Beautiful Skin Inside and Out – A Guide to Eating for a Great Complexion

True beauty comes from the inside out. The food we eat provides the building blocks for the healthy functioning of our bodies, and our diet can directly influence our appearance. Changing your eating habits can help to improve the texture, quality, clarity and brightness of your skin. Here’s our guide to eating for a great complexion.  

Berries

Berries are a skin superfood high in skin-friendly antioxidants. These can help to fight damage from free radicals – so consuming a healthy serving of berries on a regular basis can assist in cellular renewal and help skin cells stay plump with water. Blueberries in particular have been shown to increase collagen production - delicious and useful!

Oranges 

Oranges are packed full with Vitamin C – a building block which is essential for collagen production. Adding oranges to your diet can help rebuild collagen stores and even improve stress-related acne. The high levels of beta-carotene in oranges can also help your body create Vitamin A which aids skin cell growth. 

Carrots

Carrots are a great skin food containing carotenoids, an antioxidant that can boost skin health. Similar to oranges, beta-carotene in carrots gets converted into Vitamin A which helps to repair skin tissue while protecting the skin from environmental damage. Carrots are an easy and delicious snack – so throw some in your lunchbox and crunch your way to great skin!

Tomatoes

Is it a fruit, is it a vegetable? It doesn’t really matter as tomatoes are jam-packed with skin-loving ingredients. They are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant which has been shown to fight sunburn and sun damage which can lead to wrinkles. Lycopene can also increase your body’s protection against oxidative stress and inflammation, meaning your skin is more resilient and able to deal with environmental strain. 

Healthy Fats – Nuts, Seeds and Avocados

There are a number of healthy fats which are great for skin, including Omega-3. Consuming a healthy amount of Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation, manage oil production and acne, and prevent collagen breakdown - helping reduce premature ageing, fine lines and wrinkles. Good sources of these fats include walnuts, flaxseed and avocados. Walnuts are even thought to make your hair and bones healthier and stronger too – all the more reason to stock up your pantry!

Fish

Fish is another great source of the good kind of fat that is great for skin. Including salmon, tuna or mackerel in your diet can boost Omega-3 and help keep skin moisturised, smooth and supple. Fish is also a great source of selenium, a mineral that helps to protect skin from sun damage and free radicals, and protein from fish can help the body rebuild and repair tissue. 

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a staple in most pantries. It can also help keep you looking good. Extra virgin olive oil has great moisturising and nourishing properties to hydrate skin. It is also high in polyphenols which help act against free radical formation. Adding olive oil to a meal can also help you absorb nutrients from other food. 

Limit Sugar

Excess refined sugar has been linked to skin wrinkling, sagging and premature ageing. When we consume excess sugar the molecules can attach to the collagen in our skin, causing a loss of elasticity. Processed sugar can also lead to breakouts. We suggest you eat minimal processed sugar and use honey or other natural sweeteners when needed. 

Drink Your H2O

Last but not least – hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Dehydration not only makes you thirsty but dries out your skin. Drinking water consistently throughout the day will help to flush toxins out of your system, assist in delivering nutrients from food to skin cells, and will keep your skin hydrated. Keeping a water bottle on you will help to keep your water intake up wherever you may go. 

You really are what you eat. Incorporating these foods into your diet is easy and delicious. So go ahead and eat your way to healthy, glowing skin.

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