The Best Foods for Skin That is Glowy and Radiant
Healthy skin is a priority for most, but achieving it can be tricky. So many factors can affect the look and feel of your skin, especially your age and lifestyle.
No matter what shape your skin is in currently, or whether you are younger or older, you can take steps to achieve healthier, more vibrant skin that looks incredible (compliments, only!) and feels soft to the touch. But first, it’s important to understand the basics of skin health and how to support it. So often we jump from wanting to improve skin to buying products laden with ingredients when a lot of what we actually want to achieve can happen naturally. Here, we discuss the best foods for skin that is healthy and glowy and all the things.
Table of contents:
- What Does It Mean for Skin to Be Healthy?
- What Can Affect Skin Health?
- Best Foods for Skin Health
- How to Incorporate the Best Foods for Skin into Your Diet
- More Ways to Support Healthy Skin
- Find the Best Foods for Skin Health at Clean Juice
What Does It Mean for Skin to Be Healthy?
Picture someone with healthy skin and visualize the details. What does their skin look like? How would it feel to touch? How would it look in harsh lighting?
One of the baseline measures of healthy skin is that it’s mostly clear and smooth. Blemishes like acne can occur when the pores become clogged and too much oil is trapped within the skin. This oil buildup can happen for a variety of reasons, but a great skin care routine can usually balance skin oils and prevent breakouts.
Healthy skin isn’t just smooth and clear; it also has a sense of radiance that glows from the inside out. But to achieve all the aspects of healthy skin, you have to do more than just wash your face regularly and apply SPF sunscreen.
That radiant glow comes from a healthy body within. In order to support internal health and look and feel your best, you should incorporate the best foods for skin health into your diet regularly, prioritize sleep, minimize daily stressors, and drink plenty of water.
What Can Affect Skin Health?
Achieving clear, radiant skin isn’t always easy, and that’s because the health of your skin can be affected by many different factors.
If you have persistent skin issues, the first course of action should be to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist who can give you specialized advice. However, many of the causes of poor skin health are common, and being aware of them can lead you to make healthier choices for your skin.
Diet
The quality of your diet makes a bigger difference in the feel and look of your skin than you might think. In general, natural foods tend to be the best foods for skin health, while processed foods can contribute to clogged pores and a dull complexion.
Environment
The environment you live in can have a huge effect on your skin health. If you live in a city center, higher levels of pollution can cause breakouts or contribute to premature aging. Additionally, if you live in a sunny region where you’re exposed to a high UV index consistently, you might be at higher risk of sun damage.
Stress
High levels of stress can wreak havoc on your body in many ways, and this includes your skin. If you’ve had a busy few months at work or school, any recent breakouts or lack of brightness in your skin could be related to stress.
Genetics
Your genetics can also play a huge role in what your skin looks like. For example, some people rarely have blemishes on their skin, no matter their lifestyles. Conversely, some people who eat clean diets and keep up with extensive skin care routines still experience severe acne.
If you struggle with breakouts due to unavoidable genetic factors, a dermatologist might prescribe acne medication to provide a more in-depth level of care.
Sun Exposure
Before you spend hours sunbathing and swimming this summer, remember the harmful effects that too much exposure to the sun can have on your skin.
The sun projects UV rays, which can cause sun spots and wrinkles to form more quickly. Sunscreen can help, but avoiding direct sun exposure whenever possible is one of the best ways to prevent premature signs of aging.
Best Foods for Skin Health: Get Healthy Skin Through Your Diet
Although many factors can support healthy skin — or make it more difficult to achieve — your diet is one of the most important. Eating a balanced and varied diet full of healthy foods can improve your health in more ways than just giving you gorgeous skin.
The nutrients that you consume through your diet support all of your organs. However, most nutrients will go directly to supporting the organs that keep you alive. This means that the skin often receives what’s left over from the nutrients you consume.
If your diet doesn’t include enough of the right macro and micronutrients, your skin may not get the support it needs from the foods you eat. That is why eating an intentionally varied diet full of many different types of healthy food can make such a big difference in your skin’s appearance and texture.
Are you ready to hear about the best foods for skin health and longevity? You’ll notice that many of these foods also support other internal systems, including your digestive system, immune system, brain function, and circulation. The key is to include these foods often enough that your entire body reaps the benefits, including your skin.
Foods Rich in Vitamin C
Some of the best foods for your skin are easy to find. They contain a specific nutrient found in a huge variety of fruits and vegetables: vitamin C. This micronutrient is the common thread in a large number of skin health-supporting foods.
Try to include some of these sources of vitamin C in your diet:
- Açaí
- Berries
- Strawberries
- Kiwis
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Bell Peppers
Vitamin C is one of the most common antioxidants. These compounds have the power to prevent damage caused by free radicals in the body.
Free radical damage can often reveal itself in dull, rough, or blemished skin, which means that consuming more vitamin C and other antioxidants could help reverse this damage and support bright, supple skin.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens are also some of the best foods for skin that glows. In addition to antioxidants, leafy greens contain an abundance of healthy vitamins and minerals, including iron, folate, and vitamin A.
Consuming leafy greens helps to promote regular cell turnover, which means that old or damaged cells are removed and replaced by new cells.
In many cases, too many old or dead cells can contribute to dull or lackluster skin. Eating leafy greens along with exfoliating regularly can help remove these cells and give your skin that fresh, bright appearance you’re after.
Seeds and Nuts
Most nuts and seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to fewer fine lines and wrinkles when consumed regularly and paired with skin care routines. Additionally, the healthy fats found in walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, and similar foods may help shield the skin from UV damage.
Legumes
Many specific foods can be included in the category of legumes, but the most common are lentils and beans. These foods are high in zinc, which has anti-inflammatory properties. If your skin issues are caused by inflammation, adding more zinc to your diet could help relieve your symptoms.
Salmon
Salmon combines many different skin health benefits in one tasty meal, making it one of the best foods for skin that’s radiant and soft.
This fish is packed with antioxidants and inflammation-fighting agents, as well as healthy fats, which help protect your skin from environmental damage. Try to consume wild-caught salmon over farm-raised alternatives when possible, as wild-caught salmon tends to be richer in omega-3s.
Green Tea
Green tea can boost many aspects of your health, and skin health is just one of them. This tea is particularly high in polyphenols, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that make your skin smoother, clearer, and less inflamed.
Additionally, green tea has naturally occurring vitamin K, which can help reduce puffiness and darkness under the eyes.
How to Incorporate the Best Foods for Skin Into Your Diet
Understanding the most helpful foods to eat for healthy skin is one thing, but how do you incorporate them into your routine? Luckily, eating healthy doesn’t need to be boring or unappetizing, especially with Clean Juice.
Here are some simple (and delicious) ways to eat more health-boosting foods that support the glowing skin you’re after.
Cold-Pressed Juice
Cold-pressed juices are made with a variety of ingredients that boost skin health, including leafy greens and vitamin C-packed fruits and veggies. These convenient juices can be taken on the go and enjoyed anywhere.
With Clean Juice, you can create your own juice cleanse to support your specific goals or choose one of our expertly crafted cleanses. While you’re on your way to reaching your skin health goals, you could also experience better digestion, more energy, a more robust immune system, and even more benefits.
Smoothies
Smoothies combine the micronutrient benefits of cold-pressed juice with the macronutrient richness of a satiating meal. Some of our Clean Juice smoothies are even filling enough to replace meals without sacrificing any satisfaction.
When you blend up a tasty mix of the best foods for skin health, you can support a smoother, brighter complexion while providing all of your internal systems with the nutrients they need. What could be more convenient than that?
Açaí Bowls
Açaí is a nutrient-rich berry that happens to be a great source of vitamin C, one of the most important compounds for radiant skin. With an açaí bowl, you can have all the benefits of açaí while enjoying a sorbet-like consistency topped with all kinds of tasty, health-boosting toppings.
Our açaí bowls at Clean Juice feature toppings like bananas, strawberries, nuts, and seeds, which add a satisfying crunch to the smoothness of the blended açaí base. You might feel like you’re eating a bowl of frozen yogurt, yet you’ll feel amazing afterward, and your body will thank you for all the essential nutrients.
Salads
Blending your health-boosting superfoods into juices, smoothies, and bowls can be tasty and fun, but what about when you’re craving a good old-fashioned salad?
Start with a base of leafy greens and add a variety of toppings, such as nuts, seeds, a protein source, and a dressing made with omega 3-packed olive oil. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to a completely nutrient-dense and delicious meal that will support gorgeous skin (as well as many other markers of good health).
More Ways to Support Healthy Skin
Adding the best foods for skin health into your diet is an effective way to look and feel your best. To support the changes you’re making, don’t forget to practice these other beneficial habits to create healthier, softer skin.
Drink Lots of Water
Water is essential for all bodily functions, clear skin included. Up your water intake to support blemish-free, smoother skin.
Get Plenty of Sleep
A good night’s sleep allows your body to fully reset between busy days. If you get only five or six hours of sleep each night, you might notice that your skin looks puffy and discolored. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night can help you look fresh and well-rested.
Cut Back on Tobacco and Alcohol
Regular tobacco and alcohol consumption are widely linked to many markers of poor health, including premature skin aging. Cut back on these habits to support younger-looking skin.
Create a Skin Care Routine
Your skin is unique, so your skin care routine should be unique too. Find a routine that works for you and includes some combination of face washing, exfoliating, and moisturizing. And don’t forget the SPF sunscreen!
Find the Best Foods for Skin Health at Clean Juice
Where can you find the best foods for skin that’s healthy and beautiful? At Clean Juice, making healthy eating easy and delicious is our primary mission. All of our offerings are fully customizable to your goals, from our juice cleanses to our smoothies, bowls, and more.
Are you ready to get started on your wellness journey with Clean Juice? Find your nearest location today to order.
Sources:
- GoodRx Health
- U.S. Dermatology Partners
- Eat This, Not That
- Shape
- Good Housekeeping
- Everyday Health
- Walk-in Dermatology
Disclaimer: The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling. Consult your doctor before using any health treatment, including natural remedies, and tell your doctor if you have a serious medical condition or are taking any medications.