What’s the logic behind the saying “you are what you eat”? Some of us may not realize it, but whatever we consume will ultimately show on our skin. The skin can be called a mirror of our lifestyle and our eating habits. The healthier our skin, the better we are living our life.

Nutritious food is not only for maintaining a healthy body and improving your resistance to diseases. A nourishing meal may also save you the trouble of going for acne treatments, expensive facial treatments and laser wrinkle removal treatments. Diet plays a big role in the maintenance of your youthful skin. If you eat wholesome foods with a lot of vitamins, nutrients and minerals, you can continue to enjoy a glowing complexion and smoother skin.

Here are some more tips on choosing the food you eat to make your skin more vibrant.

Eat foods with antioxidants. When people get exposed to pollution and stress, their skin suffers. That’s why there are antioxidants in our food to help us maintain our skin’s beauty even when stress or pollution is unavoidable. These antioxidants can be consumed naturally from raw fruits and vegetables. Some of the best sources are pomegranates, prunes, concord grape juice, blueberries, blackberries, purple cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, dried plums, kiwis, raspberries, strawberries, raw spinach, oranges, apples and watercress.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are polyunsaturated oils. You may already know of some EFAs like omega-3 and omega-6. These help reduce inflammation on skin, and help skin recover from damage. You can get your essential fatty acids from salmon, sardines, trout and flounder. Essential fatty acids are also available in some nuts like almonds, walnuts and flaxseed.

If you can, avoid eating pastries, sweetened bread and pasta. These are full of sugar, which can trigger a series of metabolic reactions that can lead to skin disorders. Choose the ‘lite’ variant for everything as these usually have lower sugar content.

Drink water more, especially if you drink alcohol. Socializing is unavoidable, but if you can, you should minimize alcohol intake. Drink more water so that your skin is frequently hydrated. Alcohol may dry your skin if taken in excess of one 4-ounce drink a day. Moreover, some dermatologists advocate that alcohol contributes to the dilation of fragile facial capillaries, which can cause rosacea.

Ascorbic acid is a good mineral to have in your daily diet. It’s also the easiest to obtain. You can get vitamin C from citrus, broccoli, cauliflower, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers and green peas. Ascorbic acid can help your skin glow by making your body healthier.