Current beauty trends are all about aging gracefully, avoiding wrinkles, and achieving that dewy, glowing skin. And while there are tons of beauty products, spa treatments, and cosmetic procedures that claim to possess the anti-aging secrets, what if we could slow the aging process and support our skin the natural way? No quick fixes, no costly products, no time-consuming commitments. It sounds too good to be true, right?
Well, the truth is, supporting glowing skin starts in the kitchen! What do we mean by this? What we put in our body is just as important (and maybe even more) as what we put on it! Our everyday habits are important — including our diet, in a big way! From reducing skin aging and redness to naturally stimulating collagen production, your diet is a huge factor in how to get healthy, radiant skin. So, head to the kitchen! We’re bringing you the best foods for glowing skin with healthy skin tips to help your inner beauty shine.
RELATED: 30 Day Glowing Skin Challenge
What Causes Skin Aging?
Skin aging may be an inevitable part of growing older, but your diet and lifestyle can play a significant role in how fast (or slow) the aging process occurs. Lifestyle factors such as unprotected sun exposure (SPF should be your BFF), smoking or excessive drinking, lack of sleep, and excessive stress are common contributors to increased skin aging.
And of course, your diet plays a vital role too! In addition to incorporating foods for glowing skin — like those rich in antioxidants, high in water content, and loaded with vitamin C — avoiding processed and artificial ingredients, inflammatory foods, and excess sugar and caffeine are some of the best preventative skin tips for premature aging.
Can Your Diet Help Your Skin?
So, can your diet help your skin? To put it simply, yes! Think of your diet as skin food. When you eat a healthy skin diet rich in nutrients, you’re providing your body with the nourishment it needs to repair, rebuild, fight the aging process, and boost skin glow. And, who doesn’t want that?
Ok, but what should you eat?
Well, when it comes to food for glowing skin, strive to eat foods as close to nature as possible. The less processed, the better! Think: a variety of colorful fruits and veggies, lean proteins, healthy fats, clean carbs, and of course, plenty of water! Hydration is the key ingredient in the fountain of youth. So, drink up! And, be sure to add some hydrating foods, like watermelon, cucumber, peaches, oranges, celery, and broth to your healthy skin diet too.
As for vitamins and minerals, there are certain skin-supporting nutrients you’ll want to add to your diet.
What Vitamins and Minerals Are Best For Healthy Skin?
Beyond eating a nutrient-dense diet, these vitamins and minerals can help boost skin glow — consider them your superfoods for skin!
Vitamin A
Benefits of vitamin A for glowing skin: A skin-supportive nutrient that stimulates skin regeneration and naturally boosts the production of collagen.
Found in foods such as: carrots, spinach, bell peppers, broccoli, sweet potato, butternut squash, and papaya.
Vitamin C
Benefits of vitamin C for glowing skin: Stimulates the production of collagen and acts as a powerful antioxidant to protect the skin from free radical damage.
Found in foods such as: pineapple, strawberries, citrus, kiwi, tomatoes, broccoli, and leafy greens.
Vitamin D
Benefits of vitamin D for glowing skin: Protects against the damaging effects of UV rays, stimulates cell growth and repair, and helps fight free radical damage.
Found in foods such as: egg yolks, mushrooms, salmon, tuna, and fortified foods such as yogurt, milk, and tofu
Vitamin E
Benefits of vitamin E for glowing skin: An antioxidant that helps to moisturize and heal the skin, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the skin barrier.
Found in foods such as: sunflower seeds, almonds, avocados, and leafy greens such as spinach and kale
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Benefits of omega-3s for glowing skin: Omega-3s help to increase skin hydration, reduce inflammation, and speed up skin healing.
Found in foods such as: avocados, chia seeds, hemp seeds, salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts.
Zinc
Benefits of zinc for glowing skin: Contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against UV damage and accelerate skin repair.
Found in foods such as: oysters, squash and pumpkin seeds, beef, oatmeal, mushrooms, dark chocolate, and legumes.
Copper
Benefits of copper for glowing skin: Copper acts as an antioxidant to enhance skin healing while reducing signs of aging by increasing collagen production.
Found in foods such as: mushrooms, leafy greens, seafood, dark chocolate, spirulina, almonds, and cashews.
Selenium
Benefits of selenium for glowing skin: Selenium protects from free radical damage thanks to its antioxidant properties.
Found in foods such as: brazil nuts, tuna, oysters, mushrooms, oats, eggs, and sunflower seeds.
15 Delicious Foods For Glowing Skin
We’re breaking down how to get healthy skin, starting with your diet! Add these foods for glowing complexion to your recipe box, and get ready to radiate from the inside out.
Avocado
Naturally, we’re kicking off the best foods for healthy complexion with avocados. Avocados are rich in essential fatty acids, which help keep the outer skin layer hydrated and supple (and, therefore, glowing!) Plus, this skin food is full of antioxidants, which are anti-aging superstars. Antioxidants help fight free radical damage, preventing accelerated skin aging.
RELATED: 7 Reasons to Add Avocado to Your Diet
Walnuts
Walnuts are one of the best superfoods for skin — they’re loaded with Vitamin E, antioxidants, and Omega-3 Fatty essential fatty acids. These healthy fats help to lock in moisture, reduce inflammation (goodbye redness and acne), and strengthen the skin cell membrane. The rich levels of Vitamin E in these crunchy nuts can even help repair skin tissue and protect against the damaging effects of UV rays!
Salmon
Grill it, toss it on your salad, or eat it in your sushi. Regardless of how you enjoy it, just be sure to include salmon on your list of foods for glowing complexion! The Omega 3 fatty acids in salmon help repair damaged skin, reduce skin inflammation and redness, and prevent dry skin. Salmon also contains the skin nutrients Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and zinc!
Green Tea
Green tea may be known for its ability to support weight loss, but did you know this superfood has skin-supporting properties too? The polyphenols in Green Tea (specifically, EGCG) contain potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help to soothe the skin, calm inflammation, and protect against skin damage from UV rays and environmental toxins.
Berries
Fight premature aging and cell damage with these antioxidant powerhouses. Berries help boost skin glow thanks to their high levels of anthocyanins, a plant compound that helps protect against free radical damage and boost collagen production. These low sugar fruits make a great addition to your morning bowl of oatmeal, added on top of your yogurt bowl, or sprinkled over banana nice cream for dessert, making them a flavorful and healthy way to keep skin looking youthful.
Turmeric
Do you suffer from skin inflammation? Skin inflammation can manifest in many ways, appearing as acne, redness, and even burning or itchy skin. Luckily, turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory skin food that helps to soothe irritation — it can even help with acne scarring and skin pigmentation.
Add turmeric to your morning juice, sprinkle it on roasted veggies, or even wind down the evening with a calming golden milk latte.
Citrus
Citrus fruits (such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits) are packed with the glowing skin nutrient Vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful skin-supporting antioxidants, helping to boost skin glow by reducing free radical damage, evening out skin tone, and reducing the appearance of blemishes.
Plus, Vitamin C helps keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay! Did you know Vitamin C is the precursor to collagen? This means collagen cannot be made without this skin superfood. So, squeeze that lemon into your glass of water and savor every last citrus drop.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds (along with watermelon and sunflower seeds) may be small, but they pack a mighty skin-supporting punch. Their high levels of zinc make them one of the best foods for glowing skin. Zinc is a mineral that helps maintain skin elasticity and speeds up skin cell repair, which is why this seed is a key contributor to skin radiance and rejuvenation!
Sweet Potato
The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes is what makes this clean carbohydrate one of our favorite foods for glowing complexion. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that turns into Vitamin A in our body, a skin-supporting nutrient that speeds up skin cell repair and stimulates skin turnover. This means the appearance of fresh (radiant) skin.
Cucumber
There’s a reason why most spas serve cooling cucumber water. This veggie is made up of 96% water, making it the most hydrating skin food. Its cooling and moisturizing properties help calm inflammation, while the silica found in cucumbers can help lighten and fade dark under-eye circles. A skin miracle!
Watercress
Though a less familiar leafy green, watercress is equally as important when it comes to superfoods for skin health. It’s loaded with folic acid, vitamins A and C, and powerful antioxidants that help prevent free radical damage. Add it to your omelet or egg bake, use it as the base for your salad, or mix it into pasta dishes!
Papaya
This tropical delight is a delicious way to load up on good-for-you skin nutrients! It’s full of nutrients like vitamins A, C, E, and K, B vitamins, antioxidants, and powerful enzymes. Enjoy it in a fresh fruit or breakfast bowl, freeze it for smoothies, or load it up with yogurt for a yummy papaya bowl!
Goji Berries
These small but mighty berries are the ultimate superfood for preventative skin health. Utilized in Chinese Medicine for years as a longevity food, goji berries are thought to revitalize the skin and support whole body health. Thanks to their skin-supporting nutrients (such as vitamin A, C, zinc, and antioxidants), goji berries make for a healthy addition to a balanced diet to support your skin from the inside out. Add them to your smoothies, mix them into your yogurt bowl or overnight oats, or add them to a warming cup of tea.
Cinnamon
Once you find out about its skin benefits, you’re going to want to sprinkle this sweet spice on everything! In addition to balancing blood sugar and reducing inflammation, cinnamon has been shown to boost collagen production and support healthy aging. It’s loaded with antioxidants, which help slow the aging process by fighting free radical damage! Add it to your coffee, smoothies, curry bowls, or baked goods.
Pomegranate
Loaded with anthocyanins, polyphenols, and vitamin C, pomegranates are one of those must-have superfoods for radiant skin! This powerful fruit has been shown to bust inflammation, reduce sun-induced age signs such as wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, stimulate collagen production, and even promote cell regeneration. Add pomegranate seeds as a topper for salads or smoothie bowls, or enjoy it plain!
Radiate from the Inside Out with a Healthy Skin Diet
Are you ready to let your inner radiance shine? Fight the aging clock and bring a healthy glow to your complexion with this healthy skin diet. These nutritious (and delicious) ingredients will have everyone asking what your skincare secret is — so spread the word! It all starts in the kitchen.
Now that you know the best food for glowing skin, sign up for FitOn PRO to gain access to delicious recipes and transform these foods for glowing skin into nourishing, yummy meals!
