Remember when your mum would tell you "you are what you eat" when you were a kid? well, turns out, she was telling the truth. Research over the past decade has proven that the food we eat does impact our complexions, and that we can achieve healthier, younger looking skin, by following a simple clear skin diet. This clear skin diet has other health benefits too, improved cardiovascular and immune health, weight loss, and mental health.
Below you'll find everything you need to plan your gorgeous skin diet. We've done the research and found the best foods for clearer, younger looking skin, so all you have to do is plan your diet.
For a perfect Complexion
Strawberries, CItrus fruits, Red peppers and Broccoli.
Beauty Benefits: A smooth texture.
Why: Full of vitamin C which is vital for the production and formation of collagen, the skins support structure. A strong support layer underneath helps to smooth the skins outer layer and ultimately prevent wrinkles.
Daily intake: 2 cups of the fruits, or 1 cup of Red peppers and/or Broccoli.
Sunflower seeds and Almonds.
Beauty Benefits: Sun protection.
Why: Loaded with vitamin E, antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals, damaging agents like those introduced by the sun's UV rays, and pollution. Your skin's top layer contain high levels of vitamin E, which guards the cells outer membrane so cells stay protected and healthy. Strong membranes also hold in water, keeping your skin well hydrated.
Daily intake: 2 tablespoons of hulled seeds, or 23 Almonds.
Dark orange and red veggies, and Leafy greens.
Beauty Benefits: A fresh complexion.
Why: The Beta-carotene that gives orange and red veggies their colour, is also a powerful antioxidant. The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A which regulates cell production and turnover, which leaves the surface of the skin smooth. Foods like spinach, kale, squash, and sweet potato are excellent sources of beta-carotene.
Daily intake: 3 cups a day.
Fortified cereal, Lean meat, Pork, Poultry, and Oysters
Beauty Benefits: A youthful glow.
Why: Full of zinc and iron, mineral must haves for healthy functioning skin. Zinc is vital to cell production, plus natural cell sloughing, keeping dullness at bay. Red blood cells require iron to carry oxygen to the skin, resulting in a gorgeous glow.
Daily intake: 1 cup of cereal, a palm size serving of meat or poultry, or 3 oysters.
Water
Beauty Benefits: Dewy skin.
Why: Skin cells are made up of mostly water, dehydrated skin will look and feel parched. Simply ward off dehydration and dry, dull skin by drinking water consistently throughout the day.
Daily intake: Aim for at least 6 cups a day to see an improvement.
For good looking skin
Fortified eggs, Wild salmon, Atlantic mackerel, Walnuts.
Beauty Benefits: Fewer wrinkles.
Why: These foods are bursting with omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation caused by the sun and stress. Inflammation promotes the production of free radicals, which contribute to aging by attacking collagen.
Daily intake: 1 ounce a day or 2.5 ounces servings 2 days out of a week, or 1 ounce of walnuts or 2 fortified eggs a day.
Dark chocolate 70% cocoa or higher.
Beauty Benefits: Fewer wrinkles and clearer skin.
Why: Flavonols in cocoa are a potent antioxidant which helps in preventing wrinkles, improves skin elasticity and protects against sun damage.
Daily intake: 1 ounce a day.
Red wine.
Beauty Benefits: Fewer wrinkles.
Why: Reds are rich in polyphenols, an antioxidant that helps fight against skin damaging free radicals. One drink a day can also benefit your heart and bone health, but never drink more than a glass or 2 as alcohol is a diuretic, which will leave your skin looking dull and dehydrated.
Daily intake: 1 glass a day.
Whole grain foods.
Beauty Benefit: Clearer skin.
Why: A few studies have found that a low glycemic diet may reduce acne. Low glycemic foods keep insulin steady, while refined carbs spike it. The surges boost production of androgen, hormones that cause zits when elevated.
Daily intake: 3 serves a day (1 slice of bread = 1 serve) or half a cup of cooked grains.
no no's for gorgeous looking skin
In order for your skin to reach its full beauty potential, the following are big consumption no no's. Cutting these from your diet will, indeed, bring you closer to achieving your goal.
Sugar: Lots of the foods and drinks we consume today are loaded with sugar, the rush of glucose into the bloodstream sets off a process known as glycation. Glycation is when the sugars attach to proteins and form advanced glycation end products (AGE). These molecules naturally build up in the skin as we age, but increased greatly the more sugar you eat. AGEs crosslink with collagen and elastin fibers, making the normally resilient tissues weak or inflexible. Skin that doesn't bounce back easily leads to wrinkles and sagging.
Alcohol: Alcohol is diuretic, which means your body releases water. It also interferes with a hormone responsible for telling your kidneys to hold onto water, so your body fails to reabsorb the water that it needs. You end up dehydrated, with skin that looks dry, dull and wrinkly. Also, alcohol reduces vitamin A levels, which is important for healthy skin.
Spicy Foods: Those who suffer from rosacea, eating spicy foods can cause a flare up of blotchiness and redness. Some people with fair skin may also find that spicy foods lead to noticeable flushing, even without having the condition.
How to eat for beauty
Okay, so now you know which foods are best for youthful, glowing skin, let's see how that will look in a daily meal plan:
Wake up
1 glass of water
Breakfast
1 cup of fortified cereal
1 slice of wholegrain toast
1 glass of freshly squeezed orange juice
Morning snack
1 cup mixed berries, dark chocolate, almonds, and walnuts
1 glass of water
Lunch
1 Grilled chicken and salad sandwich
- 1/3 cup of chicken breast
-2 slices of whole grain bread
-1/4 cup of grated carrot
-1/8 of an avocado
-1 lettuce leaf
-2 slices of tomato
1 glass of water
Afternoon snack
1 cup mixed berries, dark chocolate, almonds, and walnuts
1 glass of water
Dinner
Salmon and warm salad
-2.5 ounce salmon
-1/2 cup red peppers
-1/2 broccoli
- 1 cup spinach
-1/2 cup cauliflower
-2 tbsps of sunflower seeds
-1 tsp each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
1 glass of water
Desert
Yogurt
-1 cup greek yogurt
-about a handful of the berry, chocolate, almond and walnut mix
1 glass of red wine
Before bed
1 glass of water
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