10 Top Best Foods for Healthy Skin

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Holla, my favorite fashionista! If you follow my blog, you know I am a food scientist, and as such, I have come to apply my profession to skincare. If there’s one thing I am always after, it is healthy skin, even though I stink at maintaining it (lol). However, this isn’t just about me. Nah, it’s more for those fashionistas who need some encouragement. So, today, we’ll discuss the 10 best foods for healthy skin.

Food for Healthy Skin

A few months before my brother went for his mandatory NYSC, he was obsessed with his skincare routine, and let me tell you, it rubbed off on me. I would see him buy overly expensive products and spend a large sum of money at the gym just so he could be fit. However, one day he got tired of it all because the stuff he was using didn’t do anything to help his skin.

On the contrary, he was having bad side effects from those products. So, being the big sister I am, even though he is bigger than me, I gave him the advice to just watch what he eats. And let me tell you, my brother eats way more than I ever could (lol). Anyway, he took my advice, and damn, even I am jealous. He has such healthy skin that I begged him to tell me what he eats.

Food is the most natural and easiest way to have healthy skin. Paying attention to what you eat goes a long way in ensuring both your immediate and future health. Honestly, guys, just adding some of the food tips I’m going to share into your diet will have the results shocking you. So, without further ado, here are the 10 best foods for healthy skin.

10 Best Foods for Healthy Skin

One thing I have learned as a food scientist is that many companies try to produce foods and food products that ultimately should affect the health of a consumer in the right positive way. However, many of these companies have lost track of why they produce these foods. I’m talking about their negligence to the quality of food they produce and sell to consumers who know no better. This is why nature has given us all we need to take our health and healthy skin into our own hands. Anyway, some foods for healthy skin include:

1. Fruits and vegetables:

foods for healthy skin

I have recently taken a liking to eating leafy green vegetables because I noticed I always felt free inside my body. It’s like it removes all the rubbish that has been stored in my body for too long, leaving me feeling light. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, water leaf, and cabbage, to name a few, are high sources of carbohydrates. They contain anti-inflammatory compounds that can help calm irritated skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Fruits and vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins all contain beta-carotene, which may be turned into vitamin A and help protect skin from the sun. Grapes, blueberries, peanuts, and tomatoes all contain resveratrol, which can protect skin from UV light damage and prevent dark spots.
Tomatoes, watermelon, grapefruit, asparagus, and red cabbage contain lycopene, which protects the skin by reducing UV damage, fighting free radicals, improving texture, boosting collagen, and calming inflammation for a healthier complexion.

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2. Milk and Yogurt

milk for healthy skin

Okay, so a pro tip about me… I love yogurt and dislike milk. Why? I’m not sure but I’d much rather drink a whole gallon of yogurt than three glasses of milk, except it’s inside cereals. Hey, don’t look at me like I’m weird. Anyway, milk and yogurt are a big factor in healthy skin because they both have one beautiful chemical compound in common. Lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) obtained from milk and fermented foods, softly exfoliates the skin, eliminates dead cells, increases moisture, stimulates collagen synthesis, and brightens the complexion.

So milk, being milk, and yogurt, being a fermented version of milk, have these great properties and benefits, but that is not all. Nope, the proteins found naturally occurring in milk help boost the elasticity of our skin so we get fewer wrinkles, and they develop slower. Studies have shown that drinking a glass of milk or eating a cup of plain yogurt before bed helps ensure relaxation and quality sleep. This in turn leads to quality, healthy skin (wink). If you are lactose intolerant, then non-dairy milk like almond milk is the best alternative, as it helps in skin hydration, smoothens the irritations, and helps the skin glow.

3. Fatty Fish

seafood for healthy skin

Now, I know you may be thinking, all the fat and oil that comes with fish, urgh. Lol. Fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod, tuna, sardines, and herring provide omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for skin health. Omega-3s are said to keep the skin thick, supple, and hydrated. A deficiency can cause dry skin. These fish also deliver vitamin E, a key antioxidant that protects the skin against free radical damage. Eating a sandwich with any type of fatty fish helps to keep the balance in the nutrients. I love sandwiches so that’s probably why I never have dry skin.

4. Green Tea and Black Tea

tea for healthy skin

Okay, not gonna lie, but green tea is my favorite kinda tea. Not just because it helps health-wise but also because drinking it makes me feel expensive (blushes). Green tea leaves are high in antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients. These antioxidants can delay the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots, as well as reactivate dying skin cells. Green tea has various skin advantages, including acne reduction, skin whitening, and UV protection.

However, in Nigeria, green tea is like the boss of tea, and so it is very expensive for some people like me. So, I often opt for black tea. This tea does the same thing as green tea; however, its high caffeine can strengthen the immune system against viruses that can cause damage to the skin.

5. Dark Chocolates

dark chocolate

Did you know that dark chocolates are not as sweet as normal chocolates? However, they provide a more filling sense than any junk food in more ways than one (wink). I didn’t know this till I bought a stack full of them and ended up eating one per day because of the satisfaction I got from just one.

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which help to protect the skin from sun damage and any negative factors of the environment. It also contains vitamins A, B1, C, D, and E, which help renew and hydrate your skin. It also helps to calm sensitive skin and reduce redness due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The cocoa powder isn’t for jokes, you know? It helps to boost blood circulation, thereby improving skin elasticity. I especially love Cadbury Royal dark chocolate. 

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6. Walnuts

walnut

Ever since I watched the Kdrama ‘Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, I have been obsessed with anything walnut. I mean, the parents owned a walnut shop, and they made cookies, cakes, pies, and treats from walnuts. It looked so mouthwatering that I started looking for walnuts like a possessed woman (lol, it wasn’t that bad, I promise).

Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and zinc, all of which assist in reducing inflammation, defend against oxidative stress, and promote collagen formation for firm, youthful skin. Its anti-inflammatory qualities, as well as its zinc concentration, can help prevent acne and improve skin restoration. Also, their vital fatty acids keep the skin hydrated, reducing dryness and improving the overall complexion.

7. Eggs

eggs

Oh my goodness, how could I almost forget eggs? I could never eat noodles without eggs. Whether I boil, fry, or cook it inside, it just makes everything better. I am not even kidding when I say that eggs are my favorite protein in any dish, especially when I incorporate them into my sauce overnight.

Eggs are high in protein, which promotes skin healing and collagen formation, resulting in a firm and young appearance. They also include vitamins A and E, as well as antioxidants, which help to protect the skin and give it a healthy glow. Additionally, its biotin content promotes hydration, prevents dryness, and improves overall skin texture. The white part of the egg can help tighten the skin, especially for people with aging skin, large pores, and acne-prone skin.

8. Rice

rice

I always thought, How can Koreans look so good? I may be making a hypothesis but it’s probably due to all the rice they keep eating (lol). Rice is like a must-have food staple at home.

Rice contains antioxidants such as ferulic acid and flavonoids, which protect the skin from free radical damage and slow aging. Its natural starch helps to keep the skin hydrated and smooth. Rice also brightens the skin by giving it a beautiful glow, while its anti-inflammatory effects minimize redness and irritation. Likewise, vitamin B in rice aids in skin regeneration while improving texture and elasticity.

Honestly, when it comes to foods for healthy skin, it takes determination and self-control. Because if you’re anything like me, then you’ll know that junk food is my go-to baby food. However, I’ve been trying to consciously incorporate at least five of these foods for healthy skin into my diet, and well, I’m well on my way to slowly but surely improving my health.

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9. Water

water

I don’t think it takes a genius to tell you that water is life. I am so bad at drinking water to the extent that when my friends and I order food, they would order water with it along with their drinks. But me, being me, would only get the drink. Then they’d proceed to yap my ear off at how skinny I was when I didn’t like drinking water to which I would just stick my tongue out childishly. My mom had made it a priority to get me a water bottle by my side when I was working in front of her.

Drinking water can help your skin by enhancing its elasticity, decreasing oil production, and eradicating toxins. This can result in a brighter, clearer skin tone and fewer blemishes. 

10. Whole Grains

whole grains

It may sound sad to say this, but even my mom has better skin than me. I would say it’s because I don’t eat too much, but I like food (sounds contradictory, right?) Lol.

Foods for healthy skin include whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, oats, and barley are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and B vitamins that help protect your skin from damage and keep it healthy. The fiber helps flush out toxins from your body, which can reduce the chances of breakouts and promote clearer skin. Whole grains also help your skin stay hydrated and smooth, as they support moisture retention and improve elasticity. The B vitamins in these grains help repair damaged skin, reduce inflammation, and improve the overall texture of your complexion, giving you a natural glow.

Alrighty folks, that’s it for today’s blog episode. Please don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (@toyosioludare) and on my timeline (@oluwatoyosi) for more updates.

Here are the links to my books

Because it’s you on Libri: https://www.libri7.com/book/20457/Because-It’s-You

Led to Mr. Billionaire is out on Novelcat (squeals); https://www.novel-cat.com/bookDetail/22355277420/about/liked/Led-to-Mr.-Billionaire

His Moon Luna: https://m.novel-cat.com/bookDetail/22961236047/about/liked/HIS-MOON-LUNA

Dealing With Love: https://www.goodnovel.com/book_info/31000380358/Billionaire/Dealing-With-Love

Mr. Billionaire Wants Me is out on Novelcat as well: https://www.novel-cat.com/bookDetail/14464838709/about/liked/Mr.Billionaire-Wants-me

Photo credit: Pinterest

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