Can Salmon Save Your Skin?

It's supposed to be a brain food, and now it's a skin food. It may sound fishy, but salmon is being touted for healthy-looking skin and as a cure-all for wrinkles. If the thought of eating fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner doesn't sound all that appetizing, don't lose hope. Other foods can help promote beauty from within.

It's been called the salmon diet, but there's really more to it than that. Nicholas Perricone M.D., dermatologist and author of The Wrinkle Cure, advocates eating fish - salmon, in particular - at least 10 times a week.

Why salmon? It's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are supposed to reduce the body's production of inflammatory substances that can damage the skin. If you can't stomach salmon, try other cold-water fish, such as herring, snapper, bass and trout, which offer the same anti-inflammatory benefit.

If you're not a fish fan, you can get some benefits from of taking omega-3 supplements. However, Perricone maintains that there are many more benefits from eating salmon than just taking a capsule. Salmon contains high amounts of protein and coenzyme Q-10, which is a powerful antioxidant, plus it's rich in dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE).

Dimethylaminoethanol is a naturally occurring nutritional compound found in fish such as sardines and anchovies. It's also present in small amounts in the human brain. According to Perricone, DMAE increases tone in the skin.

Besides fish (or other lean proteins such as chicken), Perricone's diet calls for small amounts of fat from olive oil or nuts and lots of fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index - meaning they break down slowly and their glucose is gradually released into the bloodstream - are fine. The theory is that a quick rise in your blood sugar will release inflammatory chemicals that contribute to the aging process will be released. Too much sugar equals sagging, wrinkled skin, so beans and broccoli are fine, but pasta and bread are out.

Concentrating on protein, fruits and vegetables sounds like a lot of other diets out there, but other diets don't suggest eating fish at practically every meal. Is this too much of a good thing?

"If it's taking the place of other foods, you're missing out," says nutritionist and cookbook author Robin Vitetta-Miller. "That's the problem when we find a nutrient that works and we eat only that." It's also probably not realistic to expect someone to eat fish 10 times a week, she says. Looking down at your plate to yet another piece of grilled salmon may be enough to send anyone running for the nearest chocolate bar.

David E. Bank, M.D., director of the Center for Dermatology in Mt. Kisco, N.Y. and co-author of Beautiful Skin: Every Woman's Guide to Looking Her Best At Any Age, also has something to say about fishy diets. Bank says omega-3 fatty acids can help maintain good blood flow to the skin. However, he says increasing DMAE intake hasn't been proven to translate into better-looking skin.

You are what you eat

The key to a healthy glow may lie more in eating well than in concentrating on one food.

"The skin is the largest organ of the body and is really a tremendous reflection of a person's overall health and well-being," says Bank. "I'm a big believer in a good diet and lots of water, and I think that will help the skin look as good as it can."

When it comes to your complexion, it turns out there is such a thing as a good diet. Bank and Vitetta-Miller recommend the following:

• Drink water. "That's proven," Vitetta-Miller says. "It keeps the skin from getting dehydrated and flushes toxins." The typical eight glasses a day are fine, according to Bank, who says that anything beyond that is overkill and won't affect your skin.

• Eat orange foods. Foods rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, can help improve your skin. These include sweet potatoes, carrots and mangos.

• Include plenty of vitamin C. It helps in the formation of collagen, which helps keeps skin firm. And unlike vitamin A, the body gets rid of excess amounts of it.

• Eat small amounts of fat. If you eat too little, your skin can dry out. But avoid too many foods high in saturated fat, such as meat, butter and cheese. Contrary to popular belief, chocolate and greasy foods don't cause acne, according to Bank, but nuts can cause some people to break out.

• Keep the balance. Bank recommends a multivitamin rather than picking and choosing individual supplements. Sometimes excessive amounts of one type of vitamin or mineral rob the body of its ability to absorb other types. For example, too much zinc (also good for the skin) and magnesium can interfere with iron absorption.

• Don't forget Biotin, also called vitamin B7 or vitamin H. It can help prevent brittle nails. It's found is eggs, fish, milk, cheese and cabbage.

Related Articles What's the Skinny on Your Skin? How to Tell Your Skin Type Preventing Skin Cancer

External Sources Nicholas Perricone, MD, FACN, board certified clinical and research dermatologist. David E. Bank, MD, director of the Center for Dermatology, Northern Westchester Hospital, Mount Kisco, NY.

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

Search