Plant based diet

THE PLANT BASED DIET AND YOUR SKIN 
5 POINTS YOU SHOULD KNOW





If you want healthy skin you must start from the inside out.  To achieve the that glow that you are looking for it is essential that your diet is rich in vitamins an d minerals and phytochemicals.  The best way to make sure you get these nutrients daily is to eat meals containing  lot of fruits and veggies, legumes, nuts and seeds, basically what's called a plant based diet. This type of diet will promote healthy skin, hair, and nails.  I don't know about you but I want glowing skin, long healthy hair and strong nails.

What Is a Plant-Based Diet?

I bet you are

wondering!

This type of diet consist entirely of foods derived from plants.  This diet will exclude, processed foods, oils, and animal products.  It is referred to as a vegan diet. You must careful the are many vegan labeled foods that are processed, refined, and offer little nutritional value.  These man made vegan products are not necessarily plant based and in turn they will not offer the same skin health benefits.  Vegan and plant based are not always interchangeable.

Table 1 – Examples of Nutrient-Dense, Plant-Based Foods

Food	Plant Types	Serving Size
Beans	Black beans, chickpeas, edamame, kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans, split peas	½ cup
Fruits	Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, goji berries, mulberries, strawberries, apples, avocados, dates, grapefruit, plums, watermelon	½ cup fresh berries, 1 medium fruit, or ¼ cup dried fruit
Cruciferous Vegetables	Arugula, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale	½ cup chopped
Other Vegetables	Asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, onions, squash, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini	1 cup leafy, ½ cup nonleafy
Seeds	Chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds	1-2 tablespoons
Nuts	Almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts	¼ cup nuts or 2 tablespoons nut butter
Whole Grains	Barley, buckwheat, oats, quinoa, rice (brown or wild)	½ cup cooked

There Benefits when you Avoid Animal Products In Your Diet

Eating a plant based diet requires that you do not consume any animal products of any kind.  This includes dairy, meat, poultry, and fish.  Scientists have shown that avoiding dairy can prevent and improve acne.   Another study has shown that when people with psoriasis avoided meat and adopted a plant based diet their symptoms improved.  

Table 2 – Foods to Eliminate on a Plant-Based Diet and Healthy Alternatives

Food	Plant-Based Alternative
Dairy Milk	Almond, soy, coconut, hemp, and rice beverages
Ice Cream	Coconut, soy, almond-based ice cream
Cream	Coconut or soy creamer
Cheese	Nutritional yeast and cashews can be used to create vegan study fou cheese
Meat	Tofu, tempeh, jackfruit, portabello mushrooms, eggplant
Eggs in Baking	1 egg = 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water, 1 egg = ½ mashed banana
Oil	Applesauce, vegetable broth

Plant-Based Diets Provide the Vitamins and Minerals that are need for Glowing Skin

Fruits and veggies are more dense with vitamins and minerals than animal products. Plant based foods should be eaten in abundance for beautiful skin.  Another scientific found that people who consumed food rich in caroteniods, a vitamin derivative everyday for six weeks developed what's called a food tan , that healthy glow. These vitamins and minerals work with enzymes and antioxidants in the battle against free radical damage to your skin.  They also boost the immune system.  Always remember to consult with your doctor before you start this or any other diet.

Table 3 – Plant Sources of Vitamins

Vitamin	Plant-Based Sources[5]
Vitamin A	Cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach, carrots, yams
Vitamin C	Fruits: oranges, strawberries, kiwi Vegetables: red and yellow bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, dark leafy vegetables
Vitamin E	Whole grain wheat, avocados, nuts
B Vitamins	B1 – whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds B2 – enriched whole grains Niacin – mushrooms, whole grains Biotin – yams, almonds, soy B6 – potatoes, bananas, legumes, nuts B12 – fortified beverages, cereals, and some brands of fortified tofu, may still need to supplement
Vitamin K	Broccoli, kale, spinach, soybeans

Table 4 – Plant Sources of Minerals

Mineral	Plant-Based Sources[6]
Copper	Whole grains, nuts, seeds
Iron	Fortified cereals, white beans, lentils, spinach
Selenium	Whole grains, wheat germ, brazil nuts
Silicon	Whole grains, fruits, vegetables
Zinc	Fortified cereals

Plant-Based Diets May Protect Your Skin from Sun Damage and Skin Cancer.

Remember everyone should wear sunscreen and protective clothing if you are going to be outside for any length of time.  A plant base diet offers additional sun protection, because of the compounds that occur naturally.  Fruits and veggies have many phytochemicals and antioxidants  that lessen skin damage and reduce the risk for cancer. 

• Grapes and berries contain a compound called resveratrol, which is a natural phytochemical that acts as an antioxidant and may decrease the risk of skin cancer.[7]
• Tomatoes are rich in an antioxidant called lycopene, which was shown by a research article in the British Journal of Dermatology to reduce the risk of sunburns when eaten daily for 3 months.[8]Watermelons are another fantastic and delicious source of lycopene!
• Beta-carotene appeared to improve signs of photoaging (e.g. wrinkles and sun spots) when consumed daily (beta-carotene equivalent of 6 carrots daily or 1 sweet potato) for 3 months![9]
• Eating a red delicious apple per day may keep the skin cancer away! Researchers at Cornell University showed that compounds in red apple peels called triterpenoids can kill cancer cells.[10] Another skin glowing antioxidant in red apples, called anthocyanin, also possesses cancer-fighting power.[11]
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• Alexandra Vaughn, MD

• Areas of Expertise

• FitnessFoodsExerciseWestern Medicine
 
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• References

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  2. Brown AC, Hairfield M, Richards DG, et al. Medical nutrition therapy as a potential complementary treatment for psoriasis--five case reports. Altern Med Rev.2004;9(3):297-307; PMID: 15387720 Link to Research.
  3. Tan KW, Graf BA, Mitra SR, et al. Daily Consumption of a Fruit and Vegetable Smoothie Alters Facial Skin Color. PLoS One.2015;10(7):e0133445; PMID: 26186449 Link to Research.
  4. Tuso PJ, Ismail MH, Ha BP, et al. Nutritional update for physicians: plant-based diets. Perm J.2013;17(2):61-66; PMID: 23704846 Link to Research.
  5. Functions and Food Sources of Some Common Vitamins. Dietitians of Canada 2013;. Accessed October 8, 2016.
  6. Basavaraj KH, Seemanthini C, Rashmi R. Diet in dermatology: present perspectives. Indian J Dermatol.2010;55(3):205-210; PMID: 21063507 Link to Research.
  7. Wu Y, Jia LL, Zheng YN, et al. Resveratrate protects human skin from damage due to repetitive ultraviolet irradiation. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol.2013;27(3):345-350; PMID: 22221158 Link to Research.
  8. Rizwan M, Rodriguez-Blanco I, Harbottle A, et al. Tomato paste rich in lycopene protects against cutaneous photodamage in humans in vivo: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Dermatol.2011;164(1):154-162; PMID: 20854436 Link to Research.
  9. Cho S, Lee DH, Won CH, et al. Differential effects of low-dose and high-dose beta-carotene supplementation on the signs of photoaging and type I procollagen gene expression in human skin in vivo. Dermatology.2010;221(2):160-171; PMID: 20516658 Link to Research.
  10. He X, Liu RH. Triterpenoids isolated from apple peels have potent antiproliferative activity and may be partially responsible for apple's anticancer activity. J Agric Food Chem.2007;55(11):4366-4370; PMID: 17488026 Link to Research.
  11. Gerhauser C. Cancer chemopreventive potential of apples, apple juice, and apple components. Planta Med.2008;74(13):1608-1624; PMID: 18855307 Link to Research.

https://www.dermveda.com/authors/alexandra-vaughn