It never occurred to me that the fountain of youth might come in the form of gummi bears.

But that seems to be the case, thanks to nutri-cosmetics — bottled waters, candies, chocolates, and other foods that contain vitamins and plant-extracts that promise to improve our skin.

Who knew that fighting wrinkles would taste so good?

Borba Skin Balance Water, for instance, contains a cocktail of anti-oxidants that claims to get rid of blemishes and improve your skin. Sipping from the fountain of youth, however, doesn't come cheap. A box of 60 crystalline packets costs $100. Borba also makes the Acai Skin Treatment Gummi Boosters that promise to improve skin clarity and remove toxins. Considering they cost $25 per bag, I'd expect these to be pretty special gummi bears.

Apparently, the nutri-cosmetic trend is happening around the world. Gourmet anti-wrinkle jams are available in France, and a Japanese company is making collagen marshmallows. I have no idea if they work, but you have to admit that it's an original idea.

The big question, of course, is do they work? The New York Times article on this trend cited several experts who are pretty skeptical. According to them, there's not much scientific proof to back up these claims. They seem to think that eating healthfully and drinking plain old water is just fine.

I have yet to try any nutri-cosmetics, so I can't weigh in. But if I ever come across those collagen marshmallows, I'll probably toss a couple in my cocoa. (Or would that be gross? Now that I've remembered what collagen is, it might be really gross.)

Meanwhile, if you have tried out any nutri-cosmetics, let us know what you think. Do they work, or do they just taste good?