What should we eat for a beautiful skin?

Beautiful skin is the mirror of a healthy body and a healthy organism. One of the factors that affect the aesthetic and functional state of the skin is diet. A balanced diet helps keep our skin glowing and healthy.

Vitamin C and E: they are both antioxidant vitamins and appear to help reduce the damage caused to the skin by sun exposure, also protect against DNA damage, reduce wrinkles, and generally improve overall skin texture. In particular, vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen. Finally, like all antioxidant vitamins, they reduce the damage caused to the skin by air pollution and smoking.

Foods rich in vitamins C is: citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, kiwis, broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers, strawberries

Foods rich in vitamin E are: vegetable oils, mainly olive oil, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables

Vitamin A: it is necessary for the maintenance and regeneration of tissues, and also seems to protect the skin from the damage caused by solar radiation. People who have an insufficient intake of vitamin A may have noticed that their skin is dry. Also, research has shown that people suffering from psoriasis will see significant improvement from increasing the consumption of foods rich in retinol (vitamin A).

Foods rich in vitamin A are: green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, orange-yellow fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, . as well as liver, fish and fish oils, milk and some dairy products, and eggs.

Biotin : deficiency in biotin can lead to a large number of dermatitis.

Foods rich in biotin are: egg yolk, fish, soy, and whole grain products.

Selenium: recent research has shown that it appears to reduce the risk of skin cancer and may help against sunburn. Selenium is also an antioxidant and together with vitamin E and A fights free radicals.

Foods rich in selenium are: meat, seafood, whole grains and some vegetables.

Zinc: it is necessary for the synthesis of collagen and elastin.
A deficiency in zinc is sometimes a causative factor in the appearance of acne.

Foods rich in zinc are: beef, liver, whole grains, oysters, and wheat germ.

Essential fatty acids ω-3, ω-6: deficiency in essential fatty acids can lead to several skin problems, including dryness, inflammation and acne. Inflammation leads to further production of free radicals, which in turn cause premature aging of the skin.

Foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 are: plant-based foods e.g. flaxseed oil, soybeans, nuts and their oils, and canola oil, also green vegetables, such as salad greens, spinach, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Finally, fatty fish and seafood

Phaedra Dagoglou

Dietitian Nutritionist, Msc

Food Science and Technology/ Food Safety