The nutrition your body receives from the food you eat can have a significant effect on your skin. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and what you put into it significantly affects how it looks and feels. Good nutrition helps to keep your skin looking vibrant and healthy as it supports the growth of new skin cells and a robust immune system.
How Does the Food You Eat Affect Your Skin?
The breakdown of your food creates microscopic toxins in the digestive tract and the bloodstream. The skin absorbs these toxins, which can cause problems ranging from dryness to acne to rashes.
The good news is that many foods you eat suit your skin or help it look better. The bad news is that too little (or not enough variety in your diet) can lead to skin problems like dryness, uneven texture or color, breakouts, spots, and blemishes.
A healthy diet is a foundation for good skin. So what should you be eating? Here are some tips.
- The main thing you need from your diet is essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs can help reduce inflammation and heal skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. This is because EFAs are a building block of healthy skin cells. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids will help feed your healthy cells while reducing inflammation in damaged ones. You can get these fatty acids from oily fish, nuts and seeds, sardines, flaxseeds, and eggs.
- Include some fruits and vegetables in your diet to help keep your skin soft. Fruits rich in antioxidants include blueberries, strawberries, kiwi fruit, grapefruit, and oranges. Vegetables that are high in beta-carotene include carrots, squash, and potatoes.
- Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products for the calcium they contain. Calcium is essential for bone and skin health, as well as for blood circulation. Include some low-fat or nonfat dairy products in your diet every day.
- Eat plenty of foods high in vitamin C to help your body produce collagen, a building block of healthy skin cells. Citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin C, but leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, and kale are also good sources.
- Give your body what it needs to maintain a healthy immune system and keep your skin healthy. This means eating enough high-quality protein, including lean meats such as chicken, turkey, tuna, and eggs; low-fat products such as yogurt and low-fat cheeses; and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
- If you have acne or topically applied acne medications, overeating sugar can make your skin more sensitive to this type of food.
Oil products have also proven to be very helpful in the treatment of acne. Oil is naturally moist and helps dry skin to heal and rejuvenate.
One of the most important things you can do to beautify your skin is to follow a healthy diet. The right type of food will help keep you looking radiant by promoting healthy skin cell growth, glowing complexion, and smooth and healthy-looking skin.
It would help to eat a balanced diet to keep your skin looking its best. Add to your diet foods that are high in EFAs and antioxidants. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and lean meats. Avoid large amounts of sugary foods (such as candy or sugary soft drinks), refined grains (white bread, white rice), and trans fats (margarine, shortening).
