Introduction

Nutrition is important for health. An unhealthy diet can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain, and even damage organs, such as your heart and liver.

Fatty fish

Fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, are excellent foods for healthy skin. They’re rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for maintaining skin health.

Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary to help keep skin thick, supple, and moisturized. In fact, an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can cause dry skin.

The omega-3 fats in fish reduce inflammation, which can cause redness and acne. They can even make your skin less sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Fatty fish is also a source of vitamin E, one of the most important antioxidants for your skin.

Getting enough vitamin E is essential for helping protect your skin against damage from free radicals and inflammation .

Getting enough vitamin E is essential for helping protect your skin against damage from free radicals and inflammation

Avocados

Avocados are high in healthy fats. These fats benefit many functions in your body, including the health of your skin .

Getting enough of these fats is essential to help keep skin flexible and moisturized.

preliminary evidence also shows that avocados contain compounds that may help protect your skin from sun damage. UV damage to your skin can cause wrinkles and other signs of aging .

Avocados are also a good source of vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant that helps protect your skin from oxidative damage. Most Americans don’t get enough vitamin E through their diet.

Interestingly, vitamin E seems to be more effective when combined with vitamin C.

  Vitamin  C is also essential for healthy skin. Your skin needs it to create collagen, which is the main structural protein that keeps your skin strong and healthy .

Vitamin C deficiency is rare these days, but common symptoms include dry, rough, and scaly skin that tends to bruise easily.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps protect your skin from oxidative damage caused by the sun and the environment, which can lead to signs of aging.

Walnuts

Walnuts have many characteristics that make them an excellent food for healthy skin.

They’re a good source of essential fatty acids, which are fats that your body cannot make itself.

In fact, they’re richer than most other nuts in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids .

A diet too high in omega-6 fats may promote inflammation, including inflammatory conditions of your skin like psoriasis.

walnuts contain a good ratio of these fatty acids, they may help fight the potential inflammatory response to excessive omega-6.

What’s more, walnuts contain other nutrients that your skin needs to function properly and stay healthy.

one ounce (28 grams) of walnuts contains 8% of the DV for zinc.

Zinc is essential for your skin to function properly as a barrier. It’s also necessary for wound healing and combating both bacteria and inflammation .

Walnuts also provide small amounts of the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, in addition to 4–5 grams of protein per ounce (28 grams)

Sunflower seeds

In general, nuts and seeds are good sources of skin-boosting nutrients.

Sunflower seeds are an excellent example.

One ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds packs 49% of the DV for vitamin E, 41% of the DV for selenium, 14% of the DV for zinc, and 5.5 grams of protein .

Red or yellow bell peppers

Like sweet potatoes, bell peppers are an excellent source of beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A.

One cup (149 grams) of chopped red bell pepper contains the equivalent of 156% of the DV for vitamin A .

They’re also one of the best sources of vitamin C. This vitamin is necessary for creating the protein collagen, which keeps skin firm and strong.

A single cup (149 grams) of bell pepper provides an impressive 211% of the DV for vitamin C .

Broccoli

Broccoli is full of many vitamins and minerals important for skin health, including zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C .

It also contains lutein, a carotenoid that works like beta carotene. Lutein helps protect your skin from oxidative damage, which can cause your skin to become dry and wrinkled.

But broccoli florets also pack a special compound called sulforaphane, which boasts some impressive potential benefits. It may even have anti-cancer effects, including on some types of skin cancer.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and contain all of the major carotenoids,

Beta carotene, lutein, and lycopene have been shown to protect your skin against damage from the sun. They may also help prevent wrinkling .

Because tomatoes are rich in carotenoids, they’re an excellent food for maintaining healthy skin.

Soy

Soy contains isoflavones, a category of plant compounds that can either mimic or block estrogen in your body.

Isoflavones may benefit several parts of your body, including your skin.

One small study involving middle-aged women found that eating soy isoflavones every day for 8–12 weeks reduced fine wrinkles and improved skin elasticity.

Dark chocolate

If you need one more reason to eat chocolate, here it is: The effects of cocoa on your skin are pretty phenomenal.

After 6–12 weeks of consuming a cocoa powder high in antioxidants each day, participants in one study experienced thicker, more hydrated skin.

Their skin was also less rough and scaly, less sensitive to sunburn, and had better blood flow — which brings more nutrients to your skin.

Green tea

Green tea may help protect your skin from damage and aging.

The powerful compounds found in green tea are called catechins and work to improve the health of your skin in several ways.

Like several other antioxidant-containing foods, green tea can help protect your skin against sun damage.

Red grapes

Red grapes are famous for containing resveratrol, a compound that comes from the skin of red grapes.

Resveratrol is credited with a wide range of health benefits, among them is reducing the effects of aging.