Besides the right skincare and a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition is one of the most effective ways to slow down your skin aging. This raises the question of what foods are good for your skin.
Here, you will find an overview of the best foods for healthy skin. If your meals consist mainly of the following ingredients, then you will have the ideal conditions to set back or slow down your skin’s biological clock.
There are several nutrients that can protect, repair and, in some cases, rejuvenate your skin. Most of them belong to the essential trace elements, which are present in the body in small amounts of less than 50 mg per kilogram of body weight.
Without them, vital processes such as cell division and protection, metabolism and many others would not be possible – and we would literally look old. But which minerals, trace elements, vitamins and other nutrients does your skin need? In the following, the most important ones are listed for you.
Drinking at least two to three liters of clear water a day will give your skin the moisture it needs from the inside. Alternatively, you can also spice up your water with cucumber slices or fresh mint.
If you drink unsweetened tea instead of water, you will additionally moisturize your skin. Depending on the type of tea you choose, you will benefit from antioxidants, vitamins and more.
As for vegetables and herbs, you can eat them as often as you like. However, despite the high vitamin content, you should only enjoy fruits in moderation, as they contain a lot of fructose.
Carrots, for example, are not only good for your eyes, but also good for your skin. This is because they are full of beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
A deficiency of vitamin A will cause the skin to become brittle and dry. Moreover, carrots can help with blemished and oily skin, as they strengthen the skin barrier.
Other than that, whether it’s Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, white cabbage or broccoli, they all contain a lot of vitamin C, as do peppers and oranges. This is important for your skin to be able to fight against skin cell damage.
Anyone who has skin that is battered by wind and weather or who suffered from acne in their youth should pay particular attention to a vitamin C-rich diet. Another nice side effect is that the vitamin promotes the production of collagen and strengthens connective tissue.
Are you wondering if there are also skin-friendly candies and snacks? Besides nuts and almonds to nibble on, there is also a real sweet that helps your skin, and that is dark chocolate. It is not only a comfort to the soul, but also a skin savior!
With a cocoa content of more than 80 percent – the higher the percentage, the better – the ingredients of cocoa protect against skin damage caused by UV radiation and free radicals, stimulate blood circulation and make the skin more supple.
Well, now you know which nutrients are good for your skin. But there are also some foods and substances that you should not consume for the sake of your skin, or at least very sparingly, because they can negatively affect cell renewal as well as skin elasticity and accelerate the aging process.
These include alcohol, saturated fats in red meat, for example, and trans fats in convenience foods, as well as preservatives with their E‑numbers, salt and sugar. It is sugar that is responsible for the glycation, which is damaging to your skin. Not only are sugar molecules contained as refined sugar in many foods, but also in carbohydrates and in the form of fructose in fruit.
True beauty, as you can see, comes from within. Healthy, clear and firm skin doesn’t just come from expensive cosmetics, but starts with the right nutrition.
*Information in this article is not medical advice and may not be factually accurate. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Consult with a physician before attempting any tips in this blog post and to get the most up to date factual data about any procedure or treatment.
