Hi Doug,

I just read your article about goji berries and I want to buy some as soon as I can get my hands on them. My question is, I recently bought handmade, organic facial moisturizer containing goji berries. Would this have a good, if any, effect on my skin?

Thank you very much,
Margie


Hi Margie,

There have been studies that have found that antioxidants put directly onto the skin help to protect it from free-radical damage, and thus protect against signs of skin aging. Goji berries, which are relatively high in antioxidants, would likely be put into a face moisturizer for this purpose.

That being said, a lot of brands of cosmetics -- including facial moisturizers -- like to add different buzz-word health foods to their products, even though there isn't necessarily evidence that these foods or herbs do anything. Of more concern are petrochemicals, thickeners, fragrances and additives in most moisturizing products (even some organic ones). Your skin is quite porous and does absorb a great deal of what is put on it. In cases where these toxic chemicals are being used, the inclusion of antioxidants is, in my opinion, more a marketing ploy than an actual effective ingredient. After all, who cares about goji berries if your product is full of carcinogens?

Even seemingly safe products, using words like "natural" and "organic," may include ingredients that are harmful to the human body. It's a good idea to do some research and find out what sorts of ingredients are in the product you're using and how safe they are. A great tool for this that I recommend often is the Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s Cosmetic Safety Database. There, you can look up thousands of products to see what ingredients are being used, if those ingredients are harmful and if so, why. The EWG even rates products on a one to 10 scale of how harmful the product is. And, if your product doesn't appear in their database, you can look up individual ingredients to get the scoop on exactly what's going on your face.

It's important to note that the general health of your skin depends more on your diet than what is being put on the surface. A recent study found that supplementing the diet with a certain carotenoid phytochemical called lycopene, found in many fruits and vegetables, boosted levels of carotenoids in the skin, which protect against UVA and UVB radiation. Similarly, selenium has been found to lower skin cancer risk and flavanols in raw chocolate have been found to increase the amount of UV radiation the skin can take before reddening.

Skin grows from the inside out, as new skin cells are made in the internal layers of skin. As skin cells on the surface die and are removed, they are replaced by newer cells from the inside. Treating the surface of the skin is working on old cells that have a limited remaining life. The key is to get the skin producing healthy cells in the internal layers so that they will still be healthy and beautiful by the time they reach the surface. This is best accomplished through good nutrition.

Note that I'm not condemning any particular product. There may very well be excellent skin products out there with goji berries added to give more antioxidant protection. However, the majority of skin care products on the market are using questionable ingredients.

Also note that you don't have to use a specifically formulated moisturizer for your skin. Pure, food-grade organic coconut oil or sesame oil (not toasted sesame oil mind you, as this would have you smelling like a stir-fry), does the job just as well, in my opinion. It's never steered me wrong.

The Healthy Foodie is Doug DiPasquale, Holistic Nutritionist and trained chef, living in Toronto. Doug specializes in private in-home holistic cooking lessons. You can email him with inquiries or questions for the blog at dugdeep@gmail.com.