Beauty Foods for Clear Skin

Beauty Foods for Clear Skin

Have you noticed that your skin gets blotchy and dry, especially when you eat certain things? Do you know that certain foods can make you look healthier?

Your skin is your body's most visible, not to mention largest, organ. And just as your other vital organs -- your heart, lungs and liver, for example -- need the right nutrients to function properly, your skin depends on healthful eating habits to look and feel its best. Eating a poor diet can affect your skin just as much as smoking can.

One of the top dietary skin spoilers is sugar. Sugars raise insulin levels and cause inflammation of the skin. This makes pores larger and can invite acne. Aside from slashing your sugar intake, there are plenty of ways to eat for better skin. Here are the experts' top picks for foods that make you glow.

1. Moisture makers
Water is the best way to ensure that your skin looks its best. But olive oil and cantaloupe are two foods that also help you maintain a dewy, healthy look. Just a few one-tablespoon servings of olive oil per week keeps skin healthy, since the oil is packed with antioxidants that help pores stay clear. Use it to stir-fry vegetables, flavor pasta dishes and dress salads. Eating half a cup of cantaloupe cubes also helps vanquish dry skin, thanks to the fruit's high carotene content, which keeps skin cells healthy. If you eat a cantaloupe for dessert at night, you'll look better for it in the morning.

2. Sun shields
There is no substitute for sunscreen to protect your skin from the harsh rays, but grabbing a handful of berries may help lessen the negative affects of exposure. Berries are loaded with antioxidants, natural anti-inflammatory compounds that help repair skin and prevent further damage by neutralizing free radicals in your body. Eat a cup of colorful berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, every day.

3. Line smoothers
Wrinkles are an inevitable aspect of aging. But a low-fat diet can exacerbate the appearance of lines on the face. Cutting fat out of your diet often means you're also cutting out essential fats, like omega-3 fatty acids. And that makes your skin look terrible. That's because essential fatty acids help cells maintain their fluidity, flexibility and functionality -- and healthy cells make for a healthy glow. In fact, studies have shown that people who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in essential fats from fish, beans and olive oil are less susceptible to wrinkles than those who indulge in a diet heavy with nonessential fats from butter, sugar and milk products.

Another way to keep skin resilient, is by eating protein-rich foods such as lean meat, turkey and white-meat chicken. The skin can't repair itself unless there's protein to help repair cells. Two six-ounce cuts of meat per day is a healthful recommendation. Vegetarians can pack a protein punch by consuming a daily serving of nuts (two tablespoons) or soy (one cup). Soy has the added benefit of containing estrogen, which has been found to stimulate connective tissue and promote healthy skin.

4. Zit Zappers
Contrary to common belief, acne sufferers shouldn't be worried about what they shouldn't eat (for example, chocolate!) -- they should focus instead on foods that can help their skin. Studies have shown that dark green vegetables such as spinach are dietary musts for people plagued by pimples and blackheads, since they are full of antioxidants that reduce inflammation and neutralize cell-damaging agents. Try to get five or six servings of leafy greens per week plus a daily serving of orange veggies such as carrots, pumpkin and peppers, which are rich in beta-carotene, a compound that converts into vitamin A in the body and helps heal damaged skin tissue.

5. Itch fighters
If you suffer from itchy, irritated skin caused by eczema or psoriasis, eat an eight-ounce serving of salmon or other fatty fish two or three times a week, as well as flaxseed (you can grind four tablespoons into a dressing). Both foods provide essential fatty acids that hydrate the skin and keep dead cells from creating flakes and blocking pores. Another helper for rough skin patches -- including wounds and scars -- is a diet rich in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, which are chock-full of vitamins A, C and E. Vitamin C in particular is critical in healing wounds since it helps form connective tissue. Aim for five servings a day.