Best Foods for Healthy Skin

It�s summer, finally. When I was a kid summer meant going to the beach. I grew up on the Mississipi. The beach we went to was on the river�. a big river with a lot of barge traffic. And a lot of fish and mud clams and all sorts of stuff one doesn�t find in municipal swimming pools. Whenever I remember the beach I think of sunflower seeds. There was, of course, a concession stand on the beach. As I had the town�s paper route I had my own money to spend with no parental dictates. Still � I always bought sunflower seeds. I had no idea I was doing something good for me by eating those tasty little morsels. Since I also love fish, sweet potatoes and avocadoes I should be in great shape� To find out why � read on: Best Foods for Healthy Skin We all want to have perfect skin without it getting dry and flaky, and showing signs of aging. That is why many of us opt for expensive skin products which can help us slow down the aging process of our skin and that can help it look glowing and healthy. However, there is one crucial thing that we may be neglecting � healthy diet. Nutrition is extremely important for our health, and if our diet is unhealthy it can severely damage our metabolism, harm our organs and negatively affect our skin. So, if you want to achieve healthy skin with nutrients only, take a look at these foods and incorporate them in your diet.  Fatty Fish Omega-3 fatty acids, that can be found in fatty fish, are necessary if we want to keep our skin thick, supple and moisturized. Salmon, mackerel and herring are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids and without them, your skin will become dull and dry. The omega-3 fats are responsible for reducing inflammation, which cause redness and acne. Plus, these fats can help prevent damage from UV rays of the sun.  Another reason why fatty fish is great for your skin is because they are the best source of vitamin E, the most important antioxidant for your skin. Your body needs the right amounts of vitamin E in order to help protect skin from damage from free radicals and inflammation. Also, fatty fish is a good source of quality protein which keeps your skin strong, as well as a source of zinc which is vital for regulating inflammation, overall health of your skin and production of new cells. Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes, as well as many other plants, are filled with beta carotene. Beta carotene functions as a provitamin A which later can be converted into vitamin A in our bodies. Beta carotene, as well as vitamin A can be found in carrots and spinach, too, besides sweet potatoes.  Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta carotene and only 100 grams or 1/2 cup of them is enough beta carotene to provide your skin with the daily value of vitamin A. Carotenoids, like beta carotene, are important for skin�s health because they act as natural sunblock, which can thus prevent dryness, flakiness and UV damage. What is more, carotene can provide a bit of orange color to your skin, making it look healthier overall.  Another way to incorporate enough vitamin A for your skin is by looking for products and foods with retinol. This is a derivative of vitamin A, and for more retinol benefits go here. Avocados Avocados are another great vegetable filled with healthy fats. Such fats are highly beneficial to our bodies, including our skin. Healthy fats are the ones responsible for skin�s flexibility and moisture. Also, avocados are filled with vitamin E which can protect your skin from oxidative damage. What is more, vitamin E works even better when combined with vitamin C, which is also found in avocados, too.  Vitamin C is the one responsible for helping your skin produce collagen. Collagen is a main structural protein that keeps our skin healthy and strong and it can prevent wrinkles from showing. And if you notice that your skin is dry, rough and scaly and bruises easily, it means you need to up the intake of your daily dose of vitamin C. Sunflower Seeds Nuts and seeds in general are a great source of skin-boosting nutrients. And sunflower seeds are a great example of that. Just one ounce of these seeds has almost half the daily value of vitamin E, 41% of daily value of selenium and 14% of daily value of zinc. Also, they contain 5.5 grams of protein. So, they are worth adding to your diet if you want your skin to be healthy. These foods are just a minor part of all the healthy foods that we should incorporate in our diet in order to boost our skin�s health. Just by adding a few of these can significantly improve your health, and your skin will look flawless.