The Best Foods for Skin

Discover how a balanced diet can help you achieve healthy skin.

It goes without saying that eating well is one of the best things that you can do for your general health and well-being, and so it’s hardly surprising that there are myriad skincare benefits to be gained from making sensible dietary choices.

Let’s take a look at how good nutrition can help you on your way to healthy skin.

Discover the foods that are good for your skin

We’ve compiled a list of the different types of food which should get your skin glowing in no time.

The good news is that there are a wide variety of foods for healthy skin to choose from here, so you shouldn’t find it too difficult to start eating your way to smoother, younger-looking skin.

Fruits for good skin

Fruits are a natural source of antioxidants, such as Vitamins C and E, that can help support your immune system and repair skin damage that has been caused by free radicals. You can’t go too far wrong if you just adhere to the 5 a day maxim!

Particularly beneficial fruits for good skin include:

Citrus fruits: pineapples and oranges are full of Vitamin C. This is great news, because Vitamin C is required to produce collagen, a protein that makes up 75-80% of your skin and helps maintain its structure and elasticity. The high water content of citrus fruits will also keep your skin cells hydrated.
Avocados: we have good news for you if you’re a fan of the guac. Avocados are a source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which keep your skin supple and hydrated - making them an excellent food for healthy skin.
Tomatoes are a rich source of Vitamin C too. You will also find lots of carotenoids (plant pigments), which help protect your skin against UV light exposure.
Red grapes contain resveratrol, which reduces the effects of ageing. You wouldn’t think it, but they’re one of the best foods for skin.

Vegetables

Foods good for skin also include vegetables, which offer up much in the way of antioxidants and other natural goodies:

Broccoli: these greens are high in zinc and Vitamins A & C
Red and yellow peppers are very high in Vitamin C and beta carotene, both of which act as antioxidants
Artichokes are full of silymarin, an antioxidant that can work wonders when it comes to clearing up blemish-prone skin

Fatty Fish

Also known as oily fish, fatty fish can heal and replenish your skin in a number of ways. Salmon, herring and mackerel are examples of fatty fish, and they are all fantastic sources of the following:

Omega-3 fatty acids: these encourage your body to produce anti-inflammatory compounds, which can help tackle acne, psoriasis and eczema
Vitamin E, a vital antioxidant to maintain good, healthy skin
Zinc: this essential mineral aids in the production of new skin cells and is used to treat acne

Nuts, Seeds & Grains

Nuts, seeds and grains are not only good for your general body health, they’re one of the best foods good for skin. There’s a fair amount to chew over and chow down here, so let’s get straight to it.

Walnuts are versatile and very tasty. They’re also anti-inflammatory, due to their high levels of omega-3 fat. You’ll find lots of B-vitamins and antioxidants in these lovely nuts, which helps keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay, making them one of the best foods for skin.
Almonds provide oodles of Vitamin E, our favourite antioxidant
Cashews are full of selenium, which improves your skin’s elasticity and works alongside Vitamin E as a powerful antioxidant
Brazil nuts are also full of selenium and come chock-full of omega-3
Sunflower seeds are a great source of zinc and Vitamin B1. They also come with lots of iron and copper, which helps keep up your collagen levels.
Chia seeds may be small, but they offer lots of omega-3 and plenty of antioxidants

Whole oats are rich in antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties. Consider swapping your sugary cereal for some oatmeal in the morning, a healthy food for healthy skin.
Quinoa is superfood for your skin. It provides Vitamin B3, which helps fight off acne, and riboflavin, which enhances your skin elasticity.

Sweet potatoes

Of all of the food categories here listed, this is easily our favourite. If you weren’t desperately keen on any of the foods we’ve covered so far, we’re confident that this option will be to your taste.

Sweet potatoes are one of the many foods good for skin, as they’re a mouth-wateringly delicious source of Vitamin A - and Vitamin A derivatives just so happen to reduce the production of acne-causing oil. Yum!

Stay hydrated

It’s not just about foods good for skin, your body is 55-75% water, so it is essential that you give your skin the moisture that it needs to stay flexible and hydrated.

We recommend that you drink at least six glasses of water a day. And whilst we’re on the subject of hydration, green tea and other herbal teas can protect your skin against sun-induced damage.

Which foods are bad for your skin?

Now that we’ve covered the best foods for skin, let’s take a look at the worst foods for skin - we’d recommend avoiding these when you can!

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbs can cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to spike, which can contribute to the appearance of that most dreaded of things - acne. Try to reduce your consumption of the following foods:

White rice
Pasta and bread that have been made from white flour
Junk food: there may be few things more tempting than a burger and fries, but this beloved American staple is not widely regarded as being conducive to healthy skin. Shocker.

Dairy Products

Whether or not dairy plays a direct role in the appearance of acne is unclear.

If you find that you suffer from certain food allergies or sensitivities, however, you may find that avoiding dairy benefits your skin: such sensitivities can cause an inflammatory response, which can in turn trigger flare-ups of inflammatory skin conditions.