Eat your way to good skin

You can get your skin's glow back by eating plenty of natural foods and drinking water and vegetable and fruit juices.

NEW DELHI: The winter air and pollution can leave your skin looking dry and dull. But you can get the glow back by eating plenty of natural foods and drinking water and vegetable and fruit juices.

“It is possible to eat one’s way to good skin! We just need to hydrate our skin by consuming plenty of liquids and the right food,” Aparna Tandon, senior nutritionist, VLCC Nutri-Diet Clinic, told IANS. With winter setting in, there are a lot of tasty and nutritious foods available and the road to good skin doesn’t need to be bland, in fact it can be enjoyable, Tandon said.

“A lot of vegetables are available in winter, so vegetable juices can be made using spinach, beetroot and amla (gooseberry) among others,” said Tandon. “Tomatoes are also good for the skin and help keep the skin moist and glowing.”

Dry skin needs to be moisturised not only from the outside but also from within by continuous consumption of water and other fluids. There are a number of juices that are good for the skin whenever available fresh. “One can have orange juice, guava juice and coconut water which not only tastes good, but is rich in vitamins as well. Most fruit juices are good for the skin, but they should be in their natural form and not packaged,” said Tandon.

She also explains that snacking can be beneficial if one munches on something healthy. “Snacking is a good thing if one has the right snacks. You can have salmon which has Omega-3 fatty acids, or flax seed and nuts; almonds are the best as they have Vitamin E and protein which is good for the skin’s elasticity,” she said.

“Additionally one can also have fruit chaat and sprout chaat. Sprouts are the only form of pulses which give Vitamin C,” she added.

Divya Mathur, a senior nutritionist, seconds Tandon’s stand on flax seed but has some winter specific ideas when it comes selecting the right food for glowing skin. “Flax seeds are warm and can be sprinkled over salads making them a very good winter snack,” Mathur said. “Apart from flax seed, you can have high fibre food like white oats, oat bran and juices made from beetroot and amla are also really good for the skin,” said Mathur.

She feels it is possible to have tasty, but healthy food. “If one wants to have something that is tasty one can have grilled and tandoori fish items, but not fried.”

Delhi-based model Purvi Ahuja says it is important to consume a lot of water so that the skin can be rid of toxins. “I drink plenty of liquids to keep my skin hydrated. I also try to avoid oily food. As long as one eats fresh vegetables and fruits, that’s all you need. It is possible to eat your way to good skin; it worked for me,” she said.

Model Sonalika Sahay said, “I don’t follow a set diet, but I’m particular about eating the right stuff like lots of salads and liquids. It is important to eat right, not only for your skin but for your body as well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2010.