When my Dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes many years ago, his Diabetes Educator put him on a low fat diet. Some time later , he expressed concern about how dry his skin had become. He was fortunate to have an English Rose complexion, a pale unblemished skin which had always looked so healthy .

At that time I have to admit I knew very little about nutrition or diabetes and certainly never would question the advise given by a Diabetes Educator, but I am happy to say my knowledge has increased since those days.

If you are on a low fat diet now is the time to give it up, that is if you want healthy skin!  Fat serves many important functions in the body, and is absolutely vital in keeping your skin plump, moist and wrinkle free.

A lack of good fats in the body will cause the skin to age prematurely, so you definitely don't want to exclude fat entirely from your diet.

Out of all the fats available, there are three you need for healthy skin., essential fatty acids, olive oil , and butter or coconut oil.

Essential Fatty Acids

There are only two EFAs: alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid).

Cold pressed olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which is excellent for promoting general health, heart health and skin health.

When purchasing olive oil make sure that it is pure virgin olive oil, and not a mixture of different grades of olive oil such as pomace olive oil.

In one tablespoon of olive oil there are 1318 mg of Omega 6 fatty acids and 103 mg Omega 3 fatty acids.

Some of the best source of omega 3 fatty acids is probably fish Chia and flax seeds are also excellent sources.

It is important to have a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 in the diet. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and most omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. There must be a balance between the two essential fatty acids, A good Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio is 4:1 or 2:1.

Butter For Healthy Skin

Butter has unfairly gained a bad reputation over the past decades because it contains saturated fat. This is despite the fact that it is a rich source of easily absorbed vitamin A needed for a wide range of functions in the body, from maintaining good vision, to keeping the endocrine system in top shape. Butter also contains all the other fat soluble, vitamins (E, K and D).

Butter is rich in trace minerals, especially selenium, a powerful antioxidant. Ounce for ounce, butter has more selenium per gram than either whole wheat or garlic, Butter also supplies iodine, needed by the thyroid gland . All these vitamins and minerals are essential to good skin health.

Despite what you have been lead to believe, saturated fat is actually very beneficial for the body. One of the main reasons for this is that saturated fat is very resistant to oxidation. Unlike polyunsaturated fats, saturated fat does not go rancid quickly when exposed to the air or when you cook with it.