You wash your face, apply your skincare products, and drink plenty of water, but why are you still breaking out? The culprit may be your diet. Research on how food directly links to the health of your skin is limited, but understanding that what you put in your body and its influence on your outward appearance is important to note. Nourishing your body with antioxidant-rich foods and healthy fats can’t hurt! Let’s take a look at our healthy skin diet tips…
Healthy Skin Diet Tips
Foods to Eat
- When choosing what to eat, we typically think about a food’s calorie count or their effect on our blood pressure but not so much about how they impact our skin. Here are some foods that will not only help with your overall health but also help clear your complexion:
- Carrots, apricots, and other yellow and orange fruits and vegetables
- Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
- Tomatoes
- Berries
- Whole grains
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Salmon, mackerel, and other fatty fish
- Avocados
- Nuts and seeds
- Water
- Overall, seek out foods with rich-nutrients like complex carbohydrates, zinc, vitamin A, C, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Foods to Limit
- When choosing what to eat, we want to stray away from foods that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats. These types of foods can stimulate our hormones that cause the overproduction of oil glands, which raises your risk of acne, inflammation, and skin aging. We recommend limiting these foods as best as you can:
- High glycemic foods
- White bread
- White rice
- Pasta
- Doughnuts
- Cookies
- Bagels
- Fruit juice
- Potatoes
- Sugar
- Candy
- Soda
- Energy drinks
- Dairy
- Skim milk
- Low-fat dairy products
- Alcohol
- High glycemic foods
- Everybody’s skin is different, which means people’s skin will react differently when eating certain foods. With the help of a dermatologist, you can experiment what diet works best for you.
Meal Planning
- Meal planning is easier said than done. Luckily, EatingWell has already done it. Check out their 7-Day Meal Plan for Healthy Skin. It breaks down delicious and nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day of the week. Be sure to read their bonus tips and tricks for achieving healthy skin as well.
Patience is Key
- Don’t expect your skin to change overnight after switching to a healthy skin diet. It could take at least six weeks before you start to notice the visible benefits of a wholesome diet. Modifying your diet along with other dermatology treatments might be the best option for your skin.
Closing Thoughts on Healthy Skin Diet
There is no end-all, be-all diet when it comes to healthy skin. The best advice for healthy skin is to have a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy protein sources, and whole grains. But, before changing your diet, reach out to Complete Family Dermatology in Lincoln, NE to schedule an appointment. Our dermatologists can talk with you about your skin and the best diet and treatment options going forward. For expert advice, please call 402-423-1111!
