As a kid, I ate my dinner so that I could have dessert. My mother filled my head with other reasons to eat—like that carrots would keep my eyes strong, dairy would keep my bones strong, and spinach would keep my muscles strong—but I was oblivious to such added benefits. As an adult, I’m still obsessed with dessert, but now I’m equally obsessed with the added benefits of certain foods.

The saying, “You are what you eat” could not be more true when it comes to our skin. Our skin thrives when we eat a natural, wholesome diet rich with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and it suffers under a poor diet—no matter how many overpriced beauty potions we’re lathering on.

I need all the help I can get to look my best these days and if I can get that help while stuffing my face, you can be sure I’m adding the following beauty-full foods to my weekly shopping cart.

Fish for Compliments

Oily fish like fresh tuna, sardines, mackerel, and salmon contain essential fatty acids (EFAs) that actually reduce skin inflammation and keep our skin moisturized. These EFAs also promote elasticity, keeping those wrinkles at bay. Added benefits: research shows that the Omega-3s found in fish slow cognitive decline, remove plaque from our arteries, and improve brain function. In short, tuna is a pretty smart choice for dinner.

Go Nuts

Brimming with vitamins A and E, nuts protect our skin against pollutants and sun damage. Nuts are also rich in good fats that keep our skin nourished and smooth. Power snack on sunflower seeds, almonds, and walnuts and before long, everyone will be going nuts over how great you look!

Think Popeye

Popeye knocked back spinach leaves back like I knock back Guinness, and while I’m getting my iron requirements, he’s getting plenty of antioxidant vitamins B, C, and E. Vitamins C and E are a powerful anti-aging combination while vitamin B boosts energy in our activity levels, promoting that healthy glow. I’m adding spinach, watercress, and cabbage to my cart.

Don’t Forget Popeye’s Lady Friend

You can’t go wrong with olive oil. It’s good for your skin, hair, nails, and overall diet. It’s packed with the good fats, antioxidants, and vitamins A and E that help give us soft, supple, younger-looking skin. I’m adding extra virgin olive oil to my cart because, unlike other olive oils, extra virgin hasn’t been chemically processed. Popeye would be so proud.

Holy Guacamole!

The innocent-looking scaly avocado is loaded with good stuff to make us look like hot stuff. Got dry skin? Reach past that Chanel cream and toward this green, fleshy fruit; it’s packed with vitamin E and monounsaturated fats (sing it with me, “Not all fats are bad for me!”) that combat dryness to nourish our skin and hair. Going forward, I’m adding avocado to all my salads and sandwiches.

Egg-stra Credit

Unscramble your thoughts about eggs and cholesterol because eggs are actually good for us. The sunny side up is that eggs are a high-quality protein and they contain antioxidants that are easily absorbed into the body. When it comes to egging our beauty on, whole eggs are best because they contain vitamin E, vitamins B12 and other vitamin Bs, selenium, and protein, which are all good for your skin and hair. Added benefit: eggs are packed with the carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which are crucial to keeping healthy eyes and sharp vision.

The Whole Truth

Add whole grains—the brown whole meal versions of your favorite foods like pasta, cereal, and bread—to your diet and you’ll aid your digestion and your complexion. Whole grains are packed with iron, vitamin B, and most important of all, fiber, which keeps us regular. Being regular is nothing to snicker at apparently (though I can’t help myself!) as it flushes out toxins to leave you with radiant skin. I’m down with brown.

Berry Pretty

I love berries, so it’s no hardship for me to add strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, cranberries, your berries, my berries, to everything I eat. Berries are jam-packed (sorry) with antioxidant vitamins C and E, which help produce collagen to keep our skin smooth and plump. Added benefit: cranberries keep our urinary tract clean and happy, which is unscientifically proven to turn your frown upside down.

You Say Tomato, I Say Yes Please

Tomatoes look fresh, healthy, and ripe and the good news is that eating them will keep us fresh, healthy and ripe, too. Tomatoes are a reliable source of vitamins and minerals; they’re high in vitamin C and a great source of vitamin A, as well as being a solid go-to for the strong antioxidant lycopene. There is growing scientific evidence that lycopene neutralizes harmful free radicals that can damage cells and trigger cancer. Tomatoes are not bad for you, so eat up. In fact, I tell bad jokes to encourage people to throw tomatoes at me; I’ll be having the last beautiful laugh!

Cider House Rules

A friend, who is not so much a friend as an acquaintance, recently shared that I was looking a little “dull” and should consider adding apple cider vinegar to my daily diet. I won’t tell you what I said back to her (in my head), but I will tell you that I’m a convert. Apple cider vinegar is concentrated with enzymes that help peel off dead skin cells. It breaks down fat, helps food digest properly, and just makes you feel and look bright (or less dull in my case).

Pass the Potatoes, Please!
Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A, which is known for being an anti-wrinkling agent. Treat yourself to second helpings for smoother skin.

Choco-lot

A University of Nottingham professor found that drinking cocoa drinks rich in flavanols improves blood flow to key areas of the brain for two to three hours. I hear you, “Sure that makes my brain pretty, but what about my face?” Well, Professor Ian MacDonald’s study suggested that cocoa flavanols in chocolate may enhance brain function to help fight sleep deprivation, fatigue, and the effects of aging. Yes! Adding cocoa and slabs of dark chocolate to my cart …

Water Your Skin

I like my water boiled with a tea bag plopped into it along with a few drops of milk and preferably a few chocolate cookies. This is all great for my mood, but not so great for my skin; caffeine is dehydrating and sugar causes zits. There’s no getting around it—our skin needs water to survive, and lots of it to thrive. Strap a water cooler to your back and give your skin long drinks frequently—more than the prescribed eight glasses a day if you can manage it, so you can moisturize from the inside out. If you must drink tea (like I must), make it green; green tea contains healthy acids and protein, which help to improve our complexions.

Forget wham-bam-pass-the-dessert-ma’am; my food choices need to deliver more than just a quick sugar rush. Now, I eat to keep my heart fit and to make my jeans fit. I eat to increase my energy and to decrease my risks of a heart attack, stroke, and cancer. I eat to feel better, and hey, I eat to look better, too. Beauty really does come from within!

小时候，吃饭时，我会把饭都吃完，那样我就可以有点心吃。但妈妈总是给我灌输另外的吃东西的原因，例如萝卜可以使我视觉锐利，奶制品可以是我骨骼强壮，菠菜可以使我肌肉结实，但我是在不知不觉中得到这些好处的。长大以后，我还是很喜欢吃点心，但现在我会注意平衡地从各种食物中摄取营养。

俗话“食如其人”对我们的皮肤来说是不可否认的真理。当我们采用富含抗氧化物、维生素和矿物质的天然健康食品作为日常饮食时，我们的皮肤会很健康。而当你享用一个糟糕透的饮食餐单时，不论你涂多少昂贵的护肤品都无济于事。

这些日子，我需要所有能使我保持最佳状态的帮助。当我吃得饱饱的时候就可以实现，你一定会看到在一周一次的购物中，我正把以下美容食品往购物车里塞。

赞美鱼

含油的鱼，像新鲜的吞拿鱼、沙丁鱼、鲭鱼和三文鱼含有必需脂肪酸（EFAs），而必需脂肪酸可以减少皮肤炎症的发生，使我们的肌肤保持水嫩。这些必需脂肪酸还可以增强皮肤弹性，赶走皱纹。吃鱼还有以下的好处：研究表明鱼类中的ω-3 可以减缓感知能力的下降，清除动脉中的金属，增强脑部功能。总的来说，吞拿鱼是一个十分明智的选择。

追求坚果

富含维生素A和维生素E的坚果，可以保护我们的皮肤免受污染物和阳光的伤害。坚果同时还含有好的脂肪，可以使我们的肌肤保持滋润和光滑。把葵花籽、杏和核桃当作补充能量的零食，不久之后，每个人都会对你大吃一惊。

想想大力水手

我狂饮吉尼斯黑啤，就像大力水手帕帕狂吃菠菜叶一样，不同的是，我补充了铁，而他获得了大量的抗氧化物维生素B、维生素C和维生素E。维生素C和维生素E是有效的抗衰老物，维生素B可增强我们的机体活动水平，使我们容光焕发。我把菠菜、水田芥、圆白菜都放进我的购物车里。

不要忘记大力水手的女性朋友

你千万不能错过橄榄油。这对你的皮肤、头发、指甲，以及总的日常饮食都有好处。它含有好的脂肪、抗氧化物、维生素A和E。它可以使我们的皮肤变得嫩滑而有弹性，并减去岁月痕迹。我把特级原生橄榄油放进购物车里。因为特级原生橄榄油不像其他橄榄油，它没有经过化学加工。大力水手会感到很自豪的。

神圣的鳄梨奶饼

洁白的鳞状鳄梨含有的有益物质能使我们看起来气色红润。皮肤干燥？放下那护肤品，拿起这绿绿的、肉肉的水果。它含有的维生素和不饱和脂肪（跟我唱，“不是所有的脂肪对我都有害！”）可以帮我们战胜干燥，滋润我们的皮肤和头发。多说一句，我把鳄梨加到所有的沙拉和三文治中。

歌颂蛋制品

不要把鸡蛋和胆固醇混为一谈，因为鸡蛋实际上对我们有好处。单煎面的鸡蛋含有优质蛋白和抗氧化物，它们很容易被人体吸收。天然的鸡蛋对美容来说最好，因为它含有维生素E、维生素B12、和其他B族维生素、硒和蛋白质，它们对你的皮肤和头发都有好处。另外的益处:鸡蛋含有类胡萝卜素、黄体素和玉米黄质，它们能有效地使眼睛保持健康状态，使视觉敏锐。

所有的真相

添加你喜欢的焙烤全麦食品到你的日常饮食中，例如面食、燕麦和面包。它们有助于你的消化和改善肤色。全麦食品含有铁、维生素B，最重要的是，它含有纤维。纤维可以使我们排便正常。正常排便显然是没什么好笑的（但我还是忍不住会笑！），因为正常排便有利于毒素排出，从而使你拥有光彩耀人的肤色。我的皮肤很黑。

莓美丽

我喜欢吃浆果，所以对我来说，吃浆果一点都不困难。草莓、蓝莓、山莓、黑幕、醋栗、蔓越橘，你的浆果、我的浆果，所以的我都吃。浆果含有抗氧化物维生素C和E。浆果有助于产生胶原蛋白，使我们皮肤光滑和令人丰满。另外的益处：蔓越橘可以使我们保持尿道清洁和保持愉悦的心情，它会在不知不觉中让你眉开眼笑。

你说番茄，我说好

番茄看起来新鲜、健康、成熟。而好消息是，食用番茄可以使我们也同样新鲜、健康、成熟。番茄是维生素和矿物质的可靠来源。番茄，维生素C、维生素A含量高，同时含有纯液体的强抗氧化物番茄红素。越来越多的科学研究证明番茄红素可以中和破环细胞和激发癌症的有害自由基。番茄不会对你有害，所以吃吧。实际上，我会说糟糕透的笑话鼓励人们向我扔番茄。我会灿烂地笑到最后。

苹果汁屋规则

一个朋友，应该说只是一个相识的人，最近说我看起来有点“毫无光泽”，应该考虑下加点苹果醋到日常饮食中。我不会告诉你，我怎样反驳她（在心里），但我会告诉你，我是一个皈依宗教者。苹果醋里含有的酶可有效去除死皮。它可以分解脂肪，有助食物消化，令你看起来光彩照人（或不像我那么“毫无光泽”）。

请给我番薯

番薯含有大量维生素A，是抗皱的作用物。为了光滑的肌肤，再给你自己一份番薯吧。

可可制品

一位诺丁汉的教授发现可可饮料含有丰富的黄烷醇，黄烷醇可以在2~3个小时内促进脑部脑部主要区域的血液流通。也许你会说，“确定那可以使我头脑聪明，那对于脸蛋又如何呢？”不用担心，Ian MacDonald教授的研究表明巧克力中可可汗的黄烷醇，可以增强脑部功能，有助于缓解失眠、疲劳和衰老。所以，把可可和黑巧克力放入我的购物车吧······

浇灌你的皮肤

我喜欢把茶包扑通一声地放入沸水中，然后加几滴牛奶，最好就是再来一些巧克力曲奇。这对我的心情非常好，但对我的皮肤不好。咖啡因会使皮肤干燥，糖会导致小痘痘还要。别无选择——我们的皮肤需要水才能生存，而且大量的水才能茁壮成长。锁住水分，长期有规律地给你的皮肤喝水，不仅仅只是规定的每天8杯，如果你可以做到。这样你就可以使你的皮肤由里到外都得到滋润。如果你一定要喝茶（像我那样），喝绿茶吧。绿茶含有健康的酸类物质和蛋白质，可以改善我们的肤色。

忘记那一眨眼功夫就吃完了的点心吧。我的食品选择要得到的不仅只是一种速溶糖。现在，我为了保持心脏健康和牛仔裤合身而吃，为了增强我的能量和减少患心脏病、中风、癌症的风险而吃。为感觉良好而吃，当然还有，为美丽而吃。美丽是从内而外的！