The skin being the biggest and the most ubiquitous organ (the most easily noticed too), it deserves all the nutritional nurturing we can give it. We can even say we what we eat and drink is mirrored by the look of our skin. So better watch out what you're holding; That could be one cigarette, or junk food, too many.

One the most important help to skin health is vitamin A, and we can get the most out of it in low-fat dairy products, like butter, cheese, and especially milk. Just a digression: low-fat yogurt is not only a great alternative to milk, but it also has the "live" bacteria we need to even out the countless denizens in our stomach and promote intestinal health. And yogurt definitely helps skin look healthier too. You can also get your vitamin A from the supermarket in the form of cod liver oil, root crops like carrots or yams, leafy vegetables, and fortified breakfast cereals, as a last resort.

Aside from Vitamin A, how about having heard of foods rich in antioxidants? such as vegetables, fruits, grain cereals, legumes and nuts. The benefits of these foods for healthy skin are plentiful. The antioxidants and other phytochemicals in these fruits can protect the skin cells, so there is less chance for damage. This in turn guards against premature aging, and keeps skin looking younger longer. Yet more sources of antioxidants are whole wheat cereals, tea, black, red, and pinto beans, prunes, and pecans. By the way, remember that processed foods contain less antioxidants than fresh and uncooked foods, since the essentials can be lost in the food by storing them in the ref or the cooking process.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are essential to your skin. Most tuna and salmon in cans have the contains-EFA logo. EFAs help in cell membranes maintenance. Another reason for taking in these EFA rich foods is that it reputedly maintains heart health.

While many companies drove various oils to hype level, some oils are simply just useful and true, no doubt. Healthy oils are an instance, which keep skin lubricated and keeps it looking great. Oils that are cold pressed, e.g. extra virgin oil, are quite enough. Just as stated in the food pyramid, we need to use only a very minimal amount of oil in our diet everyday. You can adjust your healthy oil use to two tablespoons a day.

Recent studies show that if the chemical element selenium's levels are high, even skin damaged by the sun may only suffer minimal, if any, damage. Turn to foods like whole-wheat bread, muffins and cereals, turkey, tuna and brazil nuts for this important nutrient.

Would this article on skin health and dietary habits be complete without touching on sugars? Choosing the whole grain counterparts of complex carbohydrates can have an important effect on insulin levels. Processed sugars can create skin inflammations that can spoil the skin.

The amazing green tea, aside from containing cancer-fighting agents, has anti-inflammatory properties, and maintains the membrane of the cell.

And how can we fail to mention water, another healing drink but older than green tea? Aside from the different roles it plays in your overall health, a well-hydrated skin is perky and lustrous. Water also helps eject harmful digestive by-products out of your system.