Top 5 Foods for a Healthy Skin

A smooth and supple skin is everyone’s dream come true. If you are naturally gifted with lustrous skin, you need not worry. However, if you have acne, blemishes, or more severe skin conditions, you may need to consider certain healthy options. The best way to heal your skin is to follow a healthy diet. A diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E will keep your skin smooth and protected from damage. In this article, you will find the top 5 foods for healthy skin that are densely packed with nutrients.

Eat these Foods to Have a Healthy Skin

Fatty fish

Omega 3 fatty acids are important fats that can vitalise your skin. These are fatty acids that must be consumed to prove beneficial as the body cannot produce these healthy fats on its own. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and herring are among the top 5 foods for healthy skin. They are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids that will improve your overall skin health.

Omega 3 fatty acids also help fight inflammatory conditions of the skin like acne, redness and irritation. It can also prevent auto-immune conditions like psoriasis, eczema and lupus. A lack of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet can also be the reason behind dry skin.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish that boost skin health.

Omega 3 fatty acids take care of your heart’s health by improving blood circulation in the body. This replaces dry and flaky skin with supple and moisturised skin.

Omega 3 fatty acids can also save your skin from the sun’s harmful UV radiation and help prevent skin cancer.

Fatty fish also consist of vitamin E, an important antioxidant that protects your skin from oxidative damage caused by the sun and the environment. This prevents premature ageing of your skin. Vitamin E also protects your skin against inflammation. 

Fish is also an excellent source of high-quality protein that is important to maintain skin health.

Fish also contains zinc, which is responsible for the production of new skin cells and has anti-inflammatory properties. With its anti-bacterial qualities, it can help prevent lesions and heal wounds faster. Zinc can serve as a deterrent to both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne.

Avocados

Avocados are skin-friendly foods that contain healthy monounsaturated fats that are super beneficial for keeping skin hydrated.

UV radiation from the sun can cause the skin to get wrinkly. Avocados contain compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin that protect your skin against sun damage. According to earlier studies it might also aid in improving skin tone. 

Avocados are also a source of vitamins A, D, E and C. Vitamin E and vitamin C are antioxidants that protect the skin against damage. Your skin requires vitamin C to make collagen, a structural protein that maintains the elasticity of your skin and keeps it bouncy. Additionally, vitamin C in avocados prevents dark spots. Vitamin A and D keep your skin hydrated.

The fats in avocados combined with vitamins can repair skin barriers that can help with irritated skin.

The linoleic and oleic acid in avocados keeps the skin structured and in shape and prevents wrinkles.

Avocados have anti-inflammatory properties that can protect the skin against disorders like hives and rashes.

Walnuts

Walnuts are healthy skin foods that are a source of important fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6. Too much Omega 6 fatty acids in the diet promotes inflammation. On the other hand, Omega 3 fatty acids fight inflammation. Walnuts contain a balanced proportion of these fatty acids that may prevent inflammatory conditions of the skin.

These nuts also contain zinc that is anti-bacterial, anti-ageing, provides UV protection, and heals skin.

Walnuts also contain small quantities of anti-oxidants like vitamin E and selenium that protect the skin from free radicals that damage the skin. Therefore, it prevents skin ageing, by reducing fine lines and wrinkles contributing to maintaining the texture and appearance of the skin. 

Walnuts are also a good source of protein that prevents wrinkles and dark spots. Proteins contain amino acids that create collagen in your body, necessary for keeping skin smooth and clear.

Walnut also protects the skin against sun damage and other environmental stressors.

Walnuts tighten skin pores and reduce puffiness.

This essential dry fruit contains vitamin B5 which fades hyperpigmentation of skin.

Walnut benefits for skin also include reducing dark circles, dark skin patches and dark spots.

Consuming walnuts can even prevent some skin cancers.

Sunflower seeds

Consuming sunflower seeds are healthy skin foods that are a repository of essential nutrients that add radiance to the skin. It is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial that keeps all skin infections away.

The polyunsaturated fats in sunflower seeds make it anti-inflammatory.

Similar to avocados, the oleic and linoleic acid in sunflower seeds produce collagen and elastin that speed up wound healing and prevent the formation of scars.

Foods high in anti-oxidants for the skin like sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, an anti-oxidant that protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals are harmful chemicals that damage the cells resulting in premature ageing of the skin. Vitamin E cancels the impact of these free radicals and keeps skin youthful and vibrant.

Zinc is an essential mineral in sunflower seeds that regulate the skin’s oil production. Too much oil production in the skin may lead to acne and other blemishes which can be prevented by consuming sunflower seeds.

Sunflower seeds also contain selenium that counters skin irritation and keeps it smooth and soft. Additionally, selenium also protects the skin against harmful UV radiation. Overall, it ensures that your skin produces a proper response to any intruders.

Sunflower seeds detoxify the skin and keep it healthy. It protects the skin against harmful UV radiation and pollution.

Sweet Potatoes

Vitamin C in sweet potatoes helps produce collagen that acts as a barrier to the harmful rays of the sun. It makes your skin more resilient and is an excellent healer.

Consuming sweet potatoes can counter excessive melanin (pigment) that can cause the skin to develop dark patches or dark spots.

Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene that reverses the ageing of the skin and acts as a natural sunblock. Beta carotene serves as provitamin A that can be converted into vitamin A in the body. Additionally, beta carotene may add a warm, orange tinge (carotenoderma) that can positively affect the appearance of your skin.

High beta-carotene diets are also effective against skin cancers.

Similar to the above healthy foods for the skin, sweet potatoes contain anthocyanins that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Chlorogenic acid in sweet potatoes has antioxidant properties that are responsible for keeping skin healthy.

Sweet potatoes have more water content and consuming them can keep your skin hydrated. 124 g serving of mashed sweet potato equals 98.7 g of water. This can prevent flakiness of the skin and reduce fine lines.

It might take three weeks to notice the effects of sweet potatoes on your skin.

Include boiled, steamed or baked sweet potatoes in your everyday diet to get a springy and flexible skin. 

Wrap up!

Consuming these top 5 foods will give you healthy skin without an ounce of doubt. However, you might also need to curb your cravings for fried foods or red meat as it can lead to breakouts or inflammatory conditions of the skin. These top 5 healthy foods are a treasure trove of health benefits that will nourish your skin and boost your skin health. So, if you want to have healthy skin, make these healthy foods a part of your daily diet.