Taking care of our skin should be an essential part of our health regimen. It is, after all, our body’s largest organ.
Let’s take a look to the most important vitamins that help keep your skin healthy and the various food that contains such vitamins.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and undoubtedly one of the best vitamins for skin care. If applied under a sunscreen, it helps defend the skin against the harmful UV rays and reduce photoaging.
Vitamin C helps prevent collagen breakdown and it even stimulates the skin to produce new collagen. It also inhibits the production of melanin and that way fades dark spots and other skin imperfections. Adequate vitamin C intake can also help repair and prevent dry skin.
You can find vitamin C in fruit and vegetable such as oranges, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes.
Be sure to add this kind of food in your diet!

 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is most often made when sunlight is absorbed by the skin. Cholesterol converts to vitamin D when this happens. Vitamin D is then taken up by your liver and kidneys and transported throughout the body to help create healthy cells. This includes the skin, where vitamin D plays an important role in skin tone. Since it is anti-inflammatory, many recommend using vitamin D to treat skin sensitivities and irritation, acne, eczema, dermatitis, etc.
You can increase your vitamin D intake by:
• getting 10 minutes of sun exposure a day
• eating foods that have vitamin D naturally, such as salmon, tuna, cod, milk, eggs.

 

Vitamin A

Vitamin A (or retinol) is one of the most powerful skin care ingredients out there, capable to truly transform the skin. It was even recognized by the FDA as an ingredient that can really change the appearance of the skin’s surface.
Since it speeds up the skin cell turnover process and protects the collagen, vitamin A can be used for a number of skin conditions, including acne and acne scars, aging signs and hyperpigmentation.
One of the main foods that contain vitamin A is represented by carrots; but you can find this vitamin also in sweet potatoes, cheese, zucchini, pistachios, mango, cherries, etc.

 

Vitamin E

 

Like vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant. Its main function in skin care is to protect against sun damage. Vitamin E absorbs the harmful UV light from the sun when applied to the skin. Photoprotection refers to the body’s ability to minimize the damage caused by UV rays. This can help prevent dark spots and wrinkles.
Vitamin E is also a moisturizing agent that improves the function of skin’s barrier and prevents drying out. Your skin naturally produces it through sebum; if you have particularly dry skin, vitamin E can possibly help counteract a lack of sebum. Vitamin E also helps in the treatment of skin inflammation.
You can increase your intake by:
• eating more nuts and seeds, such as almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
• using topical products that contain both vitamin E and vitamin C (this can be more effective in photoprotection than those that contain only one of the two)

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential in aiding the body’s process of blood clotting, which helps the body heal wounds, bruises, and areas affected by surgery. The basic functions of vitamin K are also thought to help certain skin conditions, such as:
• stretch marks
• spider veins
• scars
• dark spots
• stubborn circles under your eyes
If dark circles are on your list of beauty concerns, you will love this vitamin. Especially in combination with caffeine, vitamin K can help reduce dark circles, improve the appearance of crow’s feet and enhance skin’s elasticity.
You can increase your intake by eating:
• kale
• spinach
• lettuce
• cabbage
• green beans

So, in conclusion, making sure you get enough vitamins can keep your skin looking healthy and youthful and this could translate to a reduction in:
• dark spots
• redness
• wrinkles
• rough patches
• excessive dryness