Fall food skin care 101

As the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, you’ll probably notice the seasonal changes affecting your skin too. While upping your moisturizer is essential, you can also boost your skincare regimen naturally (and deliciously) by adding these key nutrients to your diet.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are important in slowing and preventing damage from free-radicals, molecules that cause signs of aging like wrinkles, dry skin and tissue damage. You can find antioxidants in all kinds of foods, especially colorful fruits and vegetables like berries, tomatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, tangerines, peppers and beans.

Vitamin A

Nobody wants dry, flaky skin. Vitamin A helps your skin produce more fresh, new cells and get rid of the old ones, reducing dryness and keeping your face looking bright and young. So grab an orange, carrot or slice of cantaloupe, or try leafy greens, eggs and low-fat dairy foods.

Vitamin C

The sun can be tough on your skin, even in the winter. Vitamin C can aid in protection and also help undo sun damage to collagen and elastin, which firm up your skin. Get vitamin C from red bell peppers, citrus fruits, kiwis, broccoli, greens and brussel sprouts.

Vitamin E

Another antioxidant that may help save your skin from environmental damage and inflammation is vitamin E. Get your daily dose from vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, asparagus and leafy greens

Selenium

This mineral may help protect your skin from cells that gather free radicals. Selenium may also help prevent skin cancer. You can get it from shrimp, lamb and fish, like snapper, cod, tuna and salmon. Vegetarians can also find it in Brazil nuts, button mushrooms and whole-wheat pasta.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s and omega-6s are good fats that help make up your skin’s natural oil barrier, keeping away dryness and blemishes. Essential fatty acids like these leave your skin smoother and younger-looking. Look for them in olive and canola oils, flaxseeds, walnuts, and cold-water fish, like salmon, sardines and mackerel.

Coenzyme Q10

Your body makes a key antioxidant called Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10. But as you get older, you make less of it. It’s involved in making energy and helping your cells work and may help soften wrinkles and other signs of aging. You can consume CoQ10 via fish, like salmon and tuna, or with poultry and whole grains.

Water

It’s not a ‘food,’ technically, but water is vital when it comes to skin health because it flushes toxins out of your body, delivers nutrients to your cells, and keeps your organs functioning. It also helps your cells stay plump and full, which makes your skin look firmer and clearer.