10 Foods and Beverages for Glowing, Healthy Skin
Key takeaways:
What you eat and drink can affect the health of your skin. Foods that are good for the skin are those that help improve hydration, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and/or prevent damage from the sun.
The best foods for skin include foods rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, and phytoestrogens.
Some specific foods that boost skin health include red peppers, blackberries, edamame, salmon, grapes, and almonds. Drinking plenty of water and green tea can also improve the appearance of your skin.
Table of contents
Many foods contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help improve the health of your skin. Plant-based foods — such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans — are especially rich in skin-supporting nutrients. And studies show that they can actually help improve skin elasticity and hydration. They may even help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
There’s no one “superfood” for skin health. Instead, it’s your overall dietary pattern that matters. Enjoying a mostly plant-based diet, along with eating oily fish in moderation, is the best way to support healthy skin.
There are many foods that support skin health. Here are our top 10 best foods for skin.
1. Red bell peppers
When you think of vitamin C, you might automatically think of oranges. But red bell peppers contain even higher amounts.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help stimulate collagen, a protein that serves as a building block for the skin. This can boost the skin’s moisture and elasticity, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and roughness. And if red bell peppers aren’t your favorite, feel free to reach for other fruits rich in vitamin C, like oranges, grapefruits, or strawberries.
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Red bell peppers also contain the natural red dye capsanthin. Besides giving peppers their rich, red color, capsanthin may help protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) sun damage.
2. Blackberries
Blackberries contain several nutrients that can help your skin. They’re rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that can prevent damage caused by sun exposure. They may also play a role in preventing skin cancer.
Blackberries are also a great source of vitamin C, which can help skin’s moisture and elasticity. And the vitamin K in blackberries may help prevent and treat scars.
3. Carrots
Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene. Beta carotene is an antioxidant that turns into vitamin A. It can help prevent acne breakouts, reduce wrinkles, and protect from sunburns.
Eating carrots can also give the skin a slight orange-red color. This boost of color from the beta carotene may give your skin a healthy-looking glow. But eating carrots in excessive amounts can lead to carotenemia. This is a condition in which your skin turns yellow-orange. Thankfully it isn’t harmful and is easily reversible.
4. Edamame
Edamame and other soybean products (like tofu) may help minimize wrinkles. That’s because soy contains isoflavones. These are plant compounds that mimic human estrogen, a hormone that decreases in the body after menopause. Lower estrogen levels can affect the skin, leading to wrinkles, dryness, and poor wound healing.
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Studies suggest that consuming soy or using soy extracts topically (on the skin) may decrease the appearance of fine wrinkles and increase skin hydration and elasticity.
5. Grapes
Grapes contain resveratrol, another molecule with estrogen-like effects. The resveratrol in grapes may slow skin aging and help prevent dark spots from forming on the skin. Resveratrol may also help lower the risk of skin cancer by protecting your skin against UV damage.
And resveratrol’s health benefits go beyond the skin. Some studies suggest it may help prevent health conditions including heart disease and cancer. So next time you want a snack, reach for grapes or other resveratrol-rich foods, like blueberries, peanuts, tomatoes, or red cabbage.
6. Almonds
Almonds and many other nuts and seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower the risk of sun damage. And almond skin contains polyphenols, which add additional protection by acting as a natural sunblock. Almonds are also rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that can provide even more protection from UV damage, and moisturize skin.
One study showed that postmenopausal women who ate almonds daily had a significant reduction in their wrinkles after 16 weeks. They also showed fewer dark spots than the women who didn’t eat almonds.
7. Salmon
Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse that plays an important role in heart health, brain development, and bone strength. On top of that, salmon is often considered a skin superfood because it’s packed with several nutrients that are great for the skin.
Salmon is rich in astaxanthin, an antioxidant that may help improve skin elasticity and hydration. It’s also high in vitamin D, which is important for skin cell growth and repair.
Salmon and other fatty fish (like sardines and mackerel) are also excellent sources of the omega-3 fatty acids that help prevent skin damage from the sun. These fats also help lower inflammation, which may improve some inflammatory skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in lutein, a molecule that protects your skin from the dryness and wrinkling caused by oxidative damage. One study found that an extract from broccoli called sulforaphane helped repair damaged skin. That study used the extract topically (applied to the skin). But don’t worry, you don’t need to make a face mask out of your broccoli. Eating it the old-fashioned way gives you the benefits. Sulforaphane plays an important role in cancer prevention and treatment, too.
9. Water
No list about skin health would be complete without highlighting the benefits of hydration. Many liquids provide hydration, but drinking enough water to stay hydrated is always a smart choice. Studies are mixed as to whether drinking water helps hydrate your skin. But, if you’re severely dehydrated, you’ll end up with reduced skin turgor (which is your skin’s ability to return to normal when pinched).
10. Green tea
Like coffee, green tea is hydrating. Several studies have shown that green tea may reduce roughness and scaling of the skin and boost skin’s hydration and elasticity. But it’s important to note that these studies were done using concentrated green tea extracts. The daily extracts contained about 500 mg of tea flavanols, which is the equivalent of about 10 cups per day, depending on how the tea is made. That’s a very high quantity of tea and more than the recommended amount.
Green tea’s skin benefits are thanks to its antioxidants. Specifically, it contains a type called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that may be especially powerful in preventing age-related skin damage.
What are the worst foods for skin health?
Some foods are known to have a negative effect on skin health if you eat excessive amounts, including:
Refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, baked goods, crackers and cereal. These foods’ high glycemic index (GI) cause surges in insulin levels. This can cause inflammation and lead to more oil production, both of which can lead to acne.
Salty snacks, which cause your body to retain water. This can result in skin puffiness in your face and body.
Processed meats like bacon, deli meat, and hot dogs. These products are high in sodium, which is dehydrating. And processed meats have been linked to increased risk of skin cancer and atopic dermatitis flare-ups.
Cow’s milk, which may worsen breakouts in some people. This may be due to the hormones in dairy.
Fried food like french fries, potato chips, and doughnuts. Contrary to popular belief, the oil present in these foods may not cause acne. But these foods are typically high in calories, refined carbohydrates, and salt. And usually these foods are low in the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can benefit skin health.
Alcohol, which dehydrates your skin and triggers inflammation. Alcohol can also dilate blood vessels, which may cause flushing and rosacea flare-ups.
What else can you do to have healthy skin?
Sun protection should be a priority. The sun’s rays can cause photoaging (premature aging of skin from UV rays), wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer. It’s important to wear protective clothing and sunblock regularly. And stay in the shade when possible.
You can also improve skin health by:
Avoiding soaps that contain harsh detergents
Not using very hot water, which can dehydrate skin
Avoiding smoking
Using moisturizers
Managing stress
Frequently asked questions
Thanks to the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes (and some other red and pink-colored fruits) can help with a variety of skin concerns by:
Protecting from UV damage from the sun
Increasing skin hydration
Improving skin texture
Helping to maintain skin elasticity by promoting collagen production
Calming inflammation
Tomatoes and foods made with tomatoes (tomato paste, sauces, soups) have the most lycopene. Other fruits that contain lycopene include papayas, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and pink guava.
Foods that can help skin heal include those with the following vitamins and nutrients:
Vitamin A, found in spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, eggs, and mango
Vitamin C, which you’ll find in berries, broccoli, strawberries, orange, and tomato juice
Zinc, found in foods including fish, whole grains, poultry, shellfish, and nuts and seeds
Omega-3 fat, found in salmon and tuna
B vitamins, which are present in whole grains, such as oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta
Lycopene, found in tomatoes, watermelon, and some other pink and red fruits and vegetables
Taking collagen supplements may help with aging skin, wound healing, and arthritis. It’s not known whether eating collagen-rich foods has the same effect. But examples of foods that contain collagen include:
Bone broth
Beef
Chicken skin
Pork skin
Salmon
Sardines
The bottom line
Having a balanced diet filled with plant-based foods including vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds is good for skin health. Fatty fish like salmon is one of the best foods for skin. And drinking hydrating beverages, such as water and green tea, is also good for your skin. Adding the foods and drinks on this list can help boost skin elasticity and hydration, protect against sun damage, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Plus, what’s good for skin health is good for overall health.
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