What you eat as important as makeup, skin products

An increasing number of studies and clinical trials are underlining the importance of "beauty foods" -- super-nourishing fruits, vegetables, nuts, teas and other everyday foods that may replace a trip to the spa with a stop at the neighborhood grocery store.

Did you know that eating salmon and other foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids could result in fewer wrinkles? That you could brighten your smile with cranberries? That spinach, broccoli and Swiss chard contain vitamins that help produce an oily substance that acts as a natural hair conditioner?

Foods rich in antioxidants -- green tea, citrus fruits like oranges and pomegranate, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, romaine lettuce and egg yolks -- are recommended to combat skin damage from the sun and aging.

Omega-3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes so they allow water and nutrients in and keep toxins out. Foods rich in omega-3s -- wild salmon, walnuts, flax, canola oil, soybeans and sardines -- also seem to be able to protect skin against sun damage.