collagen, this causes cross-linking of the proteins, making skin stiff. In addition, free-radical damage activates enzymes called
metalloproteinases
, which break down collagen, leading to wrinkles and sagging.
This sounds like a whole army of problems, but the good news is you can protect yourself simply by upping your intake of antioxidants. The body makes its own antioxidants, but it can't keep up with the internal demand—especially these days, when it is exposed to toxins, pollution, x-rays, and other aspects of modern life that cause oxidative stress. Also, the levels of the body's natural antioxidants decrease with age, so adding antioxidants to your diet becomes even more important.
BETA-CAROTENE
As an antioxidant, beta-carotene protects lipid membranes from free-radical damage that can lead to skin aging. This important beauty nutrient also gets converted to vitamin A in the body, which helps to keep skin smooth. While it is beneficial and safe to consume beta-carotene from natural sources, I do not recommend beta-carotene supplements since they may pose risk for harm. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, spinach, kiwi, and tomatoes. You can also add beta-carotene to your diet with foods like pumpkin, carrots, chilies, mangoes, cantaloupe, and apricots. (For more information, see the section on vitamin A in Chapter 7 .)
VITAMIN C
A highly effective antioxidant and collagen-boosting nutrient, vitamin C is a multitasking vitamin you'll be reading about again for its other valuable properties. Because you can't make vitamin C, and because it is water soluble and does not hang around in the body, you need to consume fresh vitamin C in your diet every day. A study published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
is note-worthybecause it examined the effect of diet, not supplements, on the skin of everyday women. This study found that a diet high in vitamin C was associated with less dryness and less noticeable wrinkles. In addition to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C promotes healing and cellular repair and is especially important for skin because it is involved in collagen production. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of vitamin C in kiwi, blueberries, sweet potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes. You can also get your daily dose of vitamin C from foods like peppers, oranges, strawberries, lemons, and broccoli (see the section on vitamin C in Chapter 1 ).
VITAMIN E
Since it is fat soluble, vitamin E can protect lipid membranes in the skin from free-radical damage. Vitamin E is a good team player: it works with other antioxidants to make them more effective and boosts the effectiveness of certain enzymes that are needed for good skin health, including glutathione peroxidase. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, vitamin E is found in blueberries, kiwifruit, spinach, tomatoes, and walnuts. Other foods rich in vitamin E include wheat germ, sunflower seeds, safflower and sunflower oils, almonds, peaches, prunes, cabbage, asparagus, and avocados. (For more information, see the section on vitamin E later in this chapter.)
SELENIUM
Like vitamin E, selenium plays well with others. It helps create antioxidant enzymes and boosts the potency of vitamin E. Selenium is important for skin because it is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins. It can protect skin quality and elasticity because the antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of selenium in salmon and oysters. Brazil nuts are an extraordinarily good source of selenium. Other selenium-rich foods include tuna, crab, whole wheatbread, wheat germ, garlic, eggs, and brown rice. (For more information, see details on selenium in Chapter 2 .)
ZINC
This essential mineral is found in almost every cell and plays many roles in the body. Multiple studies have shown that as an
metalloproteinases
, which break down collagen, leading to wrinkles and sagging.
This sounds like a whole army of problems, but the good news is you can protect yourself simply by upping your intake of antioxidants. The body makes its own antioxidants, but it can't keep up with the internal demand—especially these days, when it is exposed to toxins, pollution, x-rays, and other aspects of modern life that cause oxidative stress. Also, the levels of the body's natural antioxidants decrease with age, so adding antioxidants to your diet becomes even more important.
BETA-CAROTENE
As an antioxidant, beta-carotene protects lipid membranes from free-radical damage that can lead to skin aging. This important beauty nutrient also gets converted to vitamin A in the body, which helps to keep skin smooth. While it is beneficial and safe to consume beta-carotene from natural sources, I do not recommend beta-carotene supplements since they may pose risk for harm. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, spinach, kiwi, and tomatoes. You can also add beta-carotene to your diet with foods like pumpkin, carrots, chilies, mangoes, cantaloupe, and apricots. (For more information, see the section on vitamin A in Chapter 7 .)
VITAMIN C
A highly effective antioxidant and collagen-boosting nutrient, vitamin C is a multitasking vitamin you'll be reading about again for its other valuable properties. Because you can't make vitamin C, and because it is water soluble and does not hang around in the body, you need to consume fresh vitamin C in your diet every day. A study published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
is note-worthybecause it examined the effect of diet, not supplements, on the skin of everyday women. This study found that a diet high in vitamin C was associated with less dryness and less noticeable wrinkles. In addition to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C promotes healing and cellular repair and is especially important for skin because it is involved in collagen production. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of vitamin C in kiwi, blueberries, sweet potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes. You can also get your daily dose of vitamin C from foods like peppers, oranges, strawberries, lemons, and broccoli (see the section on vitamin C in Chapter 1 ).
VITAMIN E
Since it is fat soluble, vitamin E can protect lipid membranes in the skin from free-radical damage. Vitamin E is a good team player: it works with other antioxidants to make them more effective and boosts the effectiveness of certain enzymes that are needed for good skin health, including glutathione peroxidase. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, vitamin E is found in blueberries, kiwifruit, spinach, tomatoes, and walnuts. Other foods rich in vitamin E include wheat germ, sunflower seeds, safflower and sunflower oils, almonds, peaches, prunes, cabbage, asparagus, and avocados. (For more information, see the section on vitamin E later in this chapter.)
SELENIUM
Like vitamin E, selenium plays well with others. It helps create antioxidant enzymes and boosts the potency of vitamin E. Selenium is important for skin because it is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins. It can protect skin quality and elasticity because the antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, you'll find significant amounts of selenium in salmon and oysters. Brazil nuts are an extraordinarily good source of selenium. Other selenium-rich foods include tuna, crab, whole wheatbread, wheat germ, garlic, eggs, and brown rice. (For more information, see details on selenium in Chapter 2 .)
ZINC
This essential mineral is found in almost every cell and plays many roles in the body. Multiple studies have shown that as an
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