We’ve all heard the expression, “You are what you eat,” but let’s be real – just because a collegiette eats carrots like it’s her day job doesn’t mean she is going to turn into a big, orange vegetable. And girls who hit the fro-yo machine every night won’t turn into a sugar cone with sprinkles on top. True, eating too much of one thing won’t completely transform us into a walking, talking food product, but what we eat does have an effect on our health – and more surprisingly, our skin too.
A well-balanced diet, full of the proper nutrients and vitamins, might just do the trick when it comes to dry, problematic skin. And there’s no better time than now, as college girls, to not only fix our skin blemishes but also protect our skin from damage so that we can look this young for years to come. Doctor Sara Gottfried, MD and author of The Hormone Cure, explains, “We really need to start caring and upping our game in our 20s and 30s. It’s in your 30s that sun damage starts to become more obvious, particularly on your chest and face. Sun damage, crow’s-feet and creases between the eyebrows become more marked in your 40s.”
Whether you currently struggle with skin issues or you have a completely clear complexion, what you feed your skin does matter and can help you get better skin now and in the long run! So where should you start? More veggies? More fruit? Less oil? With the help of expert Dr. Sara Gottfried, we’ve outlined some easy changes you can make to let your skin thrive!
Limit Your Sugar, Dairy, and Saturated Fat Intake
It is totally fine to consume sugar, dairy, and saturated fat in moderation, but too much might have a detrimental effect on your skin. Gottfried explains, “Sugar can lead to wild spikes in your blood sugar, which increases oil production and raises androgens, and consequently, leads to more breakouts.” So if your skin is extra oily or has been plagued by breakouts that not even prescription creams can solve, your sugar intake could be the culprit!
Sadly, sugar’s bad rap doesn’t end there—furthermore, glucose is known to destroy collagen, which is responsible for the visible affects of aging. A good rule of thumb is to avoid as many processed foods as possible as they are typically loaded with excess, unnatural sugars. Instead of reaching for that slice of cake every night, try crunching on an apple. Fruit has natural sugars that are great for our bodies, whereas cakes, cookies and other desserts are fun to indulge in occasionally, but have few health benefits. The American Heart Association suggests that women limit their added sugar intake to 24 grams, or 6 teaspoons, per day.
Saturated fat can likewise have negative effects on our skin. Gottfried explains,
“Saturated fat may increase facial wrinkles by decreasing skin hydration and drying out skin.” Some foods that are high in saturated fat are hydrogenated oils, butter, cheese, processed meats, and whipped cream. While it isn’t necessary to completely cut out saturated fat, limiting your intake might do wonders for your complexion. The Mayo Clinic recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your total calories. Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, 7-10% amounts to about 140-200 calories a day – the equivalent of about 16-22 grams of saturated fat. A great way to avoid eating too much saturated fat is to focus on eating the healthier monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats that are found in olive oil, lean poultry, and unsalted nuts.
While dairy is a great source of protein and a staple of most Americans’ diets, it is known to cause breakouts for a few reasons. First of all, farmers give their cows hormones for the purpose of boosting their milk production. We then end up drinking or eating the hormones contained in the cow milk. Dr. Gottfried explains, “This can cause excess estrogen levels which may cause skin problems such as breakouts and fat deposition.” Whey, a key component found in dairy products has androgen-like effects, similar to sugar. Why are androgens a bad thing? Well, they aren’t necessarily bad, but women are especially sensitive towards this hormone. Dr. Gottfried explains, “When women get too much androgen, they can develop acne and rogue hairs on the breasts, chin or neck. Sometimes, androgens are a good thing, such as when you are low in testosterone and have a waning sex drive. But when it comes to keeping your complexion clear, they fight against you.”
Eat More Protein
Collagen is responsible for that firm and springy glow of youthful skin. As we age, collagen production decreases due to enzymes known as MMPs. These enzymes are activated by free radicals and too much sugar, which helps them to destroy collagen. While some people choose to go the plastic surgery route to increase collagen, there is an easier, more natural way: protein!
As Dr. Gottfried explains, “Since collagen is a protein, you can stimulate collagen production by eating more protein, such as chicken, fish, leans meats such as grass-fed beef, and whole soy foods.” Some great protein options for vegetarians include edamame, tempeh, tofu, and soymilk. These are all whole soy foods, meaning that they are minimally processed to preserve the naturally occurring nutrients found in the soybean.
Exactly how much protein should you eat on a daily basis? Dr. Gottfried recommends 0.75 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. To figure out how much protein is right for your body composition, a little math is involved. For a 125 pound person with 20% body fat, their fat mass would be (0.20)*125 pounds or 25 pounds. Therefore, the person’s lean body mass would be 125 pounds minus the 25 pounds of fat, which is 100 pounds. So consuming anywhere from 75 to 100 grams of protein per day would be perfect! For a reference point, two eggs contain 12 to 16 grams of protein, four ounces of chicken contain 32 grams of protein, and 1 ounce of almonds (or about 20 almonds) contains about 7 grams of protein.
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Get Your Daily Dose of Magnesium, Vitamin C, and Copper
Magnesium, vitamin C, and copper are collagen-producing warriors just like protein, meaning they’ll likewise help clear and firm up your skin. Let’s take just a second to go into the science behind these essential vitamins and minerals.
Magnesium is a chemical compound that binds to collagen, directing it to its biological destination. Dr. Gottfried clarifies this by calling magnesium a helper molecule. “It assists in biochemical reactions that are important to your skin and the overall function of your body.” The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 400 mg. Oat bran is a great source of magnesium as it contains about 220 mg per one cup serving. Just half a cup of pumpkin seeds contains about 369 mg of magnesium. These are both easy add-ins to oatmeal and cereal! Brazil nuts are also a great magnesium-rich snack with 19 mg of magnesium per nut!
We have all been taught from an early age that vitamin C does wonders when it comes to our health. When we are feeling sick, family, friends, and even professors laud the effectiveness of orange juice and other vitamin C-enriched foods. But why is vitamin C so good for us? Gottfried explains, “Vitamin C is needed to sufficiently absorb iron and for several important chemical reactions in the body, including production of not just collagen but also progesterone.” Dr. Gottfried recommends 1000-2000 milligrams of vitamin C per day, which can be consumed through a variety of healthy foods. She explains, “The most readily-found sources of Vitamin C include papaya, which has 60 mg per 100 gram serving, and raspberries, which have 30 mg per 100 gram serving.” A 100 gram serving is approximately one cup, so just a single cup of raspberries or papaya will deliver a hefty dose of Vitamin C. Other great options include red and green bell peppers, oranges, kiwis, grapefruits, brussel sprouts and cantaloupe.
While copper is crucial for collagen production, it is also extremely important for the health of thyroid hormones. These hormones control weight, metabolism, energy, and mood. The recommended daily allowance of copper is 2 mg per day. Some great sources of copper are sesame seeds, cashew nuts, and sunflower seeds. One tablespoon of sesame seeds contains about 0.4 mg of copper, one tablespoon of cashew nuts contains about 0.2 mg of copper, and ounce of sunflower seeds contains about 0.5 mg of copper.
Seek out Omega-3s
It’s time to get fishy. Omega-3s, most commonly found in seafood, are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for health. They are known to make skin appear younger and firmer. Why do omega-3s have this magical, skin-healing power? Dr. Gottfried explains that polyunsaturated fats, “replenish the fats your skin loses as you age,” which combats the dryness and flaking caused by aging. Studies have documented a strong connection between Omega-3 consumption and improvement of wrinkles,” she adds.
Eating fish is the easiest way to benefit from the powers of omega-3s, but if fish isn’t quite your thing or you’re a vegetarian, there are some other options. In terms of food, chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, edamame and olive oil all have a high content of omega-3s. If you are interested in taking a supplement, fish oil is your best bet. Gottfried explains, “Fish oil has been proven to support mood, prevent heart disease and lower cortisol, your main stress hormone.” If you are interested in taking the fish oil route, Dr. Gottfried recommends taking a 2000 mg supplement.
Load Up on Lycopene
What exactly is lycopene? Well, you are probably already well acquainted with the powerful antioxidant, considering it is most commonly found in ketchup! Tomatoes, which are inherently rich in lycopene, are known to help reduce UV damage from the sun. A recent study found that women who take a supplement with 60 mg of lycopene, 60 mg of Vitamin C and 50 mg of soy isoflavones had significant improvements in fine lines, elasticity and skin hydration.
There is no need to chug a bottle of ketchup to get your fix of the beneficial antioxidant. However, eating tomatoes on a daily basis will increase your lycopene intake, especially sun-dried tomatoes, which have about 24787 micrograms per cup. If you’re not a big fan of tomatoes, there are some other lycopene-rich foods to choose from. Guava, watermelon and grapefruit are all full of lycopene. If you are more into veggies, asparagus is a great option, packing 54 micrograms per cup.
Befriend Green and Yellow Vegetables
Green and yellow veggies are rich in antioxidants, which help to fight the free radicals that break down collagen over time. Why are certain colored vegetables so powerful? It all comes down to something known as carotenioids. Gottfried explains, “Carotenioids are natural pigments that naturally occur in plants, as well as algae and fungi, and they protect you from the sun.”
Believe it or not, a study from the University of Nottingham found that eating colored veggies makes you more attractive to others due to the effect on your skin. Participants ate five extra servings per day of broccoli, yellow peppers and dark leafy greens. Results showed that increased yellow and green tones made the participants more attractive to others. It might sound crazy, but hey – vegetables are superfoods after all.
Any green or yellow vegetable will do, but some of our favorites are kale, squash and green beans. Not only are they full of carotenioids, but they also have many other amazing health benefits. Just one serving of kale has 200% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C and 1,020% of Vitamin K. Squash is a great source of vitamin B6 and is known to have a protective effect against many cancers. Green beans contain lots of dietary fiber, as well as calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
These small dietary tweaks could be exactly what your skin needs to finally clear up, become fresher and less oily, and glow like never before—or, if you’re lucky enough to already have great skin, following these tips will help you ensure that it stays that way!
Have you noticed any changes in your skin based on what you eat? Let us know in the comments below!