Nutrition advisor at Viridian,Will Jordan, has the answers as to how to eat well to support your skin
Why is healthy skin important, other than how it looks?
The skin is the body’s largest organ and aside from holding everything together, it protects your internal body’s make-up. It is the physical barrier that protects all our vital organs, muscles, and nerves from the outside world. The skin defends against infections by physically stopping microbes entering the body, as well as holding in bodily fluids, preventing dehydration. It is also effective at regulating our internal temperature by dilating blood vessels when we are hot and constricting them when we are cold. It’s full of nerve endings, which is how we feel temperature, pain and touch. F eeling is arguably one of the most important evolutionary developments as it gives information about our surroundings and lets us know if something hurts or not!
Is a plant-based diet good for skin?
Plant-based diets that incorporate a variety of fruit, vegetables, legumes, beans and fungi are rich in vitamins and minerals. As a result, this can have a positive effect on all aspects of the skin, from firmness and elasticity to decreasing wrinkles because of their rich antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Consuming these foods helps good bacteria in our digestive tract flourish, which has a significant impact on skin health, also known as the gut-skin axis.
Plant-based diets are high in both types of fibre. Soluble fibre has anti-inflammatory properties, which may help promote skin health. Insoluble fibre helps with regular bowel movements, which excrete toxins and waste that may have negative effects on skin health.
Which foods are particularly good for skin?
Avaried diet with a mix of rich colours is important to achieve and maintain healthy skin. F oods high in vitamin A and beta-carotene, such as sweet potatoes, green leafy veg and mangos all help contribute to skin maintenance. F oods high in antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, also contribute to skin health and reduce oxidative stress, which is an excess number of free radicals in the body that can damage tissues and D NA. Vitamin C rich foods include berries, citrus fruits, and cruciferous veg, while vitamin E is found in seeds, nuts, and beet greens. G inger, garlic, green tea, and oregano can also have beneficial effects on your skin.
All these foods should be included in your diet, where possible, as they also contain phytonutrients and flavonoids, which are ben
