As the largest part of our body, skin has many physical activities. Such as, it acts as an organ of feelings, controls body temperature, and protects the whole body from microorganisms and dust.But, how many of us really realize that to do those activities, our skin needs sufficient vitamins?
Vitamins are very important for your skin. The great recommendation to make sure your skin keep healthy is to follow a well-balanced diet, which commonly contains the essential vitamins like A, B, C, and E.
Vitamin A
We often hear that vitamin A is important for our eyes and vision. In fact, it’s not only that.
Vitamin A, known as retinol, it plays important role in development and maintenance of healthy skin. It carries out as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful elements in our skin, helping to prevent wrinkles, resist infection and keep our skin youthful.
But remember, too much vitamin A can be toxic, and it can lead your body to health problems. According to Ohio University website, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A is 900 RAE (Retinol Activity Equivalents) per day for men and 700 RAE per day for women. Vitamin A is also considered a fat-soluble vitamin which means it is easily stored in your body’s fat cells and liver until used.
Vitamin A sources: egg, milk, butter, fish oils, orange, sweet potato, mango, papaya, broccoli, carrot, tomato, spinach, kale, another yellow and green vegetables and fruits.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B which is very important for healthy skin is B3 (niacin) and B6 (pyridoxine). Vitamin B3 acts by improving circulation and helping your body with the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. While, vitamin B6 is essential in the functioning of your immune system and your antibody production. These both vitamins are related to acne. If you got acne, it’s very likely that your body has these vitamin deficiencies.
Vitamin B sources: whole cereals, wheat germ, brown rice, oilseeds, pulses, nuts, liver, asparagus, broccoli, potato, banana, fish, dark green leafy vegetables and milk, etc.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidant vitamins. It can benefit skin in two vital ways. The first, vitamin C is vital for the synthesis of collagen, a key structural protein of the skin. Adding vitamin C to a culture of skin cells (fibroblasts) significantly increases the synthesis of collagen. And the second, vitamin C is an antioxidant and can assist to reduce skin damage caused by free radicals. So, when vitamin C is properly delivered into skin cells, there is a good chance to improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles. But remember, too much vitamin C can lead to sensitive, irritable stomach and mouth ulcers.
Vitamin C sources: fresh vegetables and fruits.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another body’s main antioxidants. Vitamin E acts more than protect your skin cells from the sun, drugs, pollution, and other element that lead to cell damaging free radicals, but it also helps your skin keep soft and smooth and plays an important role in the anti aging.
Vitamin E sources: avocado, tomato, sweet potato, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, blackberry, mango, egg, vegetable oil, corn oil, olive oil, nuts, wholemeal products, etc.
However, there is still a problem that we should pay attention to. Not a few of us are accustomed to use skin care products that contain chemicals because of cheaper. You should be careful, those chemicals will be absorbed into the bloodstream. We may think that the amount is small? It is, one thing you should know that it will lead to the cumulative effect of chemicals that is very likely damages your healthy skin.
