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It’s the
little things that count. Vitamins and minerals, the micronutrients in food,
keep your eyes bright, your hair shiny, your nails strong,
your skin glowing, and your teeth gleaming—and that’s not all! Throughout
this book I describe the important beauty roles that vitamins and
minerals play in your body. Be sure to check out the vitamin and mineral
tables, which list the best food sources of these important beauty nutrients.
Fats for Supple Cells
Many
women I know are fat-phobic. It’s true that, gram for gram, fats have more than
twice the calories of protein or carbohydrates. However, you need an adequate
supply of healthy fats for many important reasons, including the maintenance of
your beauty. Fats supply certain essential fatty acids that your body
can’t make but are key to soft, supple skin. These fats help to maintain
the oil barrier of the skin, which keeps moisture in and germs out. Your body
also needs fats to produce hormones, and fats are used as a structural component
of cells. Fats in your diet allow your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins that
are key to beauty, such as vitamin A, as well as vitamins D, E, and K.
In addition, “good” fats (such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) protect
you against heart disease while they satiate you and stabilize your blood
sugar.
Essential Fatty Acids: Eat Your Omega-3s!
The items
vital to life include moisturizer, tweezers, your most comfortable pair of
ballet flats, your little black book, the locket your mother gave you, and
essential fatty acids. In fact, the essential fatty acids are as important a
part of your beauty regimen as the moisturizer and tweezers. While
essential fats include specific omega-6 and omega-3 fats, omega-3s are the fatty
acids you need to know about. Omega-3s play a key role in keeping your skin
smooth and supple. Aside from skin benefits, a great deal of research indicates
that adding omega-3s to your diet, especially long chain omega-3s from fatty
fish like salmon, helps lower blood pressure, reduces the risk of
cardiovascular disease, stabilizes blood sugar, enhances nerve function, and
improves mood. Omega-3 fatty acids can also help alleviate the symptoms of
arthritis and protect against memory loss.
Vitamin C’s Role in Beauty
Recommended Dietary Allowance
WOMEN: 75 mg. MEN: 90 mg.
In addition to playing a role in the synthesis of
collagen, a structural protein found in skin, teeth, and bones, the beauty benefits of vitamin C are associated with its antioxidant properties. By
helping to quench free radicals, vitamin C prevents tissue irritation and
damage on a cellular level, which—among other things—helps keep skin looking
youthful and clear.
10 Good Whole-Food Sources of Vitamin C
1. Guava, 1/2 cup, 188 mg
2. Kiwi, 2 medium, 141 mg
3. Orange, 1 medium, 78 mg
4. Red sweet pepper, sliced, 1/2 cup, 59 mg
5. Broccoli, cooked, 1/2 cup, 50 mg
6. Strawberries, sliced, 1/2 cup, 49 mg
7. Cantaloupe, 1/2 medium, 48 mg
8. Papaya, 1/2 medium, 47 mg
9. Pineapple, fresh, 1/2 cup, 37 mg
10. Spinach, cooked, 1 cup, 18 mg
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