The importance we place on image in modern society is unprecedented. The appearance of our skin has been the focus of many articles and networks lately. Can food help us look shiny and shiny?
Obsession with beautiful skin
From an aesthetic point of view, the skin is the part of our body that we care about the most. This is evidenced by data from the National Association of Perfumery and Cosmetics of Spain.
According to the latest report, consumption in the perfume and cosmetics sector amounted to 9.25 billion euros in 2022. This represents a cost of approximately 190 euros per person per year. Skin care accounts for a third of the total, almost 3 billion euros.
Apart from aesthetic considerations, the skin is the largest organ of our body. It covers an area of more than 1.5 square meters and accounts for 15% of body weight in adults. Although our understanding of skin is rather superficial, the truth is that it performs fundamental functions for us.
The skin protects us from external factors, including pathogens, chemicals and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It also softens the effects of mechanical, thermal and physical injuries. It is also our beloved immune system’s first defense against infections.
The skin plays an important role in regulating body temperature, acts as a water reservoir, and is the site of vitamin D production. It also has an extensive network of nerve cells that detect and transmit changes in the environment through the body. or temperature. Equally important, our skin is essential for self-expression and communication.
Water, whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits for skin
The idea that poor nutrition negatively impacts our health is nothing new. But we may be less aware of the effects it has on our skin. Eating habits and nutrient levels can not only damage it, but are also necessary for its recovery.
Skin aging is associated with a diet rich in sugar and fat. In addition, it has been observed that facial aging increases with more alcohol and tobacco consumption and over a longer period of time.
The main nutrient for maintaining healthy skin is water. It is estimated that 18-20% of the body’s water is stored in the skin. Therefore, not maintaining a good level of hydration can have a significant impact on this.
In fact, the appearance of our lips and limbs is a direct reflection of our state of hydration. In addition, research shows that drinking more than 2 liters of water per day promotes both superficial and deep hydration of the skin.
As for other nutrients, several years ago the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recognized the role of some of them. Thus, we can say that vitamins A, B2, B3 and B8 “help maintain the skin in normal condition.” The same thing happens with zinc and iodine. Vitamin C, in turn, does this through the formation of collagen, a protein that sits between skin cells.
Skin changes have been described due to deficiencies of almost all vitamins, iron and zinc. All of these nutrients can be found primarily in natural foods. Good examples are whole grains, legumes, eggs, vegetables and fruits.
Beware of vitamin C and iodine deficiency.
Despite the widespread availability of food in our society, nutritional deficiencies are not uncommon. In fact, in Spain, 4 out of 5 people between 9 and 75 years old do not take enough zinc, and 3 out of 5 do not meet their vitamin A requirements. The same happens with more than half the population for vitamin A. C and 2 out of 5 people for relation to iodine.
In any case, we must consider two important aspects. To illustrate this, we can take as an example the role of vitamin A mentioned above. The fact that this vitamin is important for the skin cannot mean that products containing it enhance its shine or do not serve to treat its pathologies. Moreover, if we take enough vitamin A, increasing the dose will not have a greater effect on our skin.
Beyond aesthetics
If there is any damage on our skin, we must go to a dermatologist to diagnose it and advise further treatment. In case of nutritional deficiency, we should do the same by visiting a nutritionist. Using vitamin and mineral supplements without supervision can have negative effects on our health.
On the other hand, if we want to reproduce the shine we see in photographs of models, actresses and singers, no food can achieve this. It must be borne in mind that they are prepared specifically for such moments and, moreover, photographs are usually retouched.
Taking care of our skin for its simple aesthetic “price” is nothing more than an injustice to this great organ of ours. However, taking care of our diet is a good strategy to keep not only our skin healthy, but our entire body.