Beneficial Foods to Eat for Clear Skin

Your Skin, Your Diet

It’s no secret, what you put into your body affects your health. You skin, the interface between the internal and external environment, is a representation of your well-being. By eating nutrient-rich, balancing, cleansing foods you are creating an atmosphere for healthy skin. Cleansers, toners, moisturizers and other beauty products may help to clean and maintain a desired complexion, but they can only do so much if a poor diet is constantly affecting this organ.

Feed Your Skin

Foods to eat for clear skin are those that are rich in:

• Vitamins, especially vitamin C, E and A (or beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A). Vitamin C is important for the formation of new, healthy skin. It also acts as an antioxidant and reduces inflammation. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and is good for tissue repair. Vitamin A is essential, especially for mature skin and sun damaged skin. It strengthens the protective tissue of skin.
• Minerals such as selenium for tissue elasticity, silica for the formation of connective tissue, and potassium (potassium deficiency is connected with acne).
• Essential fatty acids, which promote smooth, supple skin.
• Beneficial bacteria, such as acidophilus, to reduce the presence of negative bacteria that clog pores.
• Antioxidants to neutralize free radicals and defend the body from sun damage, toxins, and the effects of aging.
• Fiber, to help cleanse the body of toxins.

Foods that are difficult to digest, processed, and lacking in nutrition are those that contribute to skin impurities, dryness, oiliness, and inflammation. The more natural, whole foods you eat, the faster your skin will reach a state of beautiful, glowing balance.

Beneficial Foods

These are all excellent foods to eat for healthy skin. Include them into your diet on a regular basis. Eating fresh, raw fruits and vegetables is much more effective than eating them cooked. Try eating a salad every day with greens and one of the nutritional oils. Snack on berries and raw nuts and seeds. Switch to whole grains instead of white-flour products, lean proteins instead of red meat, and yogurt instead of ice cream.

• Berries

• Plums

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• Red Cabbage

• Papaya

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• Pineapple

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• Apples

• Carrots

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• Cucumber

• Sweet potatoes

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• Squash

• Broccoli

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• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

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• Pumpkin

• Green leafy vegetables

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• Yogurt

• Salmon

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• Walnuts

• Flax seed

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• Avocado oil

• Avocado

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• Extra virgin olive oil

• Brown rice

• Oats

• Whole wheat products

• Tofu

• Miso soup

• Sunflower seeds

• Turkey

• Green, white, and oolong teas

Try to make most of your diet up from these foods to eat for clear skin and other nutrient and fiber rich foods. Also, drink at least eight glasses of water every day, and even include a cup of cleansing herbal tea once in awhile. Over time not only will you have a radiant, natural complexion, but the healthy body necessary to maintain clear skin.

References

Bouchez, Colette. “Foods for Healthy Skin: You are What you Eat.” (WebMD) https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/skin-food

Balch, Phyllis, CNC. “Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition.” (The Penguin Group, 2006).

Photo Credit

photo by: Nick Saltmarsh (CC/flickr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/nsalt/2671479032/

photo by: Secret Tenerlife (CC/flickr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/tenerife/168193936/