How Antioxidants from the food benefits to your skin

by Agnieszka Kulik
(Chicago IL)

Antioxidants in certain foods - such as green tea, olive oil, blueberries, salmon or sunflower seeds - act like SUPERHERO nutrients in the body. They extinguish toxic oxygen molecules known as FREE RADICALS; the bad by products of cell renewal that are also produced by pollution and sun damage.


Why are antioxidants so important for your skin?

Because they provide the best protection against UVA rays and age-accelerating FREE RADICALS. Commonly held beliefs that eating antioxidant rich food will keep you looking young, are also scientifically proven.

Though this can help smooth your wrinkles and reduces the risk of skin cancer, it's not the only way you can care for your skin. Getting nutrition to the surface of your skin is just as important as taking the right nutrition internally.

What are Free Radicals?

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that target and ultimately damage your tissue, and cells. They are often causes by environmental factors such as UV rays, smoke, chemical and biological pollution, alcohol, and stress.

The consequences also include damage to your skin’s DNA, an aged appearance, wrinkles, sagging skin, a dull or rough complexion, and an increased risk of skin cancer.


Here are a few antioxidants in food that benefit your skin:


• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) - Important sources include citrus fruits like oranges and limes, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, raw cabbage and tomatoes.


• Vitamin A - Involved in forming new skin cells, also helps keep skin supple and is vital for healthy EYES and HAIR. You can find vitamin A in: whole milk and butter, liver, oily fish and eggs. It can also be manufactured by the body from beta carotene.

• Vitamin E - Important sources include vegetable oil, nuts and seeds, peanut butter, wholegrain, avocado, sunflower, soybean. Also derived from salmon, mackerel, halibut and trout.

• Selenium - This ingredient works best with a Vitamin E to support the immune system, so it can help fight infection. The best sources are: cereals, meat, seafood, cheese, and mushrooms.

• Green Tea - Polyphenols found in the green tea are regarded as one of the best antioxidants, and also reduce the RISK of SKIN CANCER.

• Coenzyme Q10 - This is one of natural antioxidants in the skin that helps the cells grow and protect them from the ravages of Cancer and aging.


The best combination of vitamins is vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and Selenium.

"These antioxidants work by speeding up the skin’s natural repair systems and by directly inhibiting further damage" says Karen E. Burke, MD PhD of the dermatology school of Medicine (Department of Dermatology).


A study published in The Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that vitamin C and E supplements taken for three months significantly reduced sunburned and sun damage.


In addition to food, consider using antioxidant creams and serums. Look for Organic skincare products with ingredients like vitamin A,B,C and E, the enzyme Q10 and peptides.


It is very important when you buy serums to look for those antioxidants on the beginning of the ingredient label.

If the body is being treated with antioxidants from both the inside and the outside, it will certainly begin to reap the benefits.

From my resources I discovered professional and Organic products in Marshall Store. They have a good price and the right quality.

Sources of writing:

- Book: Simple Skin Beauty from Ellen Marmur, MD

- Blog from WebMD,

- Book: Milady’s Standard