Two Nutrients that Promote Healthy Skin

Two groups of nutrients that are essential to having healthy skin are vitamin A and healthy fatty acids.

Vitamin A can be called a "group" of nutrients because there's straight vitamin A, found in animal foods, and there's carotenoids, which are plant-based nutrients that can be converted to vitamin A in healthy individuals.

Healthy fatty acids are essential to skin health for a number of reasons, one of the most important ones being that vitamin A and carotenoids are fat-soluble nutrients that are most efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream when in the presence of healthy fats.

Skin is made of specialized epithelial tissue, and the health of epithelial tissue is directly dependent on the amount of vitamin A that we get from our diet. When obtained through healthy food choices, vitamin A can help resist infection, prevent wrinkles, and keep skin looking youthful.

The following recipe brings together carotenoids in sweet potatoes and healthy fatty acids in olive oil - it's a perfect marriage of nutrients for healthy skin. Don't leave out the onions, as they add sweetness and texture that make this dish extra special.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Caramelized Onions Recipe

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 sweet potatoes, washed, scrubbed, and sliced into half-inch rounds
2 Vidalia onions (or any other variety, peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/3-inch half moons
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine sweet potatoes and onions in a large baking dish or pan.

3. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to touch all vegetables. Season with sea salt, to taste. Give all ingredients a good toss to distribute olive oil.

4. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.

This sweet potato and onion dish is so hearty and satisfying that it can be a whole meal on its own, but if you want to add extra texture to your meal, have it with a tossed green salad with some black olives and avocado slices.

If you have this dish several times a month, and you avoid or minimize consumption of highly processed foods, you should see and feel the benefits in your skin.

Related Articles:

Healthy Foods that Contain Vitamin A

A Guide to Choosing Healthy Oils

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fats and Oils