Leading researchers say your skin loves asparagus and other antioxidant-rich foods. 
According to nutritionists, the choices we make for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day have a direct effect on the health of our skin, the body’s most visible organ.
Every day, your body naturally produces evidence of your diet. But the process is more complex than the old adage “you are what you eat.” It goes much deeper, right down to the very cells, which scientists tell us are much like tiny chemical plants.
For example, let’s look at oxygen. Oxygen is everywhere; it is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and in the food we eat. There’s no getting away from it. But oxygen will combine with other processes in the skin to produce “free radicals.” These agents become the enemy of our skin tissue at the cellular level, much like the effects of oxygen on metal, which causes oxidation and eventually, rust. In our bodies, this process may lead to inflammation. On the skin, inflammation can make pores look bigger, or make skin look dull, discolored, or aged. Wrinkles, acne, and even eczema are also related to the damaging effects of oxidation-related inflamation.
So what can we do?
Well, that’s where the aparagus comes in. Consider these 6 facts:
- Vitamins A, C, and E are “antioxidant rich” adversaries of the free radicals that hide in our cells and attack our skin.
- Selenium is a mineral that experts agree is critical to the production of glutathione, another enemy of free radicals.
- Thiamine is a B vitamin that helps skin cells function normally.
- Zinc assists epidermal cell growth.
- Protein is essential for skin repair.
- Vitamin C helps the body naturally manufacture collagen, a protein that keeps the skin supple and tight.
Research shows that the vitamins and minerals that naturally occur in foods like asparagus, salmon, blueberries, and olive oil are essential to skin health because they maintain a system of resistance to the processes commonly associated with aging. None of these nutrients are going to transform your skin overnight, but choosing the right foods as part of a well-varied diet is surely one critical element of good skin health.
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