Can your grandmother’s old adage really be true; will an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Well, if we are talking about the plastic surgeon, then she might be right. Plasticsurgerypractice.com recently reported on a Scottish study that shows by increasing our daily intake of fruits and vegetables, we can improve the way our face looks and feels, providing healthier, younger looking skin; skin that will be less likely to go under the knife anytime soon.
Thirty-five college students, from the University of St. Andrews, participated in this six week study. Each student would consume an average of 3.5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Scientists measured each person’s skin tone in seven areas, at the beginning of the study, at three weeks, then again at the six week mark. After the full six weeks, researchers reported a noticeable increase in the tightness and vibrancy of each student’s skin, as well as improvements in redness and yellow colorations.
Scientists suspect the reason for these improvements can be found in the carotenoids, or the organic pigments located in the colorful flesh of fruits and vegetables, that form metabolic building blocks to act as a protection agent. Carotenoids have a high antioxidant property that protects the skin from the damaging effects of the sun and chemicals in the environment. Carotenoids can also amplify the skin’s ability to defend itself from the damage that occurs with aging.
Additional tests are underway to determine the full benefits from increasing fruits and vegetables in our diet, but the results of this university study remains remarkable. Everyone already knows that adding a number of fruits and vegetables can be a low calorie, high vitamin jumpstart to any meal, but that’s even better news if an increase in their consumption can result in measurable and perceptible improvements in our skin. So what’s the hold up? Let’s all head to the farmer’s market! And for more information on ways to improve your skin without plastic surgery, call the skin experts at Vitenas Cosmetic Surgery at 281.484.0088.