The foods you eat to become a part of your body. If you eat foods that are bad for your skin long enough, it's going to show. Good foods can help you preserve a healthy skin. If you want to have good skin you should know what foods are good for your skin. Here are a few examples.



Lutein and Lycopene Lutein is a carotenoid found in green vegetables like spinach and kale and in egg yolks and animal fats. Lutein has an orange-red color; it absorbs blue light and therefore appears yellow at low concentrations and orange-red at high concentrations. Lutein is a carotenoid with potent antioxidant activity. Lutein has been shown to modulate the skin's response to Ultraviolet Radiation and may contribute to the defense against some of the deleterious effects of radiation from the sun.

Lycopene is a bright red antioxidant carotenoid pigment that is found in tomatoes and other red fruits including papaya, grapefruit, watermelon, guava and rosehips. The lycopene molecule is firmly bound; we have a hard time absorbing it through digestion unless it is cooked. The lycopene molecule is fat soluble so that it gets absorbed into the oil you cook with. That is the reason cooked tomato pastes and sauces are a good dietary source of lycopene.

Lycopene may reduce the harmful effects of cholesterol, there is also some evidence lycopene has immune boosting properties. Research has shown an inverse correlation between the consumption of tomatoes and cancer risk. Lycopene is considered a probable help in prevention of prostate cancer, colon cancer, and heart disease. Lycopene deficiency is associated with a higher risk of macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness. At this time there is not enough evidence for health claim approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Food can have a greater effect if you put it on your skin. Lycopene has a small molecule structure that is easily absorbed and the enzymes in papaya are naturally exfoliating. Make a papaya mask. Peel and take out the seeds from a ripe papaya. Chop it into small pieces and blend until it makes a smooth paste. Apply the papaya paste to your face, neck and arms. Stay away from your eye area. Leave it on for about 20 minutes, rinse with warm water, and splash with cold water.

Carrots are high in antioxidant carotenoids. Mix a grated carrot with honey and smear the mixture on your face. Let it dry and then wash it off. Carrot essential oil is high in carotenoids and other antioxidants. Go easy on this because you can give yourself a slight carrot tan. Never put any pure essential oil straight on your skin, you want to mix it with oil like almond oil or grape seed oil.

Beans are high in antioxidants and fiber. They are a good source of protein, and when eaten with a whole grain such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta, provide protein as good as meat, without the high calories or saturated fat.

Beetroot is another vegetable that is low in calories and high in fiber and healthy plant pigments. Beetroot contains pigments called anthocyanins that are known to support collagen production in the skin. You can cook beetroot in several ways such as curried, boiled, roasted and pickled.

Omega 3 fatty acids Omega-3 and omega-6 are both fats that are essential for human health. Flaxseed is rich in a proper balance of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. You can mix flaxseed with dishes like cookies and bread.