Getting enough nutrition is imperative. If you don’t get the nutrition you need, there’s a high chance you might be damaging your metabolism, increasing your weight, and damaging your organs (eg, heart and liver). Apart from that, what you eat can also affect your skin. What’s unhealthy on the inside might show on your skin. For example, your skin might age faster and your health would decline. Protecting the skin is important because it is the largest organ in our body. Therefore, providing our skin with the right nutrients can help it shield itself from dangerous chemicals and outside pollutants is important. This is your guide to eating healthily and we will list the healthy foods you can consume to keep your skin shiny and body healthy.
How does diet affect the skin?
Certain foods are unhealthy for your body. In fact, the wrong ones could raise your blood sugar to unhealthy levels. As a result, your body will release an insulin-like hormone that could affect your growth. Hence, this might cause your oil glands to let out more sebum which causes acne and inflammation. This kind of problem is common among youths who experience hormonal changes, however, if this problem prolongs then that means you’re not getting the nutrients you should. This is also caused by bad food habits. Foods that are unhealthy such as pizza, french fries, spaghetti, and burgers can be the main causes to pimples and inflammations. Hence, the solution is to lower your carbohydrates.
Furthermore, an unhealthy diet could cause wrinkles and fine lines as well. Many people might perceive that this is a problem that is experienced by the elderly. If you don’t change your diet, then, you might experience that soon too. Collagen, elastin, and protein are the 3 things you must remember to include in your diet to have smooth and wrinkle-free skin. In addition, take a mental note to put on SPF as well to protect your skin from UV rays. Exposure to the sun’s UV rays will damage your skin’s collagen and make it wrinkle.
Thus, the best way to keep your skin healthy and free from refined carbohydrates is to consume foods that have high amounts of antioxidants. For example, vegetables and fruits. People who have high antioxidants are likely to have smooth and supple skin compared to those with low antioxidants. Here are a few foods that you can consume to increase your antioxidant levels.
Good Food for our Skin
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
Your body sheds a high amount of cells (about 30,000 to 40,000 cells) and when they stop producing cells, your skin will look old. Hence, it’s important to consume colorful fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin A and carotenoids that help your skin reproduce cells. Apart from that, vitamin C also helps you increase your skin’s collagen, hence, making your skin look supple and smooth.
- Fish
Proteins are always good for your body. It helps you maintain and build skin collagen as well as elastin. Apart from protein, omega-3 fatty acids are also important for healthy skin. The contents help reduce skin inflammation and make your skin look healthier. Examples of fish that contain high omega-3 fatty acids are salmon and trout.
- Nuts and seeds
A variety of nuts are healthy for your skin, such as walnuts, peanuts, and almonds. They provide the nutrients to keep your skin smooth. Little accessories in your diet such as chia seeds and flax seeds in your daily diet can be helpful too. Whenever you feel like you need to munch on something, reach out for these foods instead of french fries or burgers. Replacing unhealthy foods with healthy foods can surely reward you.
- Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain carotenoids that could help keep your skin healthy. It is able to act as a natural sunblock and protect your skin from sun exposure. Natural protection from the sun can help you prevent sunburn, cell death, and wrinkled skin. Furthermore, it has high antioxidants as well. Also, the high level of carotene is able to add a warm color to your skin which brightens up your complexion and makes you look healthier.
- Soy
Isoflavone is an important component in soy that helps your skin improve its health. The component can benefit a few parts of your body. Isoflavones can benefit postmenopausal women by improving skin dryness and increasing the levels of their collagen which can give them a supple complexion. In addition, the component helps with protecting your skin from UV radiation and reduce skin cancer.
- Granola
Granola has special components that help absorb excess oil from your skin and reduce inflammation. The oats help your complexion look radiant and supple. Additionally, granola has antioxidants that can help treat dry skin as well as remove dead skin cells. Saponins, which serve as a natural skin exfoliant to remove dirt and clean your pores, are another advantageous element in granola. It is also great for heart health improvement, lower blood pressure, and reducing cholesterol levels.
There’s not much change you should do to your diet. Change your unhealthy diet habits to a new, healthy one that could help sustain the health of your skin. To summarize, eat foods that are rich in nutrients such as fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Try to avoid deep-fried and oily food. If the problem persists, then it might be time for you to get in touch with a dermatologist or a professional.
