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Proper skin care doesn’t just start from the nice scenting soaps, body scrubs and face masks. It starts from your diet.
Just like every other organ or part of your body, your skin is also affected by the types of food you eat.
The right kind of foods can contribute towards a healthy, radiant and glowing skin, while the wrong kind of foods can deliver the exact opposite.
The first stage of any effective skin care routine should be ensuring you’re getting more of these skin-healthy foods, and less of the skin-damaging ones.
In this article, you’ll discover 10 of the best foods you can eat, for a healthy, glowing skin, as well as the ones to limit or avoid as well.
Adding these 10 healthy foods to your diet, and cutting back on the bad ones will definitely help you improve your natural glow.
Let’s dive in.
10 Foods For A Healthy Radiant Skin
1) Avocados
Known for being rich in healthy fats, delicious and quite versatile when it comes to the kitchen, avocados are one of the most loved fruits out there.
But it doesn’t just end there. They’re also rich in certain nutrients and minerals, which make them great for your skin.
For example, avocados are high in healthy monounsaturated fats. These types of fats can help fight inflammation, keep your skin looking moist, and give it a natural glow.
Avocados also contain good amounts of important vitamins such as vitamins E and C, which can also help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals, as well as reduce the negative effect of excess UV exposure.
In our meals: When it comes to the kitchen, avocados are pretty versatile. From guacamole, to avocado toast, to smoothies and much more. There are only so many ways to enjoy this delicious fruit.
Also See: 18 Delicious Keto Avocado Recipes That’ll Satisfy Your Cravings
2) Tomatoes
Regarded by some as a fruit and others as a vegetable, tomatoes are a popular kitchen staple in a lot of homes today.
They’re packed with a nice range of nutrients and minerals, which contribute to a healthy skin, and body overall.
First of all, tomatoes are mostly water (about 95%). Getting enough water daily, is just as important as eating the right foods.
Water helps the different parts of your body (including your skin) flush out toxic substances more easily, and also helps prevent dryness, cracks and wrinkles.
Also, tomatoes contain a certain antioxidant called Lycopene, which in addition to giving them their natural red color, can also help to protect against cell damage, sunburns and some cancers.
In our meals: Tomatoes are a popular kitchen staple, and can be enjoyed in most dishes, from salads, to stews and soups, to pretty much any main dish you can think of.
Also See: Best Foods To Eat To Fight Inflammation
3) Berries
Who would’ve guessed that these tiny bundles of tasty goodness could also be great for your skin?
Berries come in all shapes and sizes, from blueberries, to strawberries, to raspberries and much more. And they’re all packed with good nutrients and antioxidants, which offer an array of interesting health benefits.
Their antioxidant-rich nature makes them great for fighting inflammation, maintaining good skin texture and even contributing towards slowing down aging.
Different berries contain different proportions of the different nutrients, but we can all agree that they are collectively good, and form part of a healthy diet.
In our meals: there are lots of ways to enjoy your favorite berries. From delicious treats like cheesecakes and berry crumbles, to other tasty meals like smoothies, muffins and so on.
Also See: 20 Easy And Healthy Smoothie Bowls That Taste Amazing
4) Salmon
Skin-healthy foods aren’t just limited to fruits and vegetables alone.
Fatty fish like salmon and cod are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce cholesterol, fight inflammation, and support good cardiovascular health. But it doesn’t just end there.
Salmon for example, is also a good source of vitamins D and B-6, which support proper cell growth and repair, and can help protect your skin from the dangers of excess exposure to UV radiation.
5) Walnuts
Nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses too, and are rich in good nutrients and minerals.
Take walnuts for example. A one ounce serving packs a decent 18g of total fat, 4g of protein, 3.7g of carbohydrates, as well as important nutrients like vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and so on.
Walnuts are also one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which is well known to help fight inflammation and improve heart health.
Other health benefits of walnuts include promoting healthy digestion due to their fiber content, improving brain health and cognitive function and also preventing against certain types of cancers, among other things.
In our meals: Nuts are pretty much a ready-to-go snack, and can be enjoyed as they are. You can also integrate them into your favorite treats and desserts too.
Also See: 35 High Protein Low Calorie Snacks For Weight Loss
6) Leafy Greens
You might have already guessed this one. Whether or not you’re a fan of veggies, there’s no denying how good they are for you, and that includes skin-wise.
Leafy greens like kale, spinach and cabbage are loaded with nutrients like vitamins A, B, C, E and K, alongside important minerals like folate, magnesium and so on.
These nutrients have been shown to protect the cells against free radicals, slow down aging and also aid in the repair of damaged skin, among others. They’re certainly worth adding to your diet.
And their benefits don’t stop there. Leafy greens also help keep your immune system strong and protect against various kinds of diseases. Plus, due to their low calorie and high fiber content, they’re great for weight loss too.
Also See: Best Low Carb Veggies To Enjoy On A Ketogenic Diet
7) Yoghurt
Yoghurt is another great skin-healthy food to enjoy. They’re rich in probiotics, which helps to repair dry and broken skin.
Also, yoghurt serves as a good source of protein, which is essential for proper cell growth and repair, all around the body.
When it comes to the type of yoghurt though, it all depends.
Greek yoghurt has way more protein than the regular one (almost 3 times as much) and less sugar. This can help suppress hunger and leave you feeling more satiated.
Regular yoghurt on the other hand, isn’t as protein-rich as its Greek counterpart, but packs a higher calcium content, which supports good bone health.
Both are great sources of nutrients and probiotics, and can be enjoyed for a radiant and healthy skin.
8) Bell Peppers
Another wonderful veggie you should be getting enough of, is the bell pepper.
Bell peppers are loaded with antioxidants that help fight against inflammation and cell damage, and support the healthy production of collagen, all of which are good news for your skin.
Although you can enjoy any variety of bell peppers, the red ones tend to be the highest in nutrients, since they’re fully ripe.
Other health benefits associated with bell peppers include helping maintain proper eye health, improving heart health and reducing the risk of other diseases.
9) Sunflower Seeds
Seeds, just like nuts, are a good source of healthy fats, fiber and protein, and are also loaded with good nutrients and minerals too.
Take sunflower seeds for example. A one ounce serving packs a decent 5g of protein, 3g of fiber, and well over 10g of healthy fats.
It also contains good skin-healthy nutrients like zinc, selenium, and Vitamin E, which can help protect your cells against oxidative stress, inflammatory issues and negative effects of UV radiation.
These tiny bundles of nutritional goodness can be enjoyed alone as a snack, or paired with your favorite meals as toppings, dressing, butters, and so on.
10) Carrots
Last but not least, we have carrots. They’re sweet, tasty and incredibly nutritious too.
Packed with a good number of vitamins, such as vitamin A, C, and K, as well as minerals such as potassium and manganese, they offer an interesting range of health benefits that aren’t limited to the skin alone.
Due to their low calorie and high fiber content, they are also good for weight loss, and can help reduce hunger cravings.
Other benefits include better eye health, reduced risk of certain illnesses, as well as a stronger immune system.
Worst Foods For Your Skin
Just as these are certain foods, like the ones listed above, which can help you achieve a healthy and radiant skin, there are also certain ones that aren’t so good for you.
This is because they might contain certain chemicals, which may cause issues like inflammation, or support acne, or other unwanted skin-related conditions.
Identifying these foods in your diet, and making efforts to reduce or eliminate their intake can be a great step towards improving your skin, and whole body in general.
Some examples of these skin-negative foods include;
1) Refined carbs – think white bread, pasta, refined grains, etc. These types of food may contribute to issues like inflammation and acne, especially when consumed heavily.
2) Refined Sugar – Apart from the unpleasant energy rollercoaster associated with an excessive intake of added sugars, they’ve also been shown to decrease skin quality and appearance when consumed heavily.
3) Fast food – this is quite expected, considering a large number of fast food items are rich in omeg-6 fatty acids and some other unhealthy ingredients. A wrong balance of omega-6 fats can promote conditions like inflammation.
4) Foods you’re allergic to – some foods may be really good for other people in general, but if you’re allergic to those foods, consuming them might not be the best option, especially for your skin. If you’re allergic to something, it might be best to avoid it altogether
Summing it all up
Our skin is a very important organ, and deserves to be properly taken care of. And just like every other organ, it is affected by the foods we put inside the body, as well as some of our lifestyle choices.
The first step towards proper skincare is in proper nutrition. This involves getting enough of skin-healthy foods in our diet, and avoiding, or at least reducing the intake of the not so good ones.
With the right diet and skincare routine, you can have the healthy, glowing and radiant skin you’ve always wanted.
Cheers.
