quick clicks

recipes today articles

recipes today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Expert Q&A

	By Allison Gamble Nutritionist/Diet Technician Highland Park Hospital, Illinois

Which types of food are good for our skin?

A diet full of variety is the most beneficial for our skin. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamins and minerals responsible for maintaining skin integrity. Protein is also a key player. Some important nutrients are vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamin A deficiency can cause dry, scaly skin. Deficiencies are rare, since many foods we eat are fortified, and we have access to abundant sources. Remember, vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. Mega-doses are bad news since the excess gets stored in our bodies and can become toxic.

Good sources of vitamin A are fish oils, liver, foods fortified in vitamin A (such as milk), and dark leafy-green, yellow, orange, and red vegetables. Vitamin C is responsible for aiding in production of collagen. Collagen is a connective tissue that holds muscles, bones, and other tissues in the body together. Vitamin C helps keep our gums healthy, and aids in healing cuts and wounds. Citrus foods are the best known sources of vitamin C, as are strawberries, broccoli, baked potatoes with skin, tomatoes, and spinach to name a few extra.

Protein helps to repair our body's cells when they wear out. The amino acids from protein are the "building blocks of life." Amino acids have many functions, as do all nutrients, they are part of every cell in our skin, muscles, bones, and organs. Collagen is a protein, which relies on vitamin C to aid in its formation. Excess protein is not necessary, since any unused protein will get stored as fat.

Vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotenes are antioxidants, which help fight against free radicals. Free radicals (oxygen byproducts) can cause cell and tissue damage.

In addition, to take really good care of your skin be sure to drink plenty of water and get lots of sleep! And eat a well-rounded diet. This is crucial in order to supply your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to maintain its cell functions and, in turn, our bodies. There are so many important functions, which all nutrients have, and it is difficult to pinpoint certain ones and say they are responsible. The truth is, all nutrients rely on each other, and many reactions that help maintain our health cannot happen if one is missing.

View more Q&A by this Expert