Studies have shown that what you eat has a definite effect on the health of your skin. It is believed that anything your liver cannot handle gets pushed to the skin, resulting in spots, dull skin and eye bags. While skin super foods cannot stop the ageing process, they help slow the process down, keeping you looking younger than your years.

“Unhealthy skin is a reflection of an unbalanced diet consisting of processed food and too many cereals, pulses and non-vegetarian and dairy products, and very little fruits, vegetables and salads. Alternatively bad skin could also be symptomatic of hormonal changes like pregnancy, menopause, irregular cycles and ovarian hormonal pills,” states Harpreet Pasricha, diet consultant and nutritionist, Goa.

SPECIFIC FOODS FOR SKIN TYPES
To hydrate dry skin:
Aloe vera juice is excellent if you want younger-looking skin. Vitamin E is great for healthy skin, hair and nails. It is a boon for dehydrated, dull skin as the body needs Vitamin E to protect the cells from the onslaught of free radicals generated by air pollution, peroxides and ultra violet rays. Eating a handful of sunflower seeds daily will help you look younger, keep off wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. Avocados, almonds, sesame seeds, walnuts and olive or olive oil are also rich sources of Vitamin E.

To purify oily skin:
Consuming cucumber and bitter gourd juice on an empty stomach have been known to help oily skin. Cucumbers are excellent as anti-ageing food, as the high water content and high amounts of silica present helps to get a smooth and glowing skin. Cutting down oils and fats from the diet also helps to improve the skin texture. Processed and junk food should be avoided completely as it adversely affects oily skin more than other skin types.

To clear up acne-prone skin:
Avoid all refined foods. Eat lots of salads, fruits, and vegetables. Include more fibre in the diet like wheat bran, oat bran. Eat sprouts twice a week. Hydrate the body internally with at least 10 glasses of water a day. Pasricha recommends a tonic for a clear complexion: Karela skin juiced along with tulsi and lauki, to be taken daily till you see a visible difference in your skin tone.

RIGHT STUFF

Water cleanses and detoxifies the body and provides the much-required hydration and keeps wrinkles at bay.

Vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps neutralise the damaging effects of oxidisation caused by free radicals. Its natural sources include papaya, oranges, melons and egg yolk. Topical solutions with Vitamin A (such as retinol creams) work as an exfoliator to reduce signs of sun damage and skin ageing.

Collagen is the structural element of your skin that provides for shape and firmness. Vitamin C intake improves the firmness and production of collagen, giving your skin a more firm and youthful appearance. Amla is also a very good source of Vitamin C.

Niacin, one of the B vitamins (specifically B-3), increases your skin’s ability to retain moisture. It is found in common foods like poultry, eggs, fish, nuts and enriched breads.

Subscribe to Verve Magazine or buy the Verve issue on stands now!