Healthy skin diet

Prevent wrinkles with the antioxidant Lycopene found in tomato skin.

Your skin’s appearance can provide a clear reflection of your lifestyle choices.

From the helpful to the harmful, here is the lowdown on how a few common ingredients found in your everyday diet can impact the skin.

Healthy ingredients

Just add water

This crucial component of a healthy body not only keeps us alive, but also keeps skin looking good. “Skin needs water,” says Leslie Baumann, chief of cosmetic dermatology at the University of Miami. “However, it is not how much water you drink that is important but how well your skin holds onto water.”

Skin has a protective coating that’s constructed of lipids (fats) and helps prevent water evaporation. If that precious water gets away, it can leave the skin dehydrated, rough and dull looking. To help keep all of that moisture where it belongs, Baumann points out that taking flax seed supplements may help. “They are a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help the skin barrier,” says Baumann.

Fruitopia

Vitamin C is a key component of a skin-friendly diet. "Vitamin C helps make collagen, which is the protein fiber that's responsible for giving skin its strength and vitality," says Dori Zerlin, RD. Fruits such as papaya, oranges and grapefruit are great sources of this mighty vitamin.

Vegetable medley

When it comes to vegetables – think antioxidants. Lycopene and lutein are both part of the antioxidant family, which is credited with preventing the formation of new wrinkles. Lycopene can be found in tomato skin, while leafy green vegetables are packed not only with lutein, but vitamin A, which, according to Baumann, can help clear up acne.

Not-So-Healthy Ingredients

Sugar Shock

The sweet stuff may taste great, but it's not great for the skin. High blood-sugar levels negatively impact collagen and elastin, two building blocks that give your skin a supple, youthful look.

Salt of the Earth

It can do wonders for the skin, but only in the form of an exfoliating scrub. Salt's internal effects aren't nearly as attractive. Too much salt in the diet can cause bloating, which stretches the skin and leads to wrinkles and dryness.

What about caffeine?

Caffeine is an antioxidant, so it can actually be good for the skin. However, Zerlin points out that "caffeine has a diuretic effect that can drain the body of its water supply." This leads to, you guessed it – more wrinkles and dryness so if you're drinking coffee – make sure you have plenty of water.

To summarise: When the body is functioning on a healthy level – skin looks great. Lots of water, low sugar, tons of veggies and some fruit will make you look and feel your best.

Do you have oily or dry skin? What have you found that works for you? Enter your comments below.