THE 13 BEST FOODS FOR SKIN (NATURAL) - NUTRITION - 2024

Eating food for the skin is one of the best ways to improve its condition, appearance and the general health of the body. Many people do not understand the important link between the food they eat and their skin. Like any other part of the body, our skin remains healthy, among other reasons, thanks to the food we eat.

While a poor diet can quickly lead to dry skin, blemishes, or acne, a healthy whole-food-based diet that includes a variety of vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, beans, fish, and whole grains is an excellent base for have young and glowing skin.

List of foods for skin health

Yellow beet. Source:

Vegetables like carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes contain particularly high levels of beta carotene and other carotenoids, which give them their orange color.

Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A in our body, which is one of the most important nutrients for the integrity of the skin, which means that it becomes firm, more resistant to damage and can heal more quickly.

Beta carotenes can also help prevent free radical damage to cells, as it works as an antioxidant.

Orange vegetables are delicious as a base for soups and stews in the winter, or roasted with other vegetables like bell peppers, red onions, and beets.

2- Berries

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Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, black currants and strawberries are excellent sources of vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for the formation of collagen, which gives structure and elasticity to the skin.

Furthermore, vitamin C is also an antioxidant that protects our cells from oxidative damage. Berries also contain many other nutrients that can function as antioxidants in the body, such as catechins, quercetin, and resveratrol.

Another advantage of berries over most other fruits is that they are lower in sugar. A diet that promotes the increase of insulin and glucose in the blood is not healthy for the skin, since it favors the formation of glycosylated compounds that stimulate aging.

The berries are easy to consume and can be added to plain yogurt with some chopped walnuts.

3- Blue fish

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Oily fish, including sardines, mackerel, salmon, and trout, are a very high source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 and omega-6 acids play an essential role in the structure of the skin and its appearance.

They are incorporated into the cell membranes of the epidermis, the outermost layer of cells in the skin, and help maintain the skin's barrier function and prevent moisture loss.

They are also believed to play a role in the dermis, the lower layer of the skin, by controlling inflammation and minimizing UV damage to collagen.

Increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce dryness and inflammation. Inflammation can cause skin to age faster, and research shows that low intake of omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to inflammatory disorders like eczema and psoriasis.

Omega-3 fatty acids can also help keep the arteries of the heart unclogged and thus improve circulation, which is crucial for healthy skin.

Zinc, found in fish, can help fight acne, as it is involved in the metabolism of testosterone, which affects the production of sebum, a main cause of acne. Zinc also helps in the production of new cells and the removal of dead cells, which gives the skin a nice glow.

4- Avocado

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Avocado is a good source of vitamin E, which has several roles in skin health. It contains vitamin C, which works as an antioxidant, so it can protect skin cells against free radical damage.

It is also believed to help protect the skin from UV rays, and it has anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the chance of skin rashes, blemishes, and acne.

Even though avocado is relatively high in fat, most of it is healthy monounsaturated fat, like that found in olive oil, and linoleic acid.

Omega-6 fats are helpful in preventing moisture loss from the skin; and monounsaturated fats can also have this benefit.

In addition to this, avocados also contain good levels of carotenoids, the same antioxidants found in orange vegetables.

5- Pumpkin seeds

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They are excellent sources of zinc, one of the most important minerals for maintaining healthy skin. Up to 20 percent of zinc in the body is stored in the skin, and this has an important role in growth and healing.

Deficiency of this mineral is linked to acne, dry skin, dermatitis, and poor wound healing. Pumpkin seeds also contain omega-6 linoleic acid.

Other seeds and nuts are also good sources of zinc, as well as biotin, a vitamin that contributes to healthy skin and hair.

6- Green juices

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Juices made with a large amount of fresh vegetables are concentrated sources of nutrients, including many that can be beneficial for our skin. They contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium and alkaloids, which help to alkalize the body, preventing it from being too acidic.

Our body generally maintains a fairly stable acid-alkaline balance, but a slight excess of acidity can be linked to rashes or skin problems such as eczema.

Green juices are also rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene and other antioxidants, including chlorophyll, a substance that produces the green pigment in plants.

7- Oats

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Oats are a particularly rich source of biotin, a vitamin that is well known for its role in the health of our skin and hair. Oats are also high in soluble fiber, which helps maintain healthy digestive and intestinal tract function.

Healthy digestion is vital for our skin, for two main reasons. In the first place, we have to digest food correctly so that all those essential nutrients for the skin enter our body; And second, if we are not eliminating waste properly, excess toxins can circulate in the blood and can escape through the skin, in sweat and sebum.

The result of this can be skin rashes and other problems.

8- Cruciferous

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Cruciferous vegetables are those in the cabbage family, vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, red and green cabbage, chard, watercress, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic, and leeks.

They contain a large number of sulfur compounds, which can support detoxification in the liver. Proper liver detoxification is just as important as keeping your gut healthy in getting rid of toxins.

They can also support hormonal balance, especially in women, because they contain a substance called indole-3-carbinol that helps balance estrogen levels.

Those prone to developing skin breakouts around the menstrual period can benefit from eating one or two servings a day of these vegetables.

9- Yogurt with probiotics

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There is growing evidence showing that taking probiotics, healthy gut bacteria, can improve the condition of the skin and even alleviate certain chronic conditions such as eczema, acne, rosacea.

By maintaining the lining of the intestine and creating a healthy, closed barrier, they can stop inflammation and the immune system's reaction. Live culture yogurt is an excellent source of probiotics.

In case of lactose intolerance, you can replace the yogurt with tempeh or miso soup. Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut also have these properties.

It is advisable to take a source of natural probiotics and avoid fortified food products, as they contain preservatives and chemicals that increase body toxemia, which affects the skin.

10- Green tea

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For centuries, green tea was popular in China and is used medicinally to treat all kinds of pain and even depression. Today, the polyphenols in green tea are known to help neutralize free radicals, which can cause significant damage to the skin.

The antioxidants and tannins (astringents) in green tea can also help treat puffy eyes, as well as dark circles.

11- Eggs

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Egg yolks are an important source of vitamin A, which helps repair the skin.

They are an excellent source of biotin, a vitamin of the B complex, which is necessary for healthy skin and nails. On the other hand, the yolk also contains lecithin, which is an emollient that softens the skin.

12- Nuts

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As with many foods for healthy skin, the properties of nuts have to do with antioxidant activity.

Vitamin E fights skin aging, especially protects the skin against sun damage due to free radicals generated by the UV rays of sunlight. Tocopherol also tends to help maintain the skin's natural moisture, relieve dryness, and make skin look younger.

The combination of vitamin E with selenium can enhance its antioxidant capabilities, so it is advisable to mix food sources of these nutrients, such as sprinkling some almonds in cottage cheese (great source of selenium) for a revitalization of the skin.

Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts also provide a good supply of omega-3 fatty acids.

13- Chocolate

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Science supports the consumption of chocolate high in flavonoids, an antioxidant compound typically found in dark chocolate, which provides protection to the skin, especially against the damaging effects of UV rays from the sun.

It is the cocoa bean itself that provides the strong antioxidant benefits when ingested, not the other ingredients in chocolate or cocoa powder.

This is important because the quality of chocolate is highly variable, and even so-called dark chocolate can have far less of the healthy antioxidant molecules than we expect. Milk chocolate has almost no these antioxidants.

While chocolate can help your skin fight the damaging effects of the sun, you need to look for cocoa to be high-quality - the kind that hardly tastes good.

Without a doubt, the consumption of dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa without added sugar is recommended. In this sense, it is essential to read the nutritional label. Chocolate of this type should be consumed in small portions as a type of anti-cancer food and anti-aging agent, but it is necessary to be careful and avoid consuming large amounts of any version, especially with high sugar content.

Processed sugars will lead to increased inflammation and the risk of worsening acne and other inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.

References

1. Skin Cancer Foundation: Skin Cancer Facts
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3. Stahl W, Sies H: beta-Carotene and other carotenoids in protection from sunlight. Am J Clin Nutr 2012.
4. Rizwan M, Rodriguez-Blanco I, Harbottle A, et al: Tomato paste rich in lycopene protects against cutaneous photodamage in humans in vivo. Br J Dermatol 2010.
5. Kopcke W, Krutmann J: Protection from sunburn with beta-Carotene – a meta-analysis. Photochem Photobiol 2008; 84: 284-288.
6. Manach C, Scalbert A, Morand C, et al: Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability. Am J Clin Nutr 2004; 79: 727-747.
7. Flament F, Bazin R, Laquieze S, et al: Effect of the sun on visible clinical signs of aging in Caucasian skin. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2013; 6: 221-232.
8. Carotenoids Are Cornerstone of Bird's Vitality. 2009. ScienceDaily.