8 Foods to Include in Your Diet for Healthy Skin

Having healthy, glowing skin starts from within. Surface-level skin issues can be improved using skincare products, but increasing your intake of a wide variety of nutritious foods and reducing consumption of unhealthy foods such as processed, oily and deep-fried foods not only significantly affect your health, it also gives your skin health a boost at the same time.

Having a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts gives your skin a healthier, more attractive, and more radiant glow than you would get from sun exposure, and don’t forget you are what you eat, and not eating some foods can negatively affect your skin!

Find out what you should be eating to give your skin a boost.

Table of Contents

• 1. Fatty Fish
• 2. Walnuts
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• 3. Avocados
• 4. Sunflower Seeds
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• 5. Soybeans
• 6. Carrots and Sweet Potatoes
• 7. Dark Chocolate
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• 8. Green Tea
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  • Additional Tips for Healthy, Glowing Skin

1. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring help maintain the supple and radiant look of your skin as they are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids that can fight inflammation, redness, pimples and even make your skin less sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays. 

Fatty fish is also full of vitamin E, one of the most important antioxidants for your skin, helping protect you against damage from free radicals that could make your skin age faster.

This type of seafood is also an excellent source of protein and zinc, the nutrients which is needed to improve the production of new skin cells.[1]

2. Walnuts

Nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds packed with healthy fats are nutritious snacks that help keep us well-oiled.

Walnuts are a good source of vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc and selenium, all of which make them an excellent food for healthy skin.

Walnuts contain a higher amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are fats that your body cannot make itself—having them promote inflammation, including potential inflammatory conditions of the skin.

Walnuts are packed with minerals. 28 grams of walnuts contains 8% zinc which helps heal blemishes and reduces inflammation and redness.

Walnuts also contain small amounts of vitamin E and selenium, active sun blockers that protect skin cells from UV damage while keeping them hydrated and firm. However, we need to keep in mind to not eat nuts more than one handful (1/4 cup) a day. Overeating them can lead to weight gain and also have side effects, such as stomach pain, skin allergies and bloating in some individuals.[2]

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3. Avocados

Avocado contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been proven to moisturise and firm the skin by reducing the risk of premature aging caused by UV radiation.

This fruit is rich in vitamin C and E, which are more effective when combined with each other. They are two essential nutrients that your body needs to benefit the health of your skin and protect it from oxidative damage.

Avocados also contain biotin, a B vitamin that some nutritionists believe can help provide the building blocks for healthy skin and hair cell function.

Furthermore, avocados high content of special compounds called polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols help protect the DNA and prevent sun-related skin damage. [3]

4. Sunflower Seeds

Seeds, along with nuts, are healthy snacks good sources of skin-boosting nutrients.

Sunflower seeds are a particularly excellent example as they contain plenty of protein, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc. They help to decrease collagen breakdown, prevent and repair sun-related skin damage and decrease skin inflammation.[4]

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5. Soybeans

Soybeans are rich in isoflavones, a category of plant compounds that block estrogen in your body to help reduce fine wrinkles and improve skin elasticity.

Postmenopausal women can also benefit from eating soybeans as they improve skin dryness and increase collagen production to keep your skin texture smooth and strong. At the same time, isoflavones can protect your body from UV radiation damages, which can reduce the risk of some types of skin cancers.[5]

You can also find isoflavones in chickpeas, pistachios, and peanuts.

6. Carrots and Sweet Potatoes

Carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and beta carotene, natural sun protectants that restore damaged collagen and fight against cell death and wrinkles. 

This plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin A adds a healthy, warm glow to the skin by preventing the overproduction of cells in the outer layers. It results in fewer flaky dead cells, so no wonder when they said magical carrots and sweet potatoes are good for the eyes and good for clearing up breakouts.[6]

Your body can absorb almost all the Vitamin A by consuming provitamin A through fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products. Then it converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, helping you feel your best by improving skin condition and vision. It also boosts your immune system so your body can fight disease and even plays an essential role in reducing the development of skin cancer cells.[7]

Provitamin A can also be found in all forms of yellow squash such as oranges, spinach, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, bell peppers, broccoli and more.

7. Dark Chocolate

You don’t need a reason to eat chocolates once in a while, but if you’ve been waiting for an excuse to indulge in a sweet treat, here it is!

The effects of dark chocolate on your skin are pretty amazing and extraordinary because cocoa powder is high in antioxidants lead your skin to be more hydrated and smoother.[8]

Dark chocolate is beneficial for your skin, making it less rough, scaly, and sensitive to sunburn and improving blood flow, bringing more nutrients to your skin. 

Forget the sunscreen in your beach bag? Don’t worry! Make a healthy choice by eating a bar of high-antioxidant, less sugar dark chocolate with 70% cocoa for allowing your body cells to withstand over twice as much UV radiation, compared with eating low-antioxidant chocolates.[9]

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8. Green Tea

It has been said green tea can help protect the skin against damages and ageing. It contains powerful compounds called catechins, antioxidant-rich, which work to improve your skin health in several ways, such as reducing redness, increasing hydration, and improving skin elasticity.[10]

A diet rich in antioxidants may improve skin hydration, thickness and elasticity and improve your overall skin health.

You may want to avoid adding milk to green tea as there’s evidence that the combination can reduce the effect of green tea’s antioxidants. [11]

Make a cup of this magical green tea for yourself and watch how your skin glows day by day! Just be careful not to drink more than five cups a day. Too much caffeine can result in body dehydration, which may have the opposite effects on skin health.

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Additional Tips for Healthy, Glowing Skin

A variety of factors influence the state of our skin and how it ages, with nutrition and lifestyle playing a crucial role.

Smoking, environmental stressors such as irritants, allergens and microbes, dirt and sweat, prolonged exposure to the sun, caffeine and alcohol, While we age all over time lead to a thinner, less elastic and more prone to fine lines and wrinkles skin.

The good news is that by including the right kind of food in our diet, you can nourish your skin from within, and don’t forget to stay hydrated because water plays a big part in the appearance of our skin.

Besides food and water, it is important to cleanse your face thoroughly after a long day out. 

Your skin may be telling you to see a dermatologist if it is constantly breaking out or itching and you are not sure what is going on.

What other foods do you know which significantly impact skin health? Please share your experience and help spread love and beauty!