Seeing that most of us didn’t grow up being taught all too much about nutrition and the Standard American Diet (SAD) being the staple for most of our lives, the food we eat isn’t always the first thing we look at when we want healthier skin.
If you’re like most people, you usually turn to the best products you can apply to your skin to help with aging, blemishes, acne, you name it! But, a little known secret that is becoming more mainstream as of recent is that the foods you eat no doubt affect the health of not only your body, but your skin as well. Remember, your skin is your body’s largest organ after all, so doesn’t it make sense to treat it well from the inside out?
Much like deciphering which skincare products are best for your skin, learning all about the best foods for your skin can be just as daunting! Luckily for you though, we’ve compiled a list of foods that will do your skin a whole lotta good! All that’s left for you to do is to get cookin’!
Probiotics and prebiotics to help heal the gut
One of the most important (if not the most important) ways to support your healthy skin is to take care of your gut first. There is a lot of research out there confirming that eating processed and unhealthy foods can affect your gut negatively; which may lead to all sorts of skin issues. If you struggle with chronic skin inflammation of any kind, your gut may be off balance too.
Start by incorporating more gut healthy probiotics into your diet such as sauerkraut, pickled veggies, miso, and kombucha! These foods all go a long way in restoring that beneficial gut bacteria you need for healthy skin.
To support your skin long-term, you’ll also need to add more prebiotics as well such as asparagus, dandelion greens, leeks, and garlic. Think of these foods as the food or fertilizer for the bacteria in your gut!
Healthy fats to help keep your skin strong
Eat more fat to get healthy skin? You bet! When you’re eating healthy fats, you support your overall health and skin with the protein and amino acids found in these foods that form the building blocks of strong skin.
Eat more wild fish (salmon, cod, halibut, sardines, mackerel) which all contain essential fatty acids like omega-3s and omega-6s; avocados for vitamin E and other healthy oils for skin hydration, as well as walnuts which are the richest nut in omega-3s and have been shown to help with inflammation of the skin.
These foods help to build your skin from the inside out and it is known to help with dryness and to even out complexions.
Antioxidant powerhouses to protect your skin
There’s not much antioxidants can’t do for your skin; no wonder it’s found in most skincare products you can find today! Seriously, they are quite literally your internal little fighters against free radicals helping protect your skin from damage of all kinds; they help to combat inflammatory conditions, they assist in collagen and elastin production, help to balance your skin’s natural flora, and so much more!
Aside from using products full of antioxidants, you should also be packing your plate with them every single day! Since there are antioxidants in so many different and delicious foods you definitely won’t have a problem with it!
A few of our favorites include; tomato, which contains lutein and lycopene (antioxidants and phytonutrients for protecting skin); sweet potatoes which are not only rich in antioxidants but also beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin E; leafy green vegetables (like spinach, collard greens, kale, brussel sprouts) which are packed in vitamin A (great for dry, flaky skin), vitamin C (helps to reverse sun damage), and vitamin E (good for inflammation); Brazil nuts which have great amounts of selenium for protecting skin and aiding in acne and skin breakouts; and last but not least, berries of all kinds (blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, goji berries, etc!) which are high in antioxidants and many, many other nutrients! The antioxidants found in all these foods will help your skin heal itself from the inside out while protecting your skin from any further damage!
These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For any medical concern you should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other health care worker. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Full Medical Disclaimer.
