Healthy Skin

By Debra Jaliman, MD

The New York Times recently ran an article on a new kind of cosmetics – the kind you eat or drink. It’s the latest trend, but I have to say, I am highly skeptical about the benefits of these new products, no matter how many famous people tout them.

It’s not that food and drink don’t impact the skin, because they do. A high-glycemic diet, one that’s heavy on pizza, bread, and desserts, can really do a number on the skin. Scientists aren’t quite sure why this happens, but it’s true for a substantial number of people. They look older, have poor skin color and are prone to breakouts. The same goes for alcohol or too much caffeine. Alcohol dehydrates – think how thirsty people are when they wake up with a hangover – and dehydration shows up in the skin, lessening elasticity. Caffeine is a vasodilator (opens up the capillaries) and can make skin look red and swollen. So can spicy foods, which are definitely a no-no for those with rosacea.

MSG and heavy salt consumption can make the face look puffy, particularly around the eyes. If you have a heavy hand with the saltshaker and also have chronically puffy eyes, you might want to consider cutting down on your salt intake. For people with acne, dairy and sugar are a bad combination. Recent studies have shown that cutting out dairy and sugar improves acne in a substantial percentage of patients.

That said, I seriously doubt that drinking beauty beverages or nibbling on bars that promise to make skin glow will do much at all. It’s true that many celebrities swear by them, but I’d like to point out that these are people who can afford the very best in dermatology and plastic surgery, not to mention dietitians and personal chefs.

The problem I have with most of these products is that their promises are just not realistic. Yes, ingredients like green tea and acai are good for you, but not in this form. Take green tea: I am a firm believer in the benefits of green tea and even offer it to the patients in my practice. It has proven anti-oxidant properties as a beverage and is a very good anti-inflammatory when applied directly to the skin. But this is only true of freshly brewed tea. As for beverages that claim to balance or clarify the skin, it’s a great marketing ploy, but totally not true. People who buy these products are making companies richer, but not helping their skin.

So what foods and drink are good for the skin? For starters, fresh fruit and vegetables, lots of them, which contain vital phytonutrients that are not found in pills, flavored waters or energy bars. Raw nuts, like almonds and walnuts. Extra-virgin olive oil. Lean protein. Water – plain. Fresh green tea, with a squirt of lemon. People who eat all these things, drink plenty of water and stay away from sugar and dairy notice an improvement in their skin tone  in just a couple of weeks.

Bottom line: Don’t fall for fancy waters and foods that promise to repair your skin.  Spend your money at the supermarket or your local farmers’ market instead. Believe me, your skin will thank you.