People all across the world battle skin issues like acne, dry skin, wrinkles, and sun damage – just to name a few. It’s not uncommon for people to experience drastic improvements in their skin health after making meaningful changes to their diet and lifestyle.
There are a handful of key nutrients that really support skin health. In fact, one of the best things you can do for your skin is eat healthy foods.The tricky thing is knowing specifically which foods promote skin health. Here’s a list of my 6 go-to foods you can incorporate into your diet to clear up your skin!
Berries
Berries have a ton of potential to help improve your skin health because they’re packed with antioxidants. The free radicals that antioxidants protect you from can really do a number on your skin health. Eating lots of berries, especially strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cranberries, is a great way to elevate your skin health.
Salmon
Fatty fish like salmon are full of omega-3 fatty acids , which are crucial for keeping your skin healthy. This is especially true if you have chronically dry skin. Adding salmon to your diet on a regular basis can help keep your skin moist and kick those dry patches to the curb! The omega-3s in salmon can also help reduce inflammation which can ultimately reduce redness and acne.
Avocados
It seems like avocados can do anything – they’re like the super hero of super foods! Because avocados are loaded with healthy fats, they’re also great for remedying dry skin. Avocados are also loaded with Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects your skin from oxidative damage. They’re also high in Vitamin C, which is essential for creating collagen and keeping your skin strong.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers, especially red and yellow bell peppers, are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which can be converted into Vitamin A (AKA retinol) in your body. Skimping on vitamin A can actually cause your skin to be rough and dry, so sneaking in some extra bell peppers is a great way to avoid that! Believe it or not, some physicians actually prescribe synthetic retinoids to treat skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a good source of carotenoids, especially lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can also reduce inflammation, protect your skin from oxidative damage, and prevent clogged pores and breakouts. Interestingly enough, cooking tomatoes can actually enhance the lycopene content in your tomatoes! And because lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient, you can optimize your body’s absorption of it by eating it by eating it with a healthy fat. You can easily kill two birds with one stone by lightly sauteing your tomatoes in a little bit of olive oil!
Walnuts
Walnuts are a good source of essential fats like omega-3, which can reduce inflammation in your skin. And like avocados, walnuts are also high in vitamin E and vitamin C. Walnuts also contain zinc, which can be used topically or orally to treat acne by reducing inflammation and getting rid of oily skin. Zinc also supports protein structure, optimizes cell membrane stability, and protects against damage caused by UV radiation.
