It doesn’t matter how toned and trim you are if your skin is greasy, sallow, dry and flaky, patchy or – heaven forbid – spotty, you’re going to hate looking at your wedding photos in years to come. The following nutrients help your skin to be healthy from the inside out:
Vitamin A. If you don’t get enough of this, chances are you’ll suffer from a dry, flaky complexion. This is because Vitamin A is needed to maintain and repair skin tissue. Eat plenty of carrots, mangoes, pumpkin, rockmelon, spinach and other leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin B complex. The most important B vitamin for your skin is biotin because it forms the basis of skin cells. If this is lacking, you could develop itchy, scaly skin. Biotin is found in bananas, eggs, oatmeal and rice. Another B vitamin, niacin, helps maintain your skin and a shortage may make you prone to rashes, especially after being in the sun. Good sources include liver, lean meat, poultry and nuts (especially peanuts).
Vitamin C. This contains antioxidants that help your skin cells stay healthy. It plays a crucial part in the production of collagen, a protein needed for healthy skin. Good sources of Vitamin C include berries, citrus fruits, kiwifruit, broccoli, cauliflower and capsicum.
Vitamin E. This also contains antioxidants and is found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach and asparagus.
Zinc. This is vital if you have acne – in fact, acne is sometimes a symptom of zinc deficiency. Eat oysters, lean meat and poultry.
Essential fatty acids. Skin that is dry, prone to inflammation and/or often covered in whiteheads and blackheads may be a sign you’re lacking essential fatty acids (EFAs), particularly omega-3s. Eat more oily fish, including salmon, sardines and mackerel, along with flax seed and safflower oils.
Water. Vital for clear skin, it flushes out the body’s waste products, which may help prevent acne. If you don’t drink enough fluids, you can get dehydrated, which results in dark circles under the eyes and unhealthy skin.