Foods to Help Prevent Dry Skin

February 18, 2009 by Anne Lyken Garner  
Published in Skin

It’s not easy to keep our skin fully hydrated in the best of times. For those of us who have dry skin, winter brings on its own set of difficulties, proving that fully moisturised skin can often be difficult to achieve. Drinking a lot of water and slapping on tonnes of skin cream can only do so much. If we really want to maintain healthy, youthful skin we’ve got to concentrate on doing so from the inside out. Here are some vital skin-nourishing foods that we should definitely retain in our diet if we want to keep our skin properly hydrated.

Green Tea


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We need a steady supply of collagen and elastin in our skin if we’re serious about keeping wrinkles at bay. Think of collagen as natural botox, and elastin as the elastic that keeps our underpants from falling down around our ankles. Drinking about two cups of Green Tea daily could simultaneously keep our collagen and elastin supplies well topped up, and help fight antioxidants in our bodies. Just don’t overdo it, because as you know, too much of theanine can have negative effects on your overall health.

Red meat, oysters and white kidney beans are also great for collagen formation because they are high in zinc, which is necessary for boosting our “natural botox” supply.

Avocados

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Free radicals, which are present in our own bodies and in the environment can wreck havoc on our skin. However, with a steady supply of Vitamin E, our bodies can easily neutralise them. These particles are the stuff of horror movies where injury to our skin’s complexion is concerned. Avocados pack more Vitamin E than any other fruit, and also come with its own punch of glutathione (an antioxidant which is involved in barring cancer cells and keeping premature aging at bay). Vitamin E-rich foods help prevent our skin from drying out and becoming itchy, especially in cold or dry weather. Vitamin E is known for protecting our skin’s moisture from the inside out, and a good supply keeps it looking fresh and young. Remember that dryness can lead to premature wrinkling, so it’s vital that our skin is kept fully hydrated.

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16 Responses to “Foods to Help Prevent Dry Skin”
  1. Unofre Pili Says:

    A very fine article. Obtained much information from it.

  2. Daisy Peasblossom Says:

    Excellent! Good reminder of delicious foods that are good for us.

  3. Darlene McFarlane Says:

    Another great read! I have always had a problem with dry skin and I appreciate the help.

    Well done.

  4. BC Doan Says:

    A very informative article, and doable for me since I love all the foods and drink in your list! Thanks Anne for a great article!

  5. Bren Parks Says:

    Great info…and well written!

  6. Karen Gross Says:

    My skin is sensitive as well as dry. It improved remarkably when I switched to unscented laundry soap and fabric softener. One Christmas when I stayed at my parent’s place, I woke up both nights covered in hives that dissapated in the morning. It was just from the fabric softener my mom had washed the sheets in that morning.

  7. Kate Smedley Says:

    Thanks for the information in this article, it’s surprising how much we can do to help ourselves just by making changes to our diet.

  8. OhSugar Says:

    Thank you for this helpful information. All the foods are some of my favorites. Green tea, olive oil, and tomatoes, I use quite often.

  9. Lex92 Says:

    this is very helpful! great job anne!

  10. pattydegroff Says:

    Being I have had horrible problems withj my skin here lately this is such a great help for me at this time . I shall try this out and see how it can help me out and your work is so informative thankyou for this knowledge you have passed on .

  11. Franchesca Says:

    Very informtive and colorful article! The information you supplied will be put to good use. Thank you.

  12. McG Says:

    Those, are not blueberries. You could have at least gotten a real picture.

  13. Anne Lyken Garner Says:

    Thanks for your kind comments, everyone.

    McG, the blueberry police, thanks for your input too. What an odd comment to make after reading an entire article, don’t you think? Have you got anything to say about the writing itself?

  14. Hannes Says:

    Thanks for the information – I shall try it out and hopefulle get rid of the dry skin.

  15. gaffneygirl Says:

    A fine reminder of why we should all return to the basics of good nutrition.

  16. Gaelle Kennedy Says:

    This is really helpful. Thanks. So much better to point to the benefits of whole foods rather than promote this or that isolated nutrient.


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