It’s funny-as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more conscious of my skin. Like every.single.wrinkle. And the hormonal breakouts. And the random zit from where my toddler stuck peanut butter to my face last Thursday. Y’all. I thought that zits would be DONE when I turned 20. They’re a teen thing!! Only they’re not. And I know I’m not alone. I need some food for healthy skin.
The Best Food for Healthy Skin
Your skin is one of those things that constantly needs attention (at least for me). Like daily. I wash my face twice a day every day. Can’t say I did that when I was younger (but I wish I’d started that habit earlier!). ‘Cause if I don’t? I look away for one second and BOOM! Hello, zit (sigh).
Obviously using good skincare is important, but like they say…what you put ON your body is just as important as what you put IN it.
Your skin actually needs water, essential fats, vitamins, and amino acids to be healthy and happy.
What is the best food for healthy skin? My food hacks:
Water
Drinking at least 8 8oz. glasses of water and other hydrating fluids is a great way for your skin to stay moist and supple. And for a bit of an extra anti-inflammatory hydrating boost, try boosting your water with green tea or even making your own fruit water.
Fish
Fish is known to contain many vitamins that can help our health- but did you know its also amazing for your skin too? It contains many nutrients important for skin health – omega-3s, Vitamin A and D, etc.
Omega-3s act as a anti-inflammatory to help cool the flames of inflammation in our skin. Vitamin A can help with blemishes and dryness, while vitamin D helps with skin tone.
Fruits and Veggies
Collagen helps keep our skin firm and supple. It’s also great for your joints and helps to keep your gut happy.
While I love supplementing with collagen, you should also make sure that you’re eating the right foods to help your body produce natural collagen.
That means eating Vitamin C rich foods, like oranges, bell peppers, guava, strawberries, currants, and bone broth.
Bone broth
Bone broth is so much more than a collagen-rich food. It also contains glutamine,, glycine and proline, in addition to being mineral rich. It’s a great food for healthy skin.
Plus it keeps your gut biome happy, which means happy skin.
I recently did a bone broth fast and it was
Sleep more & stress less
I know these aren’t exactly foods, but they’re an important part of naturally great skin. When we don’t get enough sleep or stress out, our bodies tend to go bonkers and retaliate against us. It’s the worst! Stress hormones can increase inflammation and cause us to to breakout because our hormones are in overdrive.
Keep a good sleep schedule and stress less. You’ll see your skin make a turn around in no time!
Watch out for these foods
Some foods are allergenic or inflammatory. These can cause all sorts of issues in your body, including affecting your skin.
It’s hard to come up with one list of inflammatory or allergenic foods for everyone. Each person is biochemically unique, so you may have to go through this and see what applies to you. There are a few common allergens that may be a good bet to eliminate from your diet.
Processed Foods
These are pretty much not-so-good for everyone. And they can affect your health in so many ways, including how your skin looks & feels. Try ditching pre-packaged and fast foods and trade some of these healthy snacks instead. Not just for your skin, for your whole body (and mind).
Gluten
While only a small number of people have serious reactions to gluten (i.e., celiac disease), many more people are finding themselves to be more intolerant to it.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and a few other grains. Many people have had several health concerns, including skin issues, clear up after eliminating gluten from their diets.
Dairy
I get it. I love dairy too…but my skin does not.
The hormones in cow’s milk can actually react poorly with your own testosterone, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. YUCK.
Instead, look for dairy-free options like flax milk, nice cream, and even dairy-free cheese if you find that you end up with a breakout soon after you eat dairy (for me it takes a couple days).
Skin health is not just about what you put on your skin, but what your skin gets from the inside too. There are lots of important nutrients and foods to help support healthy skin. Which also means, that there are lots of foods that can affect your skin in negative ways as well.