If you're looking to improve your skin the natural way, here are my 12 best foods for healthy skin.
The first thing you need to know about great skin is that it depends on what you're eating. If you eat a lot of cheese ravioli, white bread, and heavy meat it's probably affecting its appearance. Clearly, right diet is necessary for healthy, beautiful skin.
Yet, diet alone does not guarantee beautiful skin. In fact, the best food in the whole world has little worth if you cannot digest and assimilate the nutrients properly. Remember this always… Good digestion is key to great skin as well as keeping the body toxic free and healthy! If you need a little support for your digestion… Here are 10 keys to improving your digestion.
Once your digestion is working optimally, add these foods to your diet to get the best skin and hair you've EVER had.
These 12 Superfoods are all good for:
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Improving your complexion
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Smoothing out your skin
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Strengthening your hair and nails
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Bonus! Giving you strong healthy teeth
12 Best Foods for Healthy Skin
1. Lemons
The first superfood that is amazing for skin and beauty, in general, is the lemon. Lemons are ideal for detoxing because they cleanse your liver and digestive system. This, in turn, can help to cleanse and revitalize your skin at the same time. The antioxidants found in lemons can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes. Even scars and age spots can become less visible with the ingestion of lemon.
Drink a tall glass of water with half a lemon first thing each morning. Aside from that, add it to your salads instead of a heavy salad dressing. Or, add lemon to your morning smoothies or other beverages.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries are nutrient dense and also fun to eat! They are one of the best foods for skin health because they packed full of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E… What's important to know, is these vitamins restore your skin cells. The antioxidants in blueberries can help protect the skin cells from DNA damage caused by the sun's harmful rays.
Another excellent thing about blueberries is that they are super easy to add to your diet. Add 1/2 cup to salads, oatmeal or yogurt, eaten on its own as a snack, or added to your favorite desserts.
Whether you suffer from acne, splotchy skin or broken capillaries… The nutrients in blueberries can help!
3. Wild Salmon
Wild Fish (not farm-raised) can also help with improving your skin and hair because of the Omega-3s. You won't find Omega-3s in all forms of fish. Remember this – Wild-caught, cold-water fish like wild salmon, mackerel, or sardines are best for supple skin.
Besides omega-3 fatty acids, wild salmon also has vitamin D and selenium, which protect your skin from sun damage. Vitamin D can keep your teeth strong and healthy too! Salmon is a low-fat, high-protein food, that you can grill, bake, add to your salad, or enjoy with vegetables.
4. Sweet Potatoes
Let’s talk about how you should be eating more sweet potatoes… Because they are one of the best superfoods for great skin, as they contain a lot of different nutrients. If you can find Japanese sweet potatoes, they are not only superior and delicious; they are the fountain of youth!
Not only do sweet potatoes have a high amount of beta-carotene, which helps to even out your complexion… They also contain vitamin C & A for antioxidants to help repair damaged cell tissue in your skin. They also have biotin, which many people take for stronger nails and to stimulate hair growth.
Sweet potatoes are lower in carbs than other types of potatoes, so even while on a low-carb diet. You can eat them baked, boiled, grilled, or in just about any other meal. A popular trend right now is having sweet potato toast to replace the bread in your diet.
5. Pineapple
Remember what I said above about digestion being supreme? Well, pineapples contain digestive enzymes making them excellent digestive stimulants. Pineapple is particularly useful for excess heat in the body. It cleanses the liver, counters acidity and is excellent at reducing inflammation.
Also, pineapple is often recommended as a detox fruit, because it helps to get rid of toxins in your body. These toxins could be affecting your skin and hair, so it is essential to get them out of your body.
Pineapple nutrients help to produce natural collagen that tightens and provides anti-aging benefits.
One of the best ways to enjoy pineapple is by having it fresh after cutting open the pineapple. It is a low-fat fruit, so it’s easy to enjoy even when you’re trying to lose weight.
You can add pineapple to your cottage cheese as a snack, or even top your salad or pizza with it for a fun, tropical meal. Grilled pineapple also tastes fantastic, and it goes great with chicken and fish.
6. Beets
Beets are full of antioxidants including vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, and folate. These anti-aging nutrients stimulate better cell production and help your skin look radiant.
While beets may not sound like the best vegetable, give them a try. They are actually very tasty, especially when you know how to prepare them.
My favorite way to eat beets is to roast them.
For best results, place them on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and thyme. After 40-50 minutes remove them and toss with vinegar and orange juice.
Or you can add them to juice or smoothies in the morning. Even if you don’t like the taste of beets, the fruits you mix with them will mask their earthy flavor. Apples are the perfect fruit to add with beets in juice or smoothies.
7. Oysters
Oysters contain a high amount of zinc, which helps to repair and promote new skin health. Zinc can also keep your nails strong and healthy, and provide nutrients for your hair as well.
Other nutrients found in oysters include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, protein, iron, and calcium. These are important not just skin, but for general health and wellbeing. Try different oyster recipes, whether you make a pasta dish or eat them on your favorite salad.
8. Walnuts
Walnuts are superfoods thanks to all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals they contain. They provide a good dose of vitamin E, which as you know is excellent for skin and hair. In fact, vitamin E oil is often recommended for removing stretch marks and wrinkles.
Walnuts also contain a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. So, if you don’t like fish or you are on a vegan diet, you can still enjoy walnuts and get these essential nutrients.
Walnuts help to give you bright eyes, smooth skin and improve the health of your hair as well. They are also useful for providing essential nutrients to your bones.
Here are some different ways to add more walnuts to your diet:
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Use them to top salads for extra crunch
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Put them in a food processor to make walnut butter
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Top your pasta or rice dishes at lunch or dinner
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Have a handful of walnuts with cheese for a low-carb snack
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Mix in walnuts with baked treats like brownies or cookies
9. Dates
Believe it or not, dates are a fruit. It might not seem like it, but these are a sweet and delicious fruit. The type of date to go for is the Medjool date, which is low in fat, high in fiber, and super sweet.
Dates have copper to help you absorb more iron for better collagen production and skin regeneration. Aside from that, collagen production helps to fill in fine lines and wrinkles.
10. Kiwi
On the outside, kiwi looks like small, brown and fuzzy fruit. On the inside, they are vibrant green and juicy. Kiwi is also known as Chinese gooseberry. Everyone thinks Kiwifruit came from New Zealand, but they originated in China.
They have high amounts of Vitamin C & E antioxidants. They also contain minerals like magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus that stimulants blood circulation.
An easy way to eat kiwi is by cutting it in half, then scooping out the kiwi fruit with a spoon. You can also add kiwi to pancakes, top frozen yogurt or regular yogurt, or make a dessert like a kiwi pie.
11. Dark Chocolate
A lot of the superfoods for beauty are fruits and vegetables, but don’t forget about your favorite foods. Some of them are probably also considered superfoods, including dark chocolate. A reasonable size piece is an excellent way to enjoy your decadent treat without feeling guilty about it.
Dark chocolate is an excellent source of antioxidants. It can improve the appearance of your skin. Just make sure it is dark chocolate and not milk chocolate. Look for at least 60% cacao in your chocolate, and it will be of good quality.
12. Quinoa
The final superfood to consider adding to your diet for skin health is a grain called quinoa. This is a healthy grain that is very nutritious and is one of the best foods for naturally healthy skin.
Quinoa is a good source of protein, so it is perfect if you are trying to reduce carbs and want to replace regular rice with this grain. The protein is also going to provide more nutrients to your skin.
There is vitamin E, B6, B12, niacin, and biotin in quinoa to keep your skin healthy as well.
Quinoa has a nutty flavor, so it is good as a side dish replacing rice or pasta, or when added to your favorite salad. There are many healthy meals you can make by using quinoa.
Marry Your Superfoods for the Greatest Benefits
Try to find ways to combine superfoods for beauty to get the greatest benefit. This will help you add as many as you can to your regular.
For example, you can try some of these combinations:
Add pineapple, kiwi, and dates to your frozen yogurt.
Have quinoa with sweet potatoes and walnuts.
Enjoy a dessert of kiwi with dark chocolate.
Make a pitcher of fruit-infused water using lemon, kiwi, and pineapple.
There are many different ways to use many superfoods in a single drink or dish. You just need to get a little creative!
Conclusion
Diet really does affect your complexion, and these 12 foods work wonders on your skin. Commit yourself to include them in your diet for 4-6 weeks. If you do not notice a significant improvement in the color, texture, and hydration levels, your liver is probably really congested.
All skin disease, including acne, eczema, and psoriasis, is due in part to accumulated toxins in the liver. If you try to “clean up” your diet without first cleansing the liver of toxins, the healthy food you consume does little good.
If you have an existing skin problem, it's essential to detoxify and cleanse the liver before you try to improve your skin.
I have a dusky complexion, I tried many creams but nothing worked out.
Thank you for sharing about 12 Best Foods for Healthy Skin. I think it is very helpful for health. I am going through your articles. Some people take more food in this holiday. And that’s why they gone to fatty. I loved it. Because I need this. Thanks for sharing such an effective post.
You’re welcome, Deanna!
I suffered from terrible acne including cystic acne for 30 years especially around my cycle. Was on several antibiotics and did two courses of Accutane, which did not help. None of the dermatologists I visited ever mentioned anything about addressing diatery habits to address acne from the source. When I developed some health problems last year I began to clean up my diet. I am now eating mostly veggies, fruits, and meat protein, which works for me. I think it is very helpful for health. I am going through your articles. Some people take more food in this holiday. And that’s why they gone to fatty. I loved it. Because I need this.I do weekly detoxing with ozone and infrared sauna. I eliminated gluten and that made a huge difference on my skin! I eliminated dairy as well. I no longer have outbreaks daily, not even during my cycle, and my skin is looking so much better. I remember eating “cereal” (packaged crunchy stuff) and other “foods” of the sort when I was about 10 for ONE WEEK like my cousins did,and getting my first pimple… That was the end of it. I was horrified. I couldn’t understand why people kept on eating like that! Thank you for sharing your article about 12 Best Foods for Healthy Skin.
Deanna! Bravo to you for cleaning up your diet! Radiant skin is the first visible sign of a good diet! Thanks for sharing your story!