The largest organ in your body, skin accounts for about one-seventh of your body weight. Your skin’s primary job is to act as a barrier, shielding the rest of your body from harmful substances, infections, hot and cold temperatures, UV radiation, and bacteria.1.
How Is Skin Functioned? Institute for Health Care Quality and Efficiency (IQWiG); 2019.
While most people concentrate on skincare products, sunscreen, and moisturizer to take care of their skin on the exterior, eating a balanced, healthy diet is one of the most important ways to keep your skin looking young and healthy.
Some nutrients can help shield the skin against dehydration, elasticity loss, oxidative stress, and UV damage. These include selenium, zinc, omega-3 fats, and vitamins A, C, and E.
Frequent consumption of nutrient-dense meals may help prevent and delay the onset of aging symptoms, lower the chance of developing skin-related illnesses, and increase the suppleness and moisture content of the skin.2.
These are the Top 13 Foods that Promote Healthy Skin
1. Strawberries
Fruits like strawberries are a great source of skin-healthy nutrients like flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and vitamin C.3.
Because it shields skin cells from oxidative damage and is necessary for the synthesis of collagen—the primary protein in the body that makes up 75% of the dry weight of your skin—vitamin C is particularly vital for the health of your skin.4
Your skin stores vitamin C, with the outermost layer of your skin having up to 64 mg of the vitamin per 100 grams.5.
A cup of sliced strawberries contains 97.6 mg of vitamin C, or 108% of the Daily Value (DV), making them a great source of the vitamin.Six
2. Kimcha
Your skin depends on the health of your stomach. An unbalanced stomach known medically as dysbiosis is associated with a range of skin disorders, including psoriasis and acne, and research indicates a direct connection between gut and skin health.7.
One of the greatest methods to maintain gut and skin health is to eat foods high in fiber, which helps fuel friendly microorganisms, and beneficial bacteria, sometimes known as probiotics.
Chinese cabbage is used to make kimchi, a type of fermented food that also includes carrots, onions, radishes, and cucumbers. Probiotics and other elements necessary for healthy skin, such as provitamin A and vitamin C, are abundant in kimchi.Six
3. Oranges with Bloodlust
Citrus fruits with red flesh that is rich in nutrients are called blood oranges. High concentrations of potent antioxidants called anthocyanins, which can help shield skin cells from harm, give blood oranges their characteristic red hue. Strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of anthocyanins may be especially helpful for those with inflammatory skin conditions like acne.8
Blood oranges are also a good source of vitamin C, which is necessary for the synthesis of collagen and for shielding skin cells from ultraviolet light.2.
4. Seeds of Sunflowers
Protein, which builds up skin and is essential for wound healing and the development of new skin cells, is abundant in sunflower seeds. They also contain a lot of vitamin E, which the body uses as a potent antioxidant.9.
Vitamin E is essential for maintaining healthy skin since it prevents solar damage to skin cells, controls inflammation, and aids in the production of collagen and elastin, two proteins that allow skin to stretch and retain its youthful appearance.
For vitamin E, an ounce of sunflower seeds provides 49% of the daily value. Sunflower seeds are also a good source of zinc and selenium, two nutrients that are crucial for maintaining healthy skin.Six
5. Bone Broth
Animal bones high in collagen are boiled for extended periods of time, often eight hours, to generate a liquid that is concentrated in nutrients, such as gelatin, that improve skin health.
Rich in glycine, proline, and lysine—amino acids necessary for collagen synthesis—gelatin is a material made from collagen.10
You can hydrate yourself and provide your skin the amino acids it needs to rejuvenate and repair damaged cells by drinking a cup of bone broth.
6. Meats from Organs
Although organ meats like liver and heart aren’t as well-liked as other protein sources like chicken and steak, they are nonetheless quite nutrient-dense and contain many of the vitamins and minerals that are important for healthy skin.Six
For instance, one 85-gram portion of beef liver provides all the daily required amounts of copper, a mineral that shields the skin from free radical damage and stops oxidative damage to skin cells. Beef liver is also high in protein. It also has a role in the development of skin cells and the maturation of collagen.
Furthermore, organ meats are a rich supply of zinc, vitamin A, and selenium—all of which are crucial for healthy skin.11
7. Shellfish
Shellfish—like clams, mussels, and oysters—are a wise choice if you want skin that is radiant and healthy. In addition to being high in protein and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, shellfish is also a concentrated source of minerals like selenium, zinc, and copper that are beneficial to the skin.Six
Shellfish, like oysters, are particularly rich in zinc, which controls skin inflammation and promotes wound healing, and selenium, which has potent antioxidant qualities and shields skin cells from UV radiation and oxidative stress. You can obtain thirty percent of your daily required selenium and zinc from six medium-sized oysters. Omega-3 fats, which are abundant in shellfish and have significant impacts on skin structure and function, are also anti-inflammatory.2.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli is a high-fiber food that supports a wholesome environment in the gut. This cruciferous vegetable has high levels of antioxidant polyphenols and vitamin C as well. Polyphenols can help delay the aging process by blocking specific enzymes that break down the skin proteins elastin and collagen. These compounds also aid in UV protection, have anti-inflammatory properties, hasten skin regeneration, and may enhance skin suppleness and blood flow. Broccoli also contains beta-carotene, a pigment that is a provitamin A and has antioxidant qualities.2.
Consuming veggies, such as broccoli, gives your body the nutrition it needs to maintain skin health. In addition, a 2015 analysis of eighteen research revealed that individuals with higher intakes of beta-carotene, fruits, vegetables, seafood, and vitamins A, C, D, and E had a decreased risk of skin cancer.12
9. Trout
Fat-soluble vitamin D is necessary for the development of skin cells as well as the structure and operation of the skin barrier, the skin’s outermost layer. In addition, vitamin D supports the immune system of the skin and helps control inflammation, both of which aid in shielding the body from infections and other dangerous chemicals.Thirteen
Psoriasis and eczema are two inflammatory skin conditions that are linked to vitamin D deficiencies.14
One of the few foods high in concentrated vitamin D is trout. 645 IU, or 81% of the daily value, of vitamin D may be found in a 3-ounce portion of fried fish. Moreover, protein, zinc, selenium, and omega-3 fats are all found in trout. People with inflammatory skin conditions may benefit from the potent anti-inflammatory characteristics of omega-3 fats, DHA and EPA, which may also help prevent skin cancer.15
10. Watermelon
Since watermelon contains over 90% water, it’s a great option for hydrating your skin from the inside out. Hydration helps minimize the appearance of wrinkles and furrows, therefore drinking lots of water and eating foods high in water content will help keep your skin looking young. One such meal is watermelon.16
Watermelon is not only hydrating, but it’s also an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants that support skin health, such beta-carotene and lycopene.17
It also contains the amino acid L-citrulline, which is necessary for replenishing skin cells and may aid in promoting good circulation.
11. Cherries
By lowering oxidative stress markers, lowering blood pressure, and promoting heart health, a regular cherry diet may help enhance general health. Additionally, cherries are a great source of antioxidants like flavon-3-ols, hydroxycinnamates, and anthocyanins, which may help shield skin cells from UV ray damage.18
In addition to being rich in vitamin C, cherries also contain fiber and can support a balanced intestinal environment, both of which are critical for maintaining healthy skin.6 Department of Agriculture, United States. FoodData Central. Braised liver of beef.
Cherries also include substances like melatonin, which controls the body’s sleep-wake cycle, that may aid in promoting peaceful sleep. Consuming cherry products, such as sour cherry juice, may enhance the quality of your sleep, according to research. Since your skin heals itself while you sleep, getting adequate sleep is essential for maintaining good skin.19
12. Tomatoes
Approximately 80% of the dietary lycopene consumed by Americans comes from tomatoes, making them the primary source of this carotenoid. Lycopene has been demonstrated to shield the skin from UV damage due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities.20
Furthermore, consuming tomatoes high in lycopene may assist to improve the appearance of your skin, according to certain study findings.
Supplementing with tomatoes and lycopene supplements enhanced the look and pigmentation of the skin, decreased redness, and prevented UV-induced skin damage and sun-induced skin aging, according to a 2023 review that included 21 studies.21
13. Smoothies
One of the greatest ways to include a range of nutrients that support healthy skin in one nourishing drink is to make smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to nourish your skin from the inside out. They may be created with vitamin C-rich fruits like strawberries, a source of protein, and a healthy fat like almond or sunflower butter.
Your smoothie’s benefits for improving skin can be amplified by include collagen peptides. Collagen supplements have been linked to improvements in wrinkle depth, texture, elasticity, and moisture, among other elements of skin health.22
A Brief Recap
Nutrients are necessary for your skin to be moisturized, healthy, and youthful-looking.
A number of foods—including broccoli, sunflower seeds, kimchi, strawberries, mussels, and other seafood—offer vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that are critical for healthy skin.
For a quick and delicious approach to take care of your skin, try include some of the items mentioned above in your diet.
