According to Susan M. Kleiner, R.D., Ph.D, a Seattle-based
nutritionist, eating foods rich in antioxidants is best.
“There’s no substitute for getting nutrients through
food. The body absorbs and assimilates them far better than
in supplement form.”
Kleiner suggests following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Food Guide Pyramid, and eating three to five servings of
vegetables and two to four servings of fruit each day.
Choose at least one citrus fruit, such as an orange, a
tangerine, or a grapefruit, for vitamin C. To increase beta-carotene
intake, eat at least two orange-yellow or leafy green vegetables
each day.
Eat Right for Younger Looking Skin
Eating healthy equals younger looking skin. Drinking a
cup of orange juice and eating one raw carrot provides twice
the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C and
beta-carotene. The RDA for vitamin E is harder to meet,
especially for those on a low-fat diet.
“Don’t be afraid to add a couple of tablespoons
of olive oil to your diet, or to eat some nuts or seeds,”
advises Dr. Kleiner.
The following guideline can be used for RDAs for three
of the most
common antioxidant nutrients, vitamin C, vitamin E, and
beta-carotene; good sources and how best to maximize benefits
of each are included.
Vitamin C: RDA at least 60 mg. (1/2 cup orange juice
= 70 mg.) Citrus fruits and juices and tomatoes are good
sources of vitamin C. Eat whole fruit for extra fiber. Avoid
juice in glass containers, and heat-pasteurized juice. Light
and heat destroy some of the vitamin C.
Vitamin E: RDA 8 mg for women / 10 mg. for men (1
tablespoon of canola oil = 9 mg.) Good sources include nuts,
seeds and their oils, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel,
halibut, and trout, and wheat germ. Use canola, olive, or
another vegetable oil in place of butter or margarine when
cooking.
Beta-carotene: no established RDA. Expert Dr. Kleiner,
however, recommends 5-6 mg. ( One carrot = 12 mg.) Orange
and yellow vegetables, and leafy green vegetables, including
broccoli, are all good sources. Instead of potato chips
or popcorn for an evening snack while watching television,
opt for prepackaged, washed and peeled baby carrots.
If you feel you are unable to meet the RDAs through diet
alone, by all means take an all-in-one antioxidant vitamin
supplement a day, but continue to pay attention to rich
food sources.
Summary
Because many over-the-counter cosmetics containing antioxidants
don'’t
have enough to be totally affective by themselves, it is
best to ‘feed’ them to your skin in combination
with a healthy, antioxidant rich diet for younger looking
skin.
We at Savvy Spa Luxuries care about you and your wellbeing.
With proper
skin care, a healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep,
and ample amounts of water, you can enjoy a more fit body,
improved quality of life, increased stamina, and a glowing
complexion!
©2006 Lori S. Anton - Savvy Spa
Luxuries Editor, Writers Write Now
Lori S. Anton has been a published
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