By Wai Lana

REAL beauty is an inner quality that transcends your physical features and never fades, even
with time. But this doesn't mean you should neglect your body, especially when keeping it gorgeous can be so simple and enjoyable.

A healthy, vegetable-based diet provides a natural beauty boost and enhances overall vitality from the inside out. For instance, many of the nutrients available in fresh fruits and veggies help strengthen your skin and tissues, brighten your eyes, cleanse your body of toxins, and renew your energy.

Carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lycopene, are also antioxidants that work to preserve
your eyesight and guard your skin against damage from UV rays. These vital nutrients help strengthen your bones, hair, teeth, and gums. They also maintain and repair your skin, helping to reduce acne and minimize wrinkles. Just like bioflavonoids, carotenoids are abundant in all colorful fruits and vegetables.

You may already use vitamin C to boost your immune system, but this powerful nutrient is essential for healthy skin too. This is because of its integral role in the production of collagen, which maintains skin elasticity, as well as in the absorption of iron, which lends pigmentation to the lips and cheeks.

In addition to aiding tissue growth and maintenance, vitamin C increases the effectiveness of vitamin A (which comes from carotenoids) and vitamin E. Vitamin E is another nutrient that helps preserve the integrity of your skin by helping heal scars and repair sun damage.

Photograph: stock.Xchng