There is no substitute for a balanced diet and plenty of fluids when it comes to maintaining healthy skin. That’s because skin integrity depends on a host of different nutrients.  But a few nutrients are on a short list of being especially beneficial.  They are Vitamin A, in dairy products and dark orange and dark green fruits and vegetables, antioxidants in all berries, plums and prunes, cherries, apples and dried beans, and essential fatty acid (EFA) in cold water fish, flaxseed, safflower oil, and nuts.  Vitamin A protects the body’s inner and outer linings, antioxidants inhibit chemicals that damage cell membranes, and EFA is a component of the cell membrane itself.