmon had shoppers with rosy, smooth skin and shiny hair behind them.

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 sources: egg yolks, oysters and non-fat 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

German researchers found that as little as 30mg a day (the equivalent of 11/2 cups of cooked carrots) can help prevent/reduce the redness and inflammation associated with sunburn. Research shows that beta carotene accumulates in the skin, providing 24-hour protection against sun damage. Also, when combined with vitamin E, other carotenoids (cousins to beta carotene) like lutein seem to reduce redness allied with sunburn and improve skin sensitivity to sunlight, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Best sources: Dark-coloured produce, such as carrots, butternut, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, broccoli and spinach.

Vitamin B

B vitamins help convert kilojoules into energy for skin metabolism and are components of enzymes that maintain normal skin function (including functioning of the oil-producing glands, which keep skin moist and smooth). That’s why poor intake of almost any B vitamin can cause dry or scaly skin.

Best sources: Poultry, red meat, fish, bananas, tempeh, whole grains, brewer’s yeast, peanut butter and eggs.

Vitamin C

When taken internally, this vitamin helps maintain collagen the underlying supporting structure of skin. But sun exposure (and stress) can drain vitamin C from the skin, leaving it vulnerable to damage from the environment (why anti-ageing creams and sunscreens have been infused with this potent antioxidant).

Best sources: Citrus fruits and juices, kiwi, melon, strawberries, tomatoes, sweet peppers and green peas.

Vitamin E

This antioxidant helps slow the ageing of skin cells by reducing the production of an enzyme called collagenase, which breaks down collagen, causing the skin to sag and wrinkle, according to the journal Free Radical Biology & Medicine. And sun exposure can deplete vitamin E from the skin, making it more vulnerable to sun damage (why vitamin E is found in skin-care products from moisturisers to body washes).

Best sources: Salmon, legumes, extra-lean meat, almonds, leafy vegetables, and olive and sesame oils.

Selenium

The damaging effects of ultraviolet light are minimised by this antioxidant mineral, thereby reducing your risk for sunburn. In fact, research indicates that low blood levels of selenium also increase your risk for skin cancer.

Best sources: Tuna, wheat germ, sesame seeds and whole grains

Zinc

This trace mineral helps maintain collagen and elastin fibres that give skin its firmness, helping to prevent sagging and wrinkles. It also links together amino acids that are needed for the formation of collagen essential in wound healing.

Best sources: Seafood, turkey, pork, soya beans and mushrooms.

Love your liver

If your liver is happy then chances are your skin will reflect this. Juices are frequently used to help cleanse this vital organ, says Suzannah Olivier, author of The Detox Manual (Jonathan Ball). Commonly used juices for liver health are carrot and apple, but here are a couple more to throw into the mix:

• Tomatoes cleanse the blood and liver mix with celery, basil or beetroot.
• Orange, cabbage, papaya and pineapple juices help to improve digestion.
• Raspberries are excellent for kidney function.