Did you know that your skin is your largest organ? So it would make perfect sense to look after it both from the outside and inside. We all know that proper nutrition is important, because it keeps us healthy. It’s no secret that poor eating habits and unhealthy diets impact our bodies in a variety of ways. Most importantly, they can affect our metabolism, cause weight gain and even damage our organs. This means that you can keep your skin happy, by simply improving your diet. However, that is not to say that a good diet can replace your skincare routine.
Still, there are numerous ways to improve the overall health of your skin through diet alone. So continue reading to find out what foods you should eat and what you should avoid to keep your skin healthy.
WHAT SHOULD I EAT TO HELP ME HAVE CLEAR SKIN?
# FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Everyone can benefit from introducing fruits and vegetables to their diet, regardless of their overall health and well-being. This is especially true if you’re not getting enough vitamins from other sources.
However, your skin needs antioxidants, like vitamin C and E, and minerals, like zinc and selenium, from fruits and vegetables more than anything else. These nutrients are important because they help your body fight inflammation and produce collagen. This allows your body to naturally repair and rejuvenate skin cells and adds that recognizable skin glow to your face.
Luckily for you, there’s a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that contain plenty of these vitamins and minerals. In particular, your skin will greatly benefit from the following fruits: oranges, lemons, nuts (especially walnuts, almonds and cashew), blueberries and avocado. If you want something that is easier to consume, just throw in a bit of bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, tomato or garlic while you’re preparing your meals.
Of course, you don’t have to use all of them on a daily basis. That would be impossible! But you should always strive to eat more fruits and vegetables.
# FISH
Fish is a fantastic substitute for fast food. It’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that help your skin stay hydrated and free of acne. Similarly, fatty fish, such as salmon, herring and mackerel, contain vitamin E and zinc, which reduce and control inflammation – your skin’s worst enemy.
# GREEN TEA
Green tea is your best friend in the fight against acne and other skin conditions. It’s easy to introduce it into your diet – you can simply replace a cup of coffee with tea – and it has numerous health benefits.
For example, it can help you cleanse your liver, improve your blood flow and keep your skin strong and elastic.
More specifically, green tea is good for your skin because it’s packed full with catechins and antioxidants that boost blood flow to the surface of the skin, delivering key nutrients to keep your complexion healthy.
# DARK CHOCOLATE
You’ve got a sweet tooth and you just can’t help but snack on sweets throughout the day? That’s not a problem! As long as you try to control your urges and replace the sweets with healthier options, like dark chocolate.
However, not any type of dark chocolate will do. Although most of them will probably do you more good than eating a candy full of refined sugar, you should choose your chocolate carefully. Always opt for chocolate varieties with at least 70% cocoa, because it will moisturize your skin, protect it from sun damage and even diminish wrinkles.
WHAT SHOULD I AVOID EATING IF I WANT GLOWING SKIN?
# REFINED SUGARS
It’s easy for us to underestimate the prevalence of refined sugar in our diets. The fact is that most people are eating far more sugar than the recommended daily intake (25-38 grams). This is because sugar is no longer restricted to sweet products and desserts. It’s now found in almost all processed meat and pastry products, which means you should always check the label.
This is easier than you think, and your skin will thank you for this added bit of effort.
# FAST FOOD
Similar to sugar, we often have too much fast food. While it’s a convenient solution, we know that fast food is bad for your overall health for various reasons and it’s not helping your skin either. Most fast food items are deep fried in vegetable oils, which contain pro-inflammatory nutrients that negatively affect your skin health. Some fast foods also contain free radicals, which is damaging to cells.
# DAIRY
Although the science is still inconclusive about the precise effect of dairy on your skin health, it’s probably best to tone down your use of dairy products. Especially if you often indulge in cheese and milkshakes. That is because dairy contains certain pro-inflammatory ingredients as well as growth hormones and antibiotics. All of them can significantly worsen your skin conditions.
# ALCOHOL
Of course, it goes without saying that you should try to reduce your alcohol intake. In addition to that, it never hurts to drink more water to keep your skin moisturized and glowing.
If you’re unsure about anything in regards to your skin health, feel free to contact us and we will do our best to answer your questions.