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Your skin is the largest and fastest-growing organ in your body. You likely know all the ways the sun can impact the health of your skin, but it turns out your diet can affect your skin too — both its appearance and its health on a deeper level. Dr. Donna Hart, a dermatologist at West Lake Dermatology, tells SheKnows that nourishing your body from the inside can make positive changes to your skin quality and complexion. In fact, she believes that what you and your family eat can help combat acne and achieve an overall healthy skin glow. If you’re ready to supercharge the health of your skin, there are nine power foods you should make sure to include in your diet — but our experts also offered a few additional tips you should know.
For one thing, we can’t talk about healthy skin without mentioning water. The amount of water you drink makes a significant difference to the health of your skin. “Water helps keep your cells hydrated and your skin moist, which can help diminish the appearance of fine lines,” explains Hart. “It also promotes blood flow and helps your cells flush out toxins — this can especially help with acne-prone skin.”
It’s also worth noting a few of the foods you should avoid eating to keep your skin healthy. While she says it’s not an extensive list, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anna Guanche of Bella Skin Institute says to keep a close eye on your intake of caffeine, which can dehydrate your skin, and excess salt, which causes dehydration and accelerates aging. And in order to prevent premature aging of the skin, she says to stay far away from high-sugar foods.
When in doubt, Guanche says to remember that a diet rich in antioxidants and low in refined sugars and one that supports good bacteria is likely to result in optimal skin.
If you’re interested in eating your way to better skin (and helping your whole family do the same), read on for some extra tips.
A version of this story was published August 2020.
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Green Leafy Vegetables
Image Credit: Vesna Jovanovic/EyeEm/Getty Images. According to the USDA, piling your plate high with green leafy vegetables gives you a meal high in vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as folate and potent antioxidants.
“Antioxidants fight substances called free radicals that have been shown to have damaging effects on your body’s production of collagen,” explains Hart. According to studies, free radicals stem from environmental stressors, such as pollution and sun exposure, which can promote the appearance of wrinkles and dull-looking skin.
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Citrus Fruits
Image Credit: Westend61/Getty Images Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are packed with vitamin C, which has been shown to combat dry skin and wrinkles, Hart says. Vitamin C is also an essential building block for collagen production, she says.
Plus, red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables also contain carotenoids. “These are antioxidants that decrease sun sensitivity and have been shown to help diminish the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes,” she adds.
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Walnuts
Image Credit: Harrison Eastwood/Getty Images. It’s no surprise that walnuts are the most commonly mentioned nuts that help support skin health. Walnuts contain high levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are healthy fats that make up your skin’s natural oil barrier, explains Hart. “A healthy amount of these fatty acids can keep your skin looking supple and hydrated, and they also contain copper, a mineral that is important to collagen production,” she adds.
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Nuts and Seeds
Image Credit: Line Klein/Getty Images Guanche says various nuts like cashews, almonds, pistachios, macadamias, and Brazil nuts are also excellent additions to a skin-healthy diet since they are packed with protein, fiber, and unsaturated fats.
“These nuts aid in a glowing, smoother complexion,” she explains. “Plus, the copper, zinc and vitamins A, C, and E packed in each little nut promotes healthy collagen production.”
Additionally, Guanche says pumpkin seeds are considered a skin superfood because they are so high in zinc. “Zinc protects cell membranes, helps maintain collagen and promotes skin renewal,” she says. Other seeds that benefit the skin are sunflower, flax, sesame, chia, poppy, and hemp, so make sure to mix a few into your next trail mix.
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Avocados
Image Credit: Westend61/Getty Images. There are countless reasons to include avocados in your diet, but where they really pack a punch is in their vitamin C content. Dr. Jacqueline Schaffer, a physician, beauty and wellness expert, and founder of Schique Skincare, tells SheKnows that you need vitamin C for the creation of elastin and collagen, which bind your skin cells together and maintain their firmness and structure.
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Dark Chocolate
Image Credit: Westend61/Getty Images. Most of us don’t need a reason to indulge in chocolate. But just in case you do, consider this: Dark chocolate is high in flavonols, according to studies, a potent antioxidant that helps with skin repair. Hart says flavonols help promote blood flow and boost oxygen delivery to the skin. However, she suggests you stick to chocolate formulations with greater than 70 percent cacao, as too much sugar can have adverse effects, such as promoting acne breakouts.
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Green Tea
Image Credit: Dung Pham/EyeEm/Getty Images. Green tea is another antioxidant powerhouse with anti-inflammatory effects. It contains polyphenols that can help protect against UV damage, says Hart. “In particular, green tea also contains an antioxidant called EGCG [epigallocatechin gallate] that has been shown to reduce the appearance of redness in the skin,” she adds.
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Fish
Image Credit: Eugene Mymri/Getty Images. If it’s omega-3-fatty acids you’re after, oily fish like sardines and salmon are packed full of these skin savers.
“Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation, and when secreted on the skin, they may lead to a smoother appearance and reduction in visible inflammation (acne or rosacea),” explains Guanche. If you’re not a fan of fish, she says you can also try fish oil supplements.
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Selenium-Rich Foods
Image Credit: ULTRA.F/Getty Images. Whole grains, beef, poultry, oats, and Brazil nuts are foods that contain selenium, a mineral with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Rachel Daniels, senior director of nutrition at Virtual Health Partners, tells SheKnows. Selenium helps to protect cells from UV damage and collagen breakdown. Daniels says it also plays a role in keeping the immune system strong to fight off any skin infections.
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