Vitamins, minerals vital for clear, healthy skin

Leo asks: What foods are good for teenage skin?

Wynnie says: You don't have to spend a fortune on expensive creams and pills. The key to clear, healthy skin is to nourish it with optimal ingredients from food. There's a lot of research which shows that specific nutrients can make an important difference to the way your skin looks and feels.

So which nutrients are needed to keep your skin looking great and acne free?

Vitamins and minerals are essential for proper functioning of every organ in the body, including the skin. Skin damage results from a chemical process called oxidation in which unstable molecules called free radicals steal electrons from healthy cells.

Powerful antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E and selenium are vital in protecting skin cells against the damaging effects of oxidative stresses such as sunlight, smoking and pollution. Harmful free radicals in the body lead to the deterioration of proteins called collagen and elastin, and can cause premature ageing, such as wrinkles.

Vitamin E helps the body regenerate vitamin C and so is necessary to maximise the effectiveness of vitamin C. It also helps the skin retain moisture, which prevents premature wrinkles. You can find vitamin E in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, wheatgerm, wholegrain cereals and spinach.

Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, a protein that keeps the skin firm, strong and resilient. Get it from peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy green veggies, citrus fruits and strawberries.