Foods associated with healthy skin are the same antioxidant- and nutrient-rich foods that are recommended for general health and well-being, states Mayo Clinic dermatologist Dr. Lawrence E. Gibson. If you incorporate plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet, drink lots of water, limit fats, and add whole grains, nuts, legumes and fish to your diet, not only your skin but your entire body will benefit.
Skin Superfoods
Dole.com lists the following vegetables and fruits as skin "superfoods": butternut squash, red bell pepper, cantaloupe, guava and papaya. Green leafy vegetables making the list are romaine, spinach, collards and Swiss chard. To make the skin "superfood" list, one serving of the food has to be either an excellent source of both vitamins A and C; or an excellent source of one, a good source of the other and also a source of vitamin E.
Vitamin A
Foods containing vitamin A are one of the essentials for healthy skin, according to the Dole.com website. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining the epithelial tissues of the skin's surface, and may even serve as a kind of natural sunscreen. A person who is deficient in vitamin A may suffer from dry, flaky skin. Orange-colored fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, yams and apricots are a good source of vitamin A.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C serves as an antioxidant that performs numerous beneficial services for the skin. In addition to encouraging skin cell turnover, vitamin C promotes the body's production of collagen, the substance which keeps skin looking healthy and young. Vitamin C may even help fight wrinkle formation by preventing the production of a substance called arachidonic acid. Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, cauliflower, snow peas, asparagus and celery.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps prevent free radical damage to skin cells, and also serves to protect the skin from the sun's ultraviolet rays, states the World's Healthiest Foods website. Turnip greens, mustard greens, chard and sunflower seeds are all excellent sources of vitamin E. Almonds and spinach are considered to be very good sources.
Fish
Fish, particularly salmon, mackerel and tuna, which are high in essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, help reduce inflammation in the skin which can lead to acne, states an article in Cosmopolitan.com.
Foods To Avoid
For those who are prone to rosacea, certain foods can trigger inflammation and redness. If redness is a problem for you, you may want to avoid alcohol, spices, cured meats and foods containing MSG. Simple carbohydrates, such as are found in pasta, white bread, rice, potatoes and sweets, can increase insulin levels, which also contribute to inflammation.
