An optimal diet for good skin care follows the same guidelines as a diet for overall health. Guidelines for overall health focus on slowing down the physiological mechanisms of aging in all tissues, including the skin. There are certain aspects of an overall healthy diet that are more important for the skin than others which are as follows.

Ensure Proper Balance among the Food Groups.

It is desirable to consume a variety of foods to ensure than all essential nutrients are consumed in adequate amounts. This can easily be achieved by following the recommendations of the Daily Food Guide developed by the US Department of Agriculture.

Adults are advised to:

• Consume at least two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables each day to ensure a sufficient amount of these food groups (based on a 2,000-calorie diet).
• Select a variety of fruits and vegetables – for example, pick from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables).
• Focus on eating whole grain products and include at least 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day in your diet.
• Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

Focus on Eating Fruits and Vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of antioxidants which help to protect the skin. In particular, the strong pigments that are responsible for the color of fruits and veggies are potent antioxidants. Make sure the fruits and vegetables are fresh or minimally cooked so that these antioxidants remain intact.

Drink Plenty of Fluids.

Proper hydration of the body helps to reduce skin dryness so it is very important to ensure that you are drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day. Experts recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day or more if you are also drinking caffeinated beverages which act as a diuretic - a substance promoting the excretion of water.

Keep Food as Natural as Possible.

Keeping food as natural as possible with ensure that you get the maximum benefit as cooking depletes many foods of their essential nutrients and antioxidants. However, you do not have to avoid cooking foods altogether, just reduce cooking time, avoid deep frying and cooking with large amounts of oil and fat.

Recipes that are Tru to Your Skin.