Healthy Skin Treatment with 12 Best Foods
Nutrition is vital for health. An unhealthy diet can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain and even hurt organs, like your heart and liver.
But what you eat also impacts another organ — your skin.
As scientists learn more about diet and therefore the body, it's increasingly clear that what you eat can significantly affect the health and aging of your skin.
This article takes a glance at 12 of the simplest foods for keeping your skin healthy.
1. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, and herring, are excellent foods for healthy skin. They're rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for maintaining skin health.
Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary to assist keep skin thick, supple, and moisturized. In fact, an omega-3 carboxylic acid deficiency can cause dry skin.
The omega-3 fats in fish reduce inflammation, which may cause redness and acne. they will even make your skin less sensitive to the sun's harmful UV rays.
Some studies show that animal oil supplements may help fight inflammatory and autoimmune conditions affecting your skin, like psoriasis and lupus.
Fatty fish is additionally a source of vitamin E , one among the foremost important antioxidants for your skin.
Getting enough vitamin E is important for helping to guard your skin against damage from free radicals and inflammation.
This type of seafood is additionally a source of high-quality protein, which is required for maintaining the strength and integrity of your skin.
Lastly, fish provides zinc — a mineral vital for regulating:
* inflammation
* overall skin health
* the production of latest skin cells
Zinc deficiency can cause skin inflammation, lesions, and delayed wound healing.
Summary
Fatty sorts of fish, like salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids which will reduce inflammation and keep skin moisturized. They're also an honest source of high-quality protein, vitamin E, and zinc.
2. Avocados
Avocados are high in healthy fats. These fats benefit many functions in your body, including the health of your skin.
Getting enough of those fats is important to assist keep skin flexible and moisturized.
One study involving over 700 women found that a high intake of total fat — specifically the kinds of healthy fats found in avocados — was related to more supple, springy skin.
Preliminary evidence also shows that avocados contain compounds which will help protect your skin from sun damage. UV damage to your skin can cause wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Avocados also are an honest source of vitamin E , which is a crucial antioxidant that helps to guard your skin from oxidative damage. Most Americans aren't getting enough vitamin E through their diet.
Interestingly, vitamin E seems to be simpler when combined with vitamin C .
Vitamin C is additionally essential for healthy skin. Your skin needs it to make collagen, which is that the main structural protein that keeps your skin strong and healthy.
Vitamin C deficiency is rare lately , but common symptoms include dry, rough, and scaly skin that tends to bruise easily.
Vitamin C is additionally an antioxidant that helps to guard your skin from oxidative damage — caused by the sun and therefore the environment — which may cause signs of aging.
A 100-gram serving, or about 1/2 an avocado, provides 14% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E and 11% of the DV for vitamin C .
Summary
Avocados are high in beneficial fats and contain vitamins E and C, which are important for healthy skin. They also pack compounds which will protect your skin from sun damage.
3. Walnuts
Walnuts have many characteristics that make them a superb food for healthy skin.
They're a good source of essential fatty acids, which are fats that your body cannot make itself.
In fact, they're richer than most other nuts in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
A diet too high in omega-6 fats may promote inflammation, including inflammatory conditions of your skin like psoriasis.
On the opposite hand, omega-3 fats reduce inflammation in your body — including in your skin.
While omega-6 fatty acids are plentiful within the Western diet, sources of omega-3 fatty acids are rare.
Because walnuts contain an honest ratio of those fatty acids, they'll help fight the potential inflammatory response to excessive omega-6.
What's more, walnuts contain other nutrients that your skin must function properly and stay healthy.
One ounce (28 grams) of walnuts contains 8% of the DV for zinc.
Zinc is important for your skin to function properly as a barrier. it is also necessary for wound healing and combating both bacteria and inflammation.
Walnuts also provide small amounts of the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, additionally to 4–5 grams of protein per ounce (28 grams).
Summary
Walnuts are an honest source of essential fats, zinc, vitamin E, selenium and protein — all of which are nutrients your skin must stay healthy.
4. Sunflower Seeds
In general, nuts and seeds are good sources of skin-boosting nutrients.
Sunflower seeds are a superb example.
One ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds packs 49% of the DV for vitamin E , 41% of the DV for selenium, 14% of the DV for zinc, and 5.5 grams of protein.
Summary
Sunflower seeds are a superb source of nutrients, including vitamin E , which is a crucial antioxidant for the skin.
5. Sweet Potatoes
Beta-carotene may be a nutrient found in plants.
It functions as provitamin A , which suggests it are often converted into vitamin A in your body.
Beta-carotene is found in oranges and vegetables like carrots, spinach, and sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are a superb source — one 1/2-cup serving (100 grams) of baked sweet potato contains enough beta-carotene to supply quite sixfold the DV of vitamin A .
Carotenoids like beta-carotene help keep your skin healthy by acting as a natural sunblock.
When consumed, this antioxidant is incorporated into your skin and helps to guard your skin cells from sun exposure. this might help prevent sunburn, necrobiosis , and dry, wrinkled skin.
Interestingly, high amounts of beta-carotene can also add a warm, orange color to your skin, contributing to an overall healthier appearance.
Summary
Sweet potatoes are a superb source of beta-carotene, which acts as a natural sunblock and should protect your skin from sun damage.
6. Red or Yellow Bell Peppers
Like sweet potatoes, bell peppers are a superb source of beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A .
One cup (149 grams) of chopped red bell pepper contains the equivalent of 156% of the DV for vitamin A .
They're also one among the simplest sources of vitamin C , necessary for creating the protein collagen, which keeps skin firm and powerful .
A single cup (149 grams) of bell pepper provides a powerful 211% of the DV for vitamin C .
A large observational study involving women linked eating many vitamin C to a reduced risk of wrinkled and dry skin with age.
Summary
Bell peppers contain many beta-carotene and vitamin C — both of which are important antioxidants for your skin. vitamin C is additionally necessary to make collagen, the structural protein that keeps your skin strong.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli is filled with many vitamins and minerals important for skin health, including zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C .
It also contains lutein, a carotenoid that works like beta-carotene. Lutein helps protect your skin from oxidative damage, which may cause your skin to become dry and wrinkled.
But broccoli florets also pack a special compound called sulforaphane, which boasts some impressive potential benefits. it's going to even have anti-cancer effects, including on some sorts of carcinoma .
Sulforaphane is additionally a strong protective agent against sun damage. It works in two ways: neutralizing harmful free radicals and switching on other protective systems in your body.
In laboratory tests, sulforaphane reduced the amount of skin cells UV light killed by the maximum amount as 29%, with protection lasting up to 48 hours.
Evidence suggests sulforaphane can also help maintain collagen levels in your skin.
Summary
Broccoli may be a good source of vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids that are important for skin health. It also contains sulforaphane, which can help prevent carcinoma and protect your skin from sunburn.
8. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and contain all of the main carotenoids, including lycopene.
Beta-carotene, lutein, and lycopene are shown to guard your skin against damage from the sun. they'll also help prevent wrinkling.
Because tomatoes are rich in carotenoids, they're a superb food for maintaining healthy skin.
Consider pairing carotenoid-rich foods like tomatoes with a source of fat, like cheese or vegetable oil . Fat increases your absorption of carotenoids.
Summary
Tomatoes are an honest source of vitamin C and every one of the main carotenoids, especially lycopene. These carotenoids protect your skin from sun damage and should help prevent wrinkling.
9. Soy
Soy contains isoflavones, a category of plant compounds which will either mimic or block estrogen in your body.
Isoflavones may benefit several parts of your body, including your skin.
One small study involving middle-aged women found that eating soy isoflavones a day for 8–12 weeks reduced fine wrinkles and improved skin elasticity.
In postmenopausal women, soy can also improve skin dryness and increase collagen, which helps keep your skin smooth and powerful .
These isoflavones not only help to guard the cells inside your body from damage but also your skin from UV radiation — which can reduce the danger of some skin cancers.
Summary
Soy contains isoflavones, which are shown to enhance wrinkles, collagen, skin elasticity, and skin dryness, also as protect your skin from UV damage.
10. Bittersweet chocolate
If you would like another reason to eat chocolate, here it is: the consequences of cocoa on your skin are pretty phenomenal.
After 6–12 weeks of consuming a chocolate high in antioxidants every day , participants in one study experienced thicker, more hydrated skin.
Their skin was also less rough and scaly, less sensitive to sunburn and had better blood flow — which brings more nutrients to your skin.
Another study found that eating 20 grams of high-antioxidant bittersweet chocolate per day could allow your skin to face up to over twice the maximum amount UV radiation before burning versus eating low-antioxidant chocolate.
Several other studies have produced similar results, including improvements within the appearance of wrinkles. However, confine mind that a minimum of one study didn't find significant effects.
Make sure to settle on bittersweet chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa so as to maximise the advantages and keep added sugar to a minimum.
Summary
Cocoa contains antioxidants which will protect your skin against sunburn. These antioxidants can also improve wrinkles, skin thickness, hydration, blood flow, and skin texture.
11. Green Tea
Green tea may help to guard your skin from damage and aging.
The powerful compounds found in tea are called catechins and work to enhance the health of your skin in several ways.
Like several other antioxidant-containing foods, tea can help protect your skin against sun damage.
One 12-week study involving 60 women found that drinking tea daily could reduce redness from sun exposure by up to 25%.
Green tea also improved the moisture, roughness, thickness, and elasticity of their skin.
While tea may be a great choice for healthy skin, you'll want to avoid drinking your tea with milk. There's evidence that milk could reduce the effect of green tea's antioxidants.
Summary
The catechins found in tea are powerful antioxidants which will protect your skin against sun damage and reduce redness also as improve its hydration, thickness and elasticity.
12. Red GrapesRed
Grapes are famous for holding resveratrol, a compound that comes from the skin of red grapes.
Resveratrol is credited with a good range of health benefits, among them is reducing the consequences of aging.
Test-tube studies suggest it's going to also help to slow the assembly of harmful free radicals, which damage skin cells and cause signs of aging.
This beneficial compound is additionally found in wine . Unfortunately, there's not much evidence that the quantity of resveratrol you get from a glass of wine is enough to impact your skin.
And since wine is an alcohol , there are negative effects to drinking it in excess.
It's not recommended to start out drinking wine simply because of its potential health benefits. Instead, you ought to increase your intake of red grapes and berries.
Summary
Resveratrol, the famous antioxidant found in red grapes, may slow your skin's aging process by impairing harmful free radicals that damage your skin.
The Bottom LineWhat you eat can have an enormous impact on your skin health.
Make sure you're getting enough essential nutrients to guard your skin. The foods on this list are great options to stay your skin healthy, strong, and attractive.