Weight Watchers promotional feature: Foodie beauty boosters

By Carole Ann Rice

Hors d'oeuvres for your hide.

Strawberries are perfect for battling wrinkles as they contain minerals and vitamins C and B3, silicon and antioxidants that offer protection from sun damage, have cleansing properties and prevent inflammation. You can even apply them directly to the skin.

Tomatoes are a fine anti-wrinkle treatment as they are rich in lycopene, which helps undo environmental damage, purifies the blood and encourages detoxification.

Watercress is choc full of super-cleansing ingredients and contains an active ingredient, which neutralises the dangerous carcinogens in tobacco, which is so damaging to the skin. Rich in vitamins and minerals too.

Apples and Pears help cleanse the liver, relieve eczema and contain enzymes, which help to detoxify the system.

Carrots - Regularly drinking carrot juice or nibbling carrots improves skin's appearance and helps clear spots and blemishes. Rich in vitamins A and B and carotene they can boost the skin's natural sun protection factor too.

Lemons and Limes - Natural de-toxers for the blood and liver, they help prevent broken veins and rich in vitamin C they keep collagen in good condition. Sipping lemon juice in hot water each morning helps provide inner purity.

Sunflower seeds have excellent skin conditioning qualities; rich in vitamins, protein and minerals they provide all the skin's essential nutrients.

Avocados are particularly rich in vitamins A, B. C and E along with potassium, iron and vitamin K. Eaten or applied directly to the skin they provide an oil which nourishes dry, lack lustre skin.

Cherries are a gal's best friend. As well as being rich in antioxidants, which helps prevent signs of ageing, they have vitamins, minerals, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron and act as a great intestinal broom. Apply directly to skin as a brightener is you feel your skin is looking sallow and dull.

Oats are nature's most nutritious cereals and are packed with energy and nerve fortifying ingredients. High in calcium, silica, manganese and magnesium they act as a skin strengthener from within but can be used as a natural facial scrub when applied directly to the face or body. Drop a muslin bag filled with oats in the bath to relieve eczema.