After you doll yourself up with your tinted SPF, have a cup of melon alongside your breakfast. Red and orange fruits or vegetables are rich in beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, a nutrient necessary in the growth and repair of tissues and that may help block the effects of UV rays. Less sun damage = more youthful skin.
Other sources: sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, mangoes, apricots.
Cereal
Whole grain cereals are rich in selenium, a nutrient that helps protect the skin from sun damage and delays signs of aging by protecting skin quality and elasticity. Add cereal to your morning breakfast of cantaloupe and your skin will thank you.
Other sources: Brazil nuts, canned light tuna, wheat germ, turkey.
Sardines
If your reaction is based on bad PR rather than personal experience, these little fishies might be worth another look. Foods rich in omega-3's help maintain healthy cell membranes that keep water and nutrients in and toxins out. Cells plump with nutrients and water mean vibrant-looking skin.
Other sources: walnuts, flaxseeds, wild salmon.
Water
Okay, not a proper snack, but it bears repeating. Plenty of water aids in all sorts of bodily processes, including the ushering out of toxins and the production of sweat, which helps keep skin clean and clear. Keep a pretty glass carafe on your desk to make drinking water a habit.
Tomatoes
In numerous studies, the lycopene in tomatoes have helped protect skin from damaging UV rays. Adding tomatoes to your diet is kind of like SPF from the inside, only a heck of a lot tastier than eating sunscreen (no, seriously – don't eat your sunscreen).
Other sources: pink grapefruit, watermelon, papaya and guava.
Eggs
Eggs are a good source of biotin, a nutrient involved in the production of fat in the body, a process especially critical for skin cells. Eating foods rich in biotin can help prevent dryness and keep skin looking supple.
Other sources: chard, cauliflower, almonds, onions, and avocado.
Bell peppers
Half a red bell pepper contains a day's worth of vitamin C, a nutrient that helps build collagen and beats off skin damaging free radicals. Adding a few slices of bell pepper to your salad could lead to fewer premature wrinkles down the road (and a more delicious lunch in the meantime).
Other sources: oranges, strawberries, lemons, broccoli.
Here's the kind of advice we love: for beautiful skin, eat delicious food. Now that a prescription we can get behind. Whether you're dogged by dryness or a dull complexion, here are seven fresh foods to nosh to give you that gorgeous glow. Perhaps best of all, there's nothing weird and out of the ordinary here; these are likely foods you're already eating as part of a great-tasting, healthy diet. Seconds, anyone?
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