I remember when I was in high school, I was so self-conscious of my skin. I didn’t have acne (which I was forever grateful for), but my skin never looked good. I had bumps all over my forehead and my skin was always oily. I was someone who carried around blot sheets all the time and it did nothing.
Then every month, I would get the worst under-the-skin chin pimples, a reminder that my period was on its way (chin acne is the queen of hormonal acne). I hated it. In fact, the only time it started to look good was when I got on birth control in high school. Finally it was clear, it was normal, it was…almost glowing.
So when I got off the pill at 18 (because of it’s affects on mood, weight and sex drive), I was nervous: what would my skin be like? At the same time I was exploring paleo eating, so for the first time ever, I was eating nourishing, whole foods instead of what I thought was healthy foods (looking at you Nutrigrain bars). You can read my full health story here.
And you know what? My skin has been the best it’s ever been–even now, ten years later. I’m not exactly paleo these days, but I still follow a very nutrient-forward approach to eating. And my skin has directly benefited from that. Because what you eat really does affect your skin–skin is a reflection of your gut health. So we need to take care of our bodies holistically, meaning all parts, if we want to see an improvement.
Here are the 10 tops foods for glowing skin!
1. Fatty Fish
This is probably a no-brainer. Cold-water, fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel) are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can help to improve skin health–especially dryness. (source) (In fact, in the winter, when my skin is dry, one of the first things I do is reach for an omega-3 supplement because it makes such a difference.)
Because omega-3s are anti-inflammatory they can help to reduce skin inflammation (like redness and acne)–and even inflammatory conditions, like psoriasis. (source) TruLocal is an awesome healthy meat delivery if you want wild-caught fish (like salmon or cod) delivered to your door. Check it out here.
2. Avocados
If you needed another reason not to fear fat (cause hint: it’s important!), avocados are another healthy skin food. Why? You guessed it: because they’re rich in monounsaturated fats. Avocados also contain vitamin E, another skin healthy nutrient. One study found that a diet rich in healthy fats, especially avocados, improved skin texture and elasticity. (source)
3. Blueberries
Bluebs: one of my favourite berries. I eat them daily in my smoothies, and for good reason: they’re incredibly rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which protects your cells (including skin cells!) from aging and oxidative stress. (source) Blueberries are also a source of vitamin C, which can help with the uptake of collagen (another skin healthy nutrient!). One cup of blueberries contains 24% of the RDI for vitamin C!
4. Bone Broth
Speaking of collagen, we couldn’t not talk about bone broth. Bone broth is a rich source of collagen (a protein that makes up our skin, bones, tendons and muscle) and it’s gives our skin it’s elasticity. Studies have shown that collagen can improve skin elasticity and dryness (source), as well as more hydrated skin (source).You can read more about the health benefits of collagen here.
While these studies looked specifically at collagen supplementation (and the research on bone broth is still new), there’s still reason to believe that consuming food sources of collagen can benefit your health.
If you’re looking for a high-quality bone broth, you should check out Kettle + Fire. They use free-range, organic chicken bones as the base of their broths! Get their bone broth here.
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What To Eat In A Day For A Healthy Gut
5. Fermented Foods
This is more of a category then a food specifically, but that only means you have more options! Fermented foods–like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, yogurt, kefir–are all foods that are rich in probiotics (healthy bacteria that work to improve our gut health). Like I said before, gut health and skin health are closely linked. In fact, probiotics have been shown to improve skin health especially in regards to eczema, inflammation and hypersensitivity. (source)
Fermenting foods can also increase it’s nutritional portfolio. Fermented cabbage (found in kimchi and sauerkraut) for example, increases the vitamin C levels found in cabbage from 30mg to 600mg! (source) So you definitely want to make sure you’re consuming lots of healthy, probiotic-rich foods.
6. Carrots
This first time I’d ever heard about carrots for skin health was watching Jillian Harris make her morning smoothie with carrot juice. I remember thinking, wow that’s gross. But it turns out she’s got a point (and also carrot juice is delicious).
Again, it goes back to carrots being a rich source of vitamin C, a skin healthy nutrient. But carrots are also a source of beta carotene (the precursor to vitamin A), which may protect skin from sun damage. (source)
Personally, I love Impact Kitchen’s Warm Glo cold-pressed juice, which contains carrots and oranges (and tastes amazing!).
7. Turmeric
This beautifully bright spice (that will actually ruin everything you own…Or is that just me?) is a powerful anti-inflammatory food. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is also rich in antioxidants, which fight free radical damage and oxidative stress–which slows down the aging process, and can translate to more youthful skin. (source)
8. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are rich in plant-based omega-3s, which we know to be a glowing skin must. One small study found that women who supplemented with flaxseed oil for 12 weeks saw an improvement in skin smoothness and hydration, and a decrease in skin roughness and scaling. (source)
I love to add ground flax to my smoothies, or to things like energy balls (like these adaptogenic truffles for example), so I highly recommend you do the same!
9. Olive Oil
Olive oil is another of one of those foods for glowing skin, especially when you’re buying high-quality extra virgin olive oil, as it’s rich in polyphenols that can protect against free radical damage.
10. Water
Not a food, but definitely an important thing to consume for skin health–and probably one of the easiest things to start implementing right now. Water hydrates all the cells in our body, including skin cells, which can boost skin elasticity and prevent wrinkles.
BONUS: Supplements That Help Your Skin Glow
NutraSea+D Omega 3 Fish Oil + Vitamin D Supplement, Fresh Mint, 150 Burpless Fish Oil Soft Gels
This is my favourite Omega-3 supplement brand, and I love that this one also has vitamin D.
This Canadian brand is amazing: every purchase of Sproos Marine Collagen results in a donation to help clean up the ocean!
The Beauty Chef – Glow Inner Beauty Powder
I’m obsessed with all things Beauty Chef: their high quality products, the cookbooks, the branding. It’s all good. This Glow Inner Beauty Powder contains probiotics, turmeric, chia seeds, green tea + so many other lovely ingredients. The reviews of this product for skin care is through the roof (check out their insta @thebeautychef or read the reviews on Detox Market to see for yourself!) It’s magic.
I hope this guide on foods for glowing skin helps you in your skincare journey!
With love,
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