Prioritizing a healthy diet is crucial for maintaining clear and radiant skin. Here, the aesthetic doctors at Sozo Aesthetic Clinic offer an informative guide on what to eat to boost your glow from within.
Oily Fish Helps Boost Skin Hydration
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like mackerel, tuna, and sardines are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, which can have considerable benefits to our skin. Salmon, especially, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and nutrients, including astaxanthin, which helps protect the skin from oxidative stress, contributing to anti-aging benefits.
Why You Should EAT, Not Drink Your Water
Eating water-rich foods is important alongside drinking water because it offers a dual approach to hydration and overall health. While drinking water is essential for staying hydrated, consuming water-rich foods provides additional benefits. Foods with high water content, such as fruits and vegetables, contribute to hydration while also delivering essential nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants. This combination not only supports overall wellbeing but also helps maintain healthy skin, aids digestion, and promotes a feeling of fullness.
Incorporating fruits and vegetables with high water content into your diet enhances the rebalancing of water in your system. These foods contain molecules that help deliver the water they contain into cells easily. Examples of foods high in water content include:
- Cucumber: 96% water
- Iceberg lettuce: 96% water
- Celery: 95% water
- Watermelon: 92% water
- Broccoli: 92% water
- Spinach: 92% water
- Apricot: 86% water
- Pomegranate: 82% water
- Avocado: 82% water
The Best Foods For Ageless Skin
The natural aging process depends on a range of nutrients for support. Certain nutrients can contribute to slowing down signs of aging, particularly in promoting skin health. Generally, the best foods for ageless skin are healthy fats, healthy sources of protein, and antioxidant-rich foods.
Several foods are known for their potential anti-aging properties due to their rich content of antioxidants, such as dark leafy greens, green tea, lemon, turmeric, and dark chocolate. Berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, are particularly rich in antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress and inflammation.
Foods To Avoid If You Suffer With Acne
For those dealing with acne-prone skin, dietary choices can play a significant role in managing breakouts. High-glycemic foods, such as sugary snacks and refined carbohydrates, can cause spikes in blood sugar levels and therefore trigger increased insulin production, potentially leading to more oil production in the skin. Dairy products, known for containing hormones and growth factors, may also contribute to acne development in some people and processed and greasy foods have also been linked anecdotally to acne.
However, while it’s a widespread belief that chocolate and greasy foods directly cause acne, the truth is a bit more nuanced. Modern science suggests that these foods do not directly cause acne but can exacerbate an existing condition, so if you do struggle with acne, it is best to avoid these foods:
- Dairy products, including all types of cow’s milk
- Sugary drinks such as soft drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juice
- Fast food, chocolate, and candy
- Foods with a high glycemic index, including white bread and refined grains
Top 5 Skin Superfoods
Nuts
Nuts, including almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, can bebeneficial for the skin due to their nutrient content. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, a mineral with antioxidant properties that can help clear skin and decrease acne breakouts.
Green Juice
Green juice typically refers to a drink made from blending various green vegetables and fruits. It’s often promoted as a nutritious drink due to its high content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Common ingredients might include leafy greens like kale, cucumber, celery, apples, and other fruits or vegetables. Actress Reese Witherspoon’s green juice recipe, for example, includes romaine lettuce, spinach, fruits, and coconut water. Green juice has exploded in popularity on TikTok, amassing more than 555 million views for the hashtag #greenjuice.
Ginger
Ginger has great anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is often associated with various skin conditions, such as eczema and rosacea, and the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger may help soothe and calm the skin. Including ginger in your diet can be achieved by adding it to recipes, drinking ginger tea, or adding it to smoothies.
Carrots
Packed with vitamin A, carrots contribute significantly to skin health by aiding in cell turnover and preventing dryness. The benefits of carrots have also exploded on TikTok, with the viral “raw carrot salad” trend exploding earlier this year and receiving over 56 million views on the platform for the hashtag #rawcarrotsalad. Videos using the hashtag show how to make it at home, with raw shredded carrots and a few additions like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt.
Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that can help boost the strength of collagen fibers in our skin to give it a healthy glow.
