The 12 Best Foods for Healthy Skin

Having a good skincare routine can help promote healthy skin, but more important than what you put on your face is what you put in your body. The right diet can significantly improve the health of your skin and help slow the signs of aging. Here, we look at twelve of the very best foods for keeping your skin healthy.

• Fatty fish: Full of omega 3 fatty acids, fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring help keep your skin hydrated and supple. Omega 3 fats also reduce inflammation, helping to fight conditions like psoriasis and lupus, and can make your skin more resistant to UV rays. Fatty fish also contain high-quality protein, vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant, and zinc, a mineral that helps regulate inflammation.
• Walnuts: Good for fighting inflammation and high in antioxidants, walnuts help keep your skin healthy by providing fat, zinc, vitamins E and C, selenium, and protein.
• Avocados: Avocados have healthy fat, as well as vitamins C and E, all of which are important for good skin. Additionally, they contain compounds that protect against UV radiation.
• Sunflower seeds: Like walnuts, sunflower seeds are a good source of protein, vitamin E, zinc, and selenium.
• Sweet potatoes: The beta-carotene found in sweet potatoes provides almost four times the RDA of vitamin A. Beta-carotene and other carotenoids act as a natural sunblock, to help prevent sunburn and damaged skin.
• Red and yellow bell peppers: Like sweet potatoes, peppers provide beta-carotene, and they’re also a good source of vitamin C, which helps build collagen.
• Broccoli: Lutein, found in broccoli, works like beta-carotene. Other nutrients in this powerful vegetable include zinc, vitamins A and C, and sulforaphane, which may help prevent skin cancer.
• Tomatoes: Containing all the major carotenoids, and particularly lycopene, tomatoes are especially good for you when paired with a healthy fat.
• Soy: The isoflavones in soy can protect against UV rays while improving wrinkles, collagen, skin dryness, and elasticity.
• Green Tea: Containing compounds called catechins, green tea helps protect your skin from sun damage and reduce redness.
• Dark Chocolate: When you choose chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa, you can protect your skin against sunburn while improving wrinkles, skin thickness and texture, blood flow, and hydration.
• Red Wine: Resveratrol, which comes from the skin of red grapes, can reduce the effects of aging and slow the production of free radicals, making the red wine a good choice if you drink alcohol.

In addition to eating well, you can improve your skin by seeing a good dermatologist. If you’re looking for a dermatologist in Salt Lake City, look to Swinyer-Woseth Dermatology. With over 30 years of experience, our practice can handle both medical and cosmetic problems with skill and discretion. Our friendly staff will help you feel at ease, and our board-certified dermatologists will assist you in getting effective treatment. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 801-266-8841 or contact us through our website.