Most people have probably heard of the saying that you are what you eat, and when it comes to the state of your skin, this could not be more true and relevant. The foods you eat contain a variety of nutrients such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals which the body then breaks down and uses to repair, rebuild and maintain the body.
A body which is lacking in essential nutrients is therefore much more likely to suffer from poor health and low energy levels, because the body is being deprived of the very things it needs to stay healthy and function in its optimum condition. The worst types of foods you can eat are foods that have been heavily processed or are made by man, as such foods tend to be devoid of any nutritional value, and although they may taste nice, provide virtually no benefit to you.
The best types of foods to eat therefore are those which are natural, or as close to natural as possible, with nothing added and nothing taken away. Such foods tend to contain the greatest amounts of essential nutrients, which the body can then use to keep it functioning in optimal health.
So what should you be looking for in terms of nutrients for healthy skin? Below we will have a look at some of the most important nutrients that can keep your skin healthy and help to slow down the signs of facial aging.
Fat
Fat is very important for the skin because it helps to keep it moist and hydrated and it is also a component of every cell membrane. People who go on a low fat diet tend to have much drier skin than people who eat adequate amounts of fat, and as a result, tend to experience faster aging of the skin. Good sources of healthy fats are olive oil, nuts and avocados.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins when it comes to keeping your skin in optimal condition. Vitamin C is needed by the body to maintain the supportive collagen structure that sits underneath your skin. If you do not have enough vitamin C in your diet your skin can start to sag and develop fine lines and wrinkles prematurely. Some of the best sources of vitamin C are lemons, oranges, berries and broccoli.
Chocolate
Chocolate has gained quite a bad reputation over the past few decades as people have become more aware of junk foods and foods which can make them fat. However, chocolate is actually very good for you and contains a large amount of antioxidants which can help to protect your body from the damaging effects of free radicals. But before you rush out and buy the biggest bar of chocolate you can find, be aware that such health benefits of chocolate come from dark chocolate that contains a high cocoa content. Regular chocolate, the stuff you normally find in chocolate bars, is not the type of chocolate that is going to benefit your health. Instead, it will most likely just cause you to put on weight!
Tea
Green tea is what most people tend to think of in terms of teas that benefit the body, and whilst it is true that green tea does contain a lot of antioxidants and trace minerals, studies have shown that black tea is just as good for you. However, in order to get these benefits from black tea, you need to drink it without milk, as milk has been found to block many of the nutrients that naturally occur in black tea. One thing that can put people off from drinking green tea or black tea though is their caffeine content, which may not may them the best drinks to have before going to bed as they may interfere with your sleep. An alternative type of tea that is still very nutritious, but lacks caffeine, is Rooibos tea.
