When I first started my FutureDerm blog in 2007, it seemed like nobody talked about the effects of diet and nutrition on skin condition. Now, five years later, everyone from Dr. Nicholas Perricone (The Perricone Prescription) to Dr. Jessica Wu (Feed Your Face) is recommending that you follow his or her diet to achieve the best skin possible. Evidence shows that your diet may affect your skin even more than your skin care products do, so before you shell out $500 for that ultra-luxe anti-aging cream, you may want to invest your money in fresh produce, a juicer, green tea, and some steel-cut oats instead. 1. Antioxidants Prevent Free Radical Damage (Maybe Repair It, Too)

According to a study in The Journal of Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, eating an antioxidant may be even more beneficial than topically applying it. In the study, forty women were split into four groups. The first group was given a supplement containing the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. The second group was given a topical cream with the same antioxidants. The third group was given both the supplement and the topical cream, while the fourth and final group was given a placebo.After twelve weeks, it was found that the oral supplement and the cream both improved skin elasticity, hydration, and protection against sun damage, but the combination therapy boosted numbers the most—skin hydration by 60 percent and protection against sunburn by 20 percent.2. Healthy Foods Can Decrease Inflammation

In the normal immune process, a lesion in tissue attracts immune cells to the site for repair and regeneration of the tissue. Once the repair and regeneration process is complete, the site largely returns to normal.Unfortunately, too many stress signals can lead to excess inflammation. In your skin, this excess of inflammatory chemicals (called cytokines) can lead to unsightly symptoms like dilated blood vessels, reddening, facial swelling, water retention, and more.

Two of the easiest ways to control inflammation are to eat the proper kind of fatty acids and to eat foods with a low glycemic index score. The two most prominent fatty acids are omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Ideally, we would be getting a ratio of 3:1 omega-6 to omega-3 in our diets, but unfortunately, most oils have far more omega-6 than necessary, including corn, soy, sunflower, safflower, peanut, and cottonseed oils, which can lead to excess inflammation. On the other hand, olive and safflower/sunflower oils have the desirable ratio of fatty acids, and are considered to be anti-inflammatory.Foods with a low glycemic index score—like leafy green vegetables, oatmeal, almonds, blueberries, raspberries, and whole grains—cause a smaller spike in blood sugar, which results in less inflammation.3. Small Portions and Raw Food Keep Your Collagen Young

If you gently pinch your grandma’s cheeks, they will not bounce back as readily as they did when she was eighteen, or even forty. The reason, in part, is due to an advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) called glucosepane, which causes skin’s collagen to harden and become less elastic. Foods containing larger amounts of sugars, fats, and protein will result in more AGEs, as well as foods cooked at high temperatures.In general, it’s best to make sure that carb-y or fatty foods are consumed slow-cooked or raw. More importantly, keep your portions small. Many doctors recommend learning to stop eating when you’re about 80 percent full.4. Proper Hydration Keeps Your Skin Supple

For years, dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad has touted the skin benefits of drinking at least eight glasses of water every day. He has found that drinking more water keeps skin looking youthful, supple, clear, and bright by enabling cells to maintain healthy cell walls to retain beneficial nutrients and protect against free radical damage.If drinking plain water is boring for you, BORBA makes a number of mix-ins for water bottles that are replete with antioxidants. Green tea is one of the best anti-inflammatories out there—and counts towards your total water consumption, too.5. A Healthy Diet Can Prevent Some Skin Conditions

In general, patients in the U.S. and other industrialized countries rarely have serious skin conditions related to nutritional deficiencies. For instance, scurvy, which results from a diet devoid of vitamin C, is almost nonexistent in the U.S.Instead, American patients often get chelitis, or that annoying patch of dry skin at the corners of the mouth, which is attributable to a deficiency of vitamin B2. In addition, regular dermatitis may be caused by a number of factors, one of which is B6 deficiency.