What you eat reflects on your skin. Yes, we have said this before, and we are repeating it!
Healthy eating not only benefits your fitness and weight loss goals, but it also works on your skin, hair and overall looks. So, for healthy glowing skin, eating right is very important.
Whatever you put up on your face, how much ever you visit the beauty salons, unless you feed your body well with the right amount of required nutrition, no beauty product, no salon can bring the radiant glow on your skin.
Nourishing your body from inside gives a healthy, radiant and youthful skin outside. Holistic nourishment involves a properly balanced diet which should include the right amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates etc.
Here are the top essential nutrients required for glowing skin.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A supports collagen production, a protein that provides structure to your body, including your bones, skin, tendons, and ligaments. The vitamin also controls Keratin production (a substance that makes up most of our skin cells) and helps keep skin strong and healthy.
It supports the skin’s immune system and promotes natural moisturising. Vitamin A keeps the skin hydrated and gives it a radiant glow. It also helps in promoting and maintaining healthy skin layers dermis and epidermis.
Vitamin A is readily available in a wide range of food sources including pumpkin, sweet potato, eggs and leafy greens. Very rarely, it needs to be supplemented to keep up with the required amount.
Vitamin C
Like Vitamin A, Vitamin C also supports collagen production and healing processes in the skin. Collagen and elastin are destroyed by free radicals, leading to the development of wrinkles. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which fights against free radical damage that causes premature ageing. Getting enough Vitamin C will therefore keep you young and glowing.
Vitamin C can be obtained from a balanced diet and rarely need to be supplemented. Citrus fruits including lemons, oranges and berries are a rich source of Vitamin C. It is found in many vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower etc.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E, along with Vitamin C, protects the skin from the damaging effect of ultraviolet (UV) rays. It improves the texture of the skin, slows down the conversion of soluble collagen into insoluble collagen thereby slows down the ageing process.
Vegetable oils, peanuts, various plant seeds, olives, broccoli, spinach and asparagus are rich dietary sources of vitamin E.
To get the required amount of Vitamin E, you can also consider supplementation. However, it is always advisable to take expert advice since overdose of Vitamin can be harmful.
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B Complex means different forms of Vitamin Bs including Vitamin B-3, Vitamin B-5, Vitamin B-6 etc. All the B Vitamins are essential for healthy skin.
Vitamin B7 (biotin) is one of the most important vitamins found in the skin. Lack of this vitamin can cause itchy and scaly skin. Bananas, eggs, oatmeal and rice are a rich source of biotin. The human body can also produce its biotin.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) helps the skin to retain moisture. Therefore creams containing niacin help your complexion look plumper and younger. Niacin also has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in soothing dry and irritated skin.
With the help of Vitamin B Complex, the skin regulates cell turnover and sebum production. Besides, it also helps in utilising the Essential Fatty Acids, efficiently.
Meat, eggs, seafood, nuts and seeds are some of the sources of Vitamin B. However, the vitamin can be tricky to get from diet alone and often needs to be supplemented.
Zinc
Zinc is another essential skin-friendly mineral required for optimal skin health. The deficiency of the mineral can be determined if you have acne-prone skin. It is therefore advised to take zinc supplements if you are suffering from acne, eczema or any other inflammatory skin condition.
Healthy Fats
Fats give a glow to your skin! Avoiding fats in your diet can make your skin dry, wrinkles and dull.
However, it is important to focus on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from plants and avoid unhealthy fats for healthy skin.
Nuts, seeds, avocados and fats from fish are all types of healthy fats. They help your skin stay moist, firm, and flexible.
Polyunsaturated fats also help in blocking a chemical which can cause growing and spreading of skin cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids are a kind of polyunsaturated fat. Our body needs to build cell walls but cannot make it on its own. which your body can’t make but needs to build cell walls.
Protein
The proteins our body consumes are turned into amino acids, the building blocks of the body. It is then reused to make collagen and keratin. Amino acids also help slough off old skin. Some amino acids are antioxidants that protect skin cells against UV rays and from free radicals.
So, in a nutshell, we can say that proper nutrition is the key for glowing skin. The nutrients listed above will give a healthy and radiant glow to our skin besides keeping our body and mind fit.
