We’ve all heard the saying “You are what you eat.” It’s also a commonly known strategy to avoid certain foods to help look after our skin – chocolate to reduce acne, for example. From a nutritional perspective, there are a few important nutrients when it comes to skin health. Let’s have a look at those nutrients and the food that we can get them from.
Zinc
Zinc is a key nutrient for proper function of the skin. It is needed to make proteins (such as keratin and collagen), wound healing and is an important antioxidant. It has been used as a therapeutic treatment of various skin conditions such as warts, acne, rosacea, psoriasis, alopecia (hair loss), as well as to heal scar tissue. One study has shown an improvement in wrinkles after using a zinc cream for 8 weeks. (1)
Food sources of zinc (2) include:
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help to fight damage to the skin that is caused by UV light. Note that Vitamin C should not be used as a sunscreen, but rather, it helps the skin to repair itself. Vitamin C also plays a part in making collagen, which makes it an important nutrient in skin health. It has also been linked to anti-ageing and wound healing. In fact, one of the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency (also known as scurvy) is lesions in the skin and poor would healing. There has also been a correlation between high vitamin C levels and a lower risk of dry skin. (3,4)
Food sources of Vitamin C (5) include:
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an important part in our immune system, and because many skin conditions are linked to allergies, or auto-immune conditions, vitamin D is important for those conditions. It has shown positive effects in:
Vitamin D is produced in our bodies after exposure to the sun. Check out the Cancer Council guidelines for appropriate sun exposure here. We can get some Vitamin D from food sources, including:
Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when taken or administered in adequate amounts. (7) They are found in some foods, as well as in supplements.
Recent research into different strains of probiotics tell us that different strains of probiotics may help with different health conditions. In particular, lactobacillus rhamnoses (LGG) given to pregnant mothers and babies after birth have reduced the rate of eczema by 2 years of age. (7)
Foods containing live probiotics include:
Essential Fatty Acids
The essential fatty acids (EFAs) omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsturated fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid all play a part in skin health. These EFAs can be ingested or used topically to treat skin conditions. (8) They have been associated with positive effects in the following skin conditions:
EFAs are found in lots of different foods, including:
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps maintain skin health in relation to sunburn, as well as wrinkling and irregular pigmentation of aging skin due to UV exposure. (10) Food sources of vitamin A include:
Other dietary factors
While the above are specific nutrients for skin health, Nutritionists tend to look at the whole person, rather than individual nutrients. Other things that are taken into consideration when looking at skin conditions are:
We also look at lifestyle factors such as:
Conclusion
While many nutrients play a role in skin health, it is important that we follow a varied diet of natural, whole foods to ensure that we have utmost skin health. We should also ensure to reduce or avoid sun exposure, stress, artificial colours, flavours and preservatives to keep our skin in tip-top condition. Remember, if you have any concerns about your skin health, consult your health care practitioner.
References
Schagen S et al, 2012, ‘Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging’, Dermato Endocrinology, 4(3): 298–307, viewed on 19 October 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/