Indeed lifestyle habits like smoking and tanning, and even genetics could certainly influence and expose your skin to annoying conditions. But that does not mean that the quest for better skin and glowing complexion is a lost cause. The good news is, eating certain foods can help you achieve that healthy glow and skin tone you have been looking for.
While there are plenty of cosmetics available in the market today, the truth is that the key to maintaining a healthy complexion does not come from a bottle. It is true these lotions and cleansers offer a topical fix – but gorgeous, hydrated skin starts from within. And it depends on whether the best foods for glowing or glass skin are on your plate.
Whether you want to ward off premature aging, need to treat acne, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, or fight back against other skin conditions – the proper diet can be a valuable aid.
We want you to live the healthiest lifestyle possible. That is why we have compiled this helpful guide to foods that can even out your skin tone. We have also tried to explain each for your better understanding.
How Food Affects Your Skin
These are possible by turning off inflammatory genes and providing your body with the proper tools to strengthen and build healthy tissues. Note that your skin reflects your health. Hence nourishing your skin from the inside and the outside is the recipe for optimal results.
Several studies show that the food you eat can affect your complexion. The food you eat gets digested and enters your bloodstream, which then circulates to your skin in a few months. Researchers have found that including certain healthy foods into your daily diet can help fight back against your complexion woes.
Are You Looking for a Perfect Skin Tone?
If you have ever tried medication and cream and have not been satisfied with the results, your diet could be the culprit. That is right. Your diet can influence your skin in a significant way.
You may wish for perfectly smooth, even skin, but many might have uneven skin tones. This might take the form of redness, acne scars, sun damage, or age spots which can cause blemishes or patches of color on your skin. Human skin color can range from lightest hues to darkest brown.
Uneven skin could be temporary or permanent, and it may result from several conditions like sun exposure, medications, age, and even hormones. Fortunately, there are remedies to help you smooth out discoloration and hyperpigmentation in your skin.
What Should You Eat to Get that Skin Tone You Want?
Always look for vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables, and do not forget healthy fats and protein. In general, your doctor would recommend a diet with sufficient healthy fats and proteins. Your diet should also include a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
Vitamin C, for example, is essential in the synthesis of collagen. In contrast, Vitamin D can help decrease the harmful effects of sunburn. In addition, antioxidants may decrease the impact of pollution and other environmental dangers on your skin that create free radicals.
Your body breaks down proteins into amino acids. And amino acids are the building blocks for all the proteins found in your skin, hair, nails, and the rest of the body. Also, note that sufficient healthy fats are needed for your skin’s barrier function.
And if you are a vegetarian, make sure you are taking complete protein as part of your diet and your skin health. Animal products like fish, red and white meat, and dairy are complete protein sources. Remember, most plant protein sources are incomplete. So it is all the more important for vegetarians to eat a wide variety of plant protein. It is to ensure they are getting all the amino acids they need.
Best Foods for Even Skin Tone
1 Tomato
Eating tomato-based foods like sauce and tomato juice might help clear up acne. Thanks to the lycopene ingredient, the phytochemical gives the tomato its red color. The chemical also helps boost collagen strength and fights off the oxidizing effect of UV rays on your skin by eliminating skin-aging free radicals.
If you increase your dietary levels of lycopene, it will help to ensure the presence of this potent antioxidant in your skin. Your skin rich in antioxidants can protect you from sun damage 33 percent more and make your skin smoother.
2 Carrots
Carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene, a natural sun protectant, and vitamin A, meaning they restore damaged collagen.
Carrots are like a wonder wand – good for the eyes and good for clearing up breakouts. Just right for your perfect skin tone. There is no magic here. Carrots have plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin A. Vitamin A, an antioxidant that prevents the overproduction of cells, particularly in your skin’s outer layer.
As a result, you have fewer flaky dead cells that otherwise combine with sebum to clog your pores. In addition, vitamin A plays an essential role in reducing the development of skin cancer cells.
3 Blueberries
As you know, blueberries are rich in antioxidants that can quickly help fight cell-damaging free radicals. The high amounts of plant compounds in berries are known as anthocyanins with strong antioxidant properties. This compound also gives the berries their purple-blue appearance.
Your body’s natural ability to fight off free radicals diminishes with age. As a result, it leads to high levels that can negatively impact your skin cells. When more free radicals are present compared to antioxidants, the skin cells begin to weaken and show signs of aging.
Blueberries are good as they help boost collagen fibers’ strength – it gives your skin its structure. If you are looking for glowing skin, grab a handful of these berries.
4 Oranges
As is commonly known, oranges are one of the most well-known food sources of vitamin C. Oranges are one of the best fruits for glowing skin. Your doctor would recommend taking any citrus fruits to get your vitamin C. So you can also take more lemon, lime, or grapefruit too.
These powerful antioxidants can protect your skin from oxidative stress. Meaning it could include UV damage to the skin, improve skin hydration, stimulate the skin barrier formation, and improve wound healing. So a diet deficient in vitamin C can have a negative impact on the skin.
5 Salmon
You should consume sufficient amounts of healthy fats to support your skin barrier. If you can not get sufficient amounts of healthy fats from foods like avocado, salmon, and nuts, then do take omega-3-rich supplements.
Fish oil and even fishes are very beneficial for healthy glowing skin while reducing inflammation. Salmon also contains other compounds like DMAE that promote healthy skin because it protects the integrity of your cell membranes. Stronger cell membranes also prevent premature aging. So try eating when you get an opportunity.
6 Broccoli
Broccoli is another vitamin C-rich superfood that is great for achieving glowing skin. Especially for those with combination skin, cruciferous vegetables and antioxidant fruits can do magic. In addition to broccoli, other great cruciferous veggies generally include kale, cauliflower, and bok choy.
7 Yellow Pepper
Vitamin C is important for collagen production along with vitamin E. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that can protect against free radical damage. It is also great for discoloration and can help reduce the appearance of your facial wrinkles.
Instead of grabbing an orange to get your dose, you can also munch on some vitamin C-rich yellow bell peppers. The more yellow and green vegetables you eat, the fewer wrinkles and crow feet you can notice. In fact, by consuming Vitamin C, you can decrease the appearance of wrinkles by more than 10 percent.
8 Coconut Water and Oil
Nothing goes to waste when you are using coconut for skin care. After cracking it open, you can drink the fruit’s natural water. This water is full of muscle-relaxing potassium and electrolytes to hydrate your skin, thus making it softer and younger-looking.
Next, you can move on to the coconut meat and extract its oils. You can utilize it for healing your gut. That is because coconut oil contains a potent antimicrobial called caprylic acid.
Caprylic acid can help improve your gut health by destroying bad bacteria and especially candida. Candida is a fungus that can break down your intestinal walls and decrease stomach acid, which causes inflammation, poor digestion, and breakouts.
Bottomline
Eating healthy foods for your glowing skin and skin tone is excellent. But there are other factors at play, too. You should start wearing sunscreen every day and staying hydrated 24 hours a day. Therefore look for products with an SPF factor of 30 or higher for your everyday use.
You should make sure to hydrate your skin properly and be sure to feed your skin the nutrients it needs. You should wash your hands with real soap and bed sheets often. This is probably because they can spread bacteria to your face. Your doctor would also recommend exfoliating your skin twice a week for a healthy glow.
But if things do not clear up with these dietary changes, it is not your fault. There are tons of other factors that go into your skin’s appearance. Always remember eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is always a good thing, but there is no one magic fix for glowing skin.
Read more about collagen supplements to improve your skin health.
