You have probably come across the phrase “you are what you eat”. When you eat healthy food, you can expect to have healthy looking skin. The opposite is also true. All this sounds easy to do, but the truth is it will not happen overnight. Just like everything else, it will take time for the results to start showing.

Diet for Healthy Skin

Following are skin-friendly foods and consume these:

1. Low-Fat Dairy Products

Vitamin A is the component responsible for healthy skin. Low fat dairy products are rich in Vitamin A. As a matter of fact, experts state that dietary vitamin A is a must have if you expect to maintain the health of your skin cells. People suffering from thyroid problems or diabetes need the A-rich vitamins the most. This is because their system is unable to convert beta carotene to Vitamin A.

Foods like yoghurt (low-fat) make an excellent source of vitamin A. They also contain “live” bacteria, which are beneficial to the health of your intestines. Any food that can help in digestion and/or provide live enzymes or bacteria is going to promote healthy skin. In the end, you not only get healthy skin but healthy intestines too.

2. High Antioxidant Fruits

Fruits like plums and berries (Blueberries, blackberries and strawberries) are known for being rich in antioxidants. A study done showed that these fruits were found to contain the highest levels of antioxidants. As such, these fruits come with immense benefits one of them being the prevention of free radicals.

Free radicals are formed when the skin is exposed too much to the sun. This exposure results in the damage of the skin cell membrane which consequently enables the potential damage of the cells’ DNA. Luckily, fruits that contain phytochemicals like antioxidants shield the cells. This reduces the chances for cellular membrane damage. When you eat these antioxidant rich foods, you protect your cells from disintegration and damage which will prevent premature aging and promote healthy skin.

3. Vitamin Rich Vegetables

• Carrots. They are good for your eyes, and also help clear up breakouts. Credited for being rich in vitamin A, carrots help prevent the overproduction of cells in the outer-layer of your skin. The skin’s outer layer is the area where sebum and dead cells are known to combine and clog the pores. Vitamin A is also associated with slowing the development of skin cancer.
• Spinach. Studies done have shown that people who eat leafy greens like spinach had little or no skin tumors over a decade compared to people who ate less leafy greens. The foliate present in leafy greens helps in the maintenance and repair of the DNA and consequently boosts the cell’s ability to repair itself. As a result, the likelihood of cancer cell development is lessened. What’s more, the water in leafy greens like spinach penetrates your cell membranes leading to less wrinkled, plump skin.
• Sweet Potatoes. These are jam packed with vitamin C, which helps smooth out the wrinkles. vitamin C is important as it helps in the production of collagen. The more collagen you have in your body, the less wrinkled skin you will have. As a matter of fact, a study done revealed that the subjects who consumed about half a small sweet potato each day for about three years has less wrinkled skin by up to 11%.
• Tomatoes. They are known to contain lycopene which is the phytochemical responsible for the red color in tomatoes. This phytochemical helps in eliminating free radicals, which tend to age the skin. You will be able to get the most out of tomatoes when they have been heated or cooked.
• Broccoli. This is a cruciferous veggie that contains high levels of vitamins C & E. The vitamin C is helpful in production of collagen which promotes supple, healthy skin. The vitamin E protects the cell membrane of your skin and also guards the skin against damage caused by UV radiation.

4. Essential Fatty Acids

Foods like canola oil, flaxseed, walnuts and salmon might be unrelated, but they all have something in common. They are all rich in essential fatty acids. These fatty acids help maintain a healthy cell membrane. Cell membranes are responsible for holding water in. Therefore, if the barrier is strong, your cells are able to hold moisture which translates to a plumper and youthful looking skin.

Other than being a wonderful source of essential fatty acids, healthy oils also lubricate the skin giving it a healthier look and feel. It should, however, be noted that not all oils are healthy. Go for oils that are labeled extra virgin, expeller processed and cold pressed.

5. Selenium Rich Foods

Foods like Brazil nuts, tuna, turkey, cereals, muffins and whole wheat bread contain high levels of the mineral called selenium. This mineral plays a major role in the maintenance of healthy skin cells. It has even been proven that skin damaged by overexposure to the sun experiences less damage if the levels of selenium are high. Whole grain foods make an excellent alternative to white foods like white rice, sugar, pasta. etc. The white foods tend to affect the levels of insulin thereby causing inflammation which ultimately results in skin break-outs.

6. Dark Chocolate

It contains flavonols which are responsible for the reduction of skin roughness and also protects the skin against damage caused by the sun. A study done showed that women who consumed dark chocolate (about 326milligrams) had smoother skin texture and also had stronger UV rays resistance.

7. Green Tea

This is a beverage that comes with many benefits. It contains anti-inflammatory properties and protects the cell membranes. Green tea can also reduce or help prevent skin cancer by protecting the skin from damaging UV rays. Green tea also contains polyphenols which promote overall skin health.

8. Water

While the amount of water a person should take varies, the role played by good water hydration remains. Drinking lots of water keeps the skin healthy and gives it a youthful look. It is believed that a person’s skin needs about half a gallon of clean water (equivalent to 8 glasses) each day. Hard water is the most suitable for your skin health and overall health. On top of keeping your skin cells hydrated, water also helps the cells move out the toxins, and move in the nutrients