Summer Foodie Beauty for Glowy Skin

How many foods do you eat that are actually good for your skin? You may have an incredible skincare routine, but if your diet is lacking in complexion boosting healthy vitamins and minerals, your skin's tone & texture will suffer.

The summer season brings a bounty of skin-loving, glow-inducing foods that are rich in nutrients that support firm, smooth, and clear skin. Try adding these delicious superfoods for healthy skin to your grocery list and watch your skin transform!

The 7 Best Foods for Your Skin 

1.   Leafy Green Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables (think spinach and broccoli) are considered collagen-boosting foods because their high vitamin C contents help your body produce more collagen on its own. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant to protect your cells against environmental damage that can contribute to premature skin aging, like that of UV rays and pollution.

Other foods rich in vitamin C include red bell peppers, oranges, papaya, pineapples, and mangos.

2.   Seasonal Fruits

In-season summer fruits like watermelon, cucumber, tomato, strawberries, and so much more, not only boast high water content (around 90% or greater) to keep your body and skin hydrated, but also provides essential vitamins and minerals that optimize overall health and keeps skin positively radiant. A simple fruit salad is a perfect snack in between meals, especially when you're on the go on hot summer days.

Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups watermelon, cubed or balled
• 1 1/2 cups sliced cucumber, seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons mint, thinly sliced or small mint leaves
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Prepare:

• Place the watermelon, cucumber and mint in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the dressing over the melon mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with feta and serve.

Buon Appetito!

3.   Salmon

Wild-caught salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which soothe inflammation and may reduce risk of inflammation-related skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Omega-3 fatty acids also plump up skin cells for softer, smoother skin. Incorporate more omega-3’s into your diet by eating sardina, tuna, mackerel, and anchovies. If you don’t like fish, you can take fish oil supplements to get your daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids for clear skin.

4.   Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are a great source of Vitamin E, which helps to reinforce your skin’s protective barrier. This locks out damaging free radicals while preserving moisture to keep skin healthy and glowing. Other excellent sources of vitamin E include almonds, green leafy vegetables, hazelnuts, avocados, Atlantic salmon, and abalone.

5.   Eggs

Eggs are a top source of biotin, which makes skin stronger and helps protect skin against water loss and outside damage. If you don’t like eggs, you can get your daily biotin intake by eating Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, almonds, and walnuts.

Additionally, eggs are an excellent source of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of skin and are essential for keeping skin firm. In fact, not eating enough amino acids could lead to thin and dry skin. Unfortunately, your body cannot make amino acids on its own, so you’ll have to get them from the foods you eat. Besides eggs, other sources of amino acids include meat, beans, and nuts.

6.   Whole Grains

What about another food for clear skin? Some studies have shown that eating a low-glycemic diet may reduce acne. Swap out refined carbs like white bread and pasta for their whole grain equivalents to reduce the glycemic index of your diet.

7.   Yogurt

But what’s the point of eating all these skin-healthy nutrients if your body can’t absorb them? To make sure you’re getting the most out of the foods you eat, make sure your healthy skin diet includes fermented foods like yogurt. Fermented foods promote healthy gut bacteria, which helps deliver nutrients to your organs, including your skin. Good bacteria also helps to reduce inflammation. Goodbye splotchy skin!

Other examples of fermented foods include kimchee, sauerkraut, and kefir.

What are your favorite foods that are good for your skin? Let us know in the comments!