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FeedBeauty & Style
Manicure Must-Haves; Pint-Sized Fashion Forecast; Shopping in Pound Ridge; and more.
By: Nancy L. Claus, Marisa Iallonardo, and Laurie Yarnell Published October 10, 2008 at 11:13 AM
(page 2 of 5)
Beauty Foods
What we put in our bodies can have a greater effect on our skin than all those expensive creams, serums, and lotions we slather on. Here are some natural—and delicious—beauty boosters.
 | RED PEPPER—THE ANTI-WRINKLE VEGGIE A red pepper has twice as much vitamin C as an orange; you’d have to drink 16 ounces of OJ (200 calories) to get the same amount of vitamin C as in one red pepper (37 calories). And what role does vitamin C play in beauty? According to a recent study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the more vitamin C you consume, the fewer wrinkles you’ll get. “Vitamin C is essential in the production of collagen—the substance that keeps skin looking young—and needs to be replenished constantly,” says Joshua S. Fink, MD, a private-practice physician in Mount Kisco who also is a supervising physician for Laser Cosmetica in White Plains. |
| AVOCADO—The NATURAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY The next time you dip into some spicy guacamole, take solace in the fact that all those calories (about 250 per avocado) contain essential oils and B-complex vitamins,which are not only good for your heart but your skin. One avocado gives you about a quarter of your daily requirement of niacin (vitamin B3), an anti-inflammatory that calms irritated, blotchy skin, says Diana Hurwitz, MD, a dermatologist at the Westchester Medical Group in Rye. Anti-inflammatories work by constricting blood vessels, making them look less red. |  |
 | MUSHROOMS—THE UNSUNG HERO With all the hoopla about eating brightly colored fruits and veggies, poor, pale mushrooms may be left on the plate, without good reason, according to Elizabeth DeRobertis, a registered dietician in White Plains. “Mushrooms are rich in selenium, copper, and other antioxidants and can be an important source of B vitamins, especially for people who don’t eat meat,” she says. It is also rich in potassium. A diet lacking in potassium would cause skin to become dry. Mushrooms also are one of the best plant-based sources of niacin—essential for healthy skin. Lack of niacin can cause dermatitis; severe deficiencies can lead to pellagra, a vitamin-deficiency disease. With only 15 to 20 calories per cup, mushrooms can be added guilt-free to any meal or snack for some extra healthful benefits. |
| MANGO—ONE-A-DAY VITAMIN FOR YOUR SKIN Vitamin A maintains and repairs skin cells (a deficiency—or excess—will leave your skin dry and flaky) and a single mango will give you 80 percent of your daily requirement—at only 70 calories. “Most signs of aging on the skin are the result of sun damage, which is caused by free radicals from ultraviolet radiation,” Dr. Hurwitz says. “Vitamin A is an antioxidant that counteracts the free radicals.” |  |
