7 Foods to Promote Healthy Beautiful Skin

Read time: 7 minutes

Summer brings warmer weather, and changing seasons are upon us once again. Keeping your skin’s hydration, texture, and appearance in check is easier than you think.

Keeping up with good skincare habits is vital to protect yourself from the harsh UVA rays, environmental pollution, and stressors we all encounter daily. At the same time, we spend more time outdoors participating in activities on these long warm days. I focus on the top 7 foods you can consume to help regenerate healthy skin cells. You can provide your skin with the nutrients to hydrate, look, and feel healthy throughout your life. Men and women alike will benefit from these delicious food regenerators.

Top 7 Hydrating Foods For Beautiful Skin

• Cucumbers– this fantastic, crunchy fruit, while others might say it’s a vegetable due to the savory flavor. It doesn’t matter what you call it. It is a powerhouse of hydration containing 96% water and low in calories and carbohydrates. Cucumbers also contain potassium, magnesium, and vitamins K, C, and A. The fiber contained in cucumbers helps the body with detoxification. Breaking it down to see what these vitamins contribute to our skin and overall health. Vitamins A aid and maintaining healthy skin tissue. It also helps to regulate your immune system preventing infections. Vitamin C is also a fantastic antioxidant that protects proteins such as RNA & DNA from damage by free radicals that are harmful to the skin tissue and appearance. It supports the production of lymphocytes, a.k.a white blood cells, which help protect your skin against infections. The body can not store Vitamin C. It is good practice to consume a diet containing C daily to ensure your skin has the necessary components to make collagen.

• Strawberries– red and sweet are reasons enough to eat them whenever possible. Did you know strawberries provide skin protection against harmful UVA rays? Strawberries contain a powerful antioxidant called ellagic acid. Researchers at Korean University found that adding the strawberry extract to skin cultures protects against ultraviolet radiation, increases visibility, and reduces DNA damage. Another European study showed mice that came in contact with harmful UVA rays after being given ellagic acid found naturally in strawberries showed a lower rate of formation than the rats not given ellagic acid. Strawberries are high in Vitamin C and packed with alpha-hydroxylic acid that can help with skin conditions such as acne, wrinkles, and signs of aging. Low in natural sugars and carbohydrates. Fresh or frozen, consume them year-round. Your skin will thank you.

• Lettuces– Choosing not to individualize each type for this topic but rather group overall benefits to your complexion. For most variations, the big lift for this vegetable is removing the toxins from your body and skin. Lettuce has a high dietary fiber content of 1.3gm for 1 1/3 cup =100gm for the standard varieties. Additionally, 95% of lettuce is water and contains antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and B6, which help provide the skin with rejuvenating nutrients to repair the skin while contributing to the overall appearance. Try adding as little as 4-5 leaves a day of leafy greens to your diet and see and feel the difference.

• Cauliflower– Lately, it seems everything is made out of this versatile vegetable from cauliflower rice, chips, and cauliflower bread. No doubt, cauliflower is becoming so popular. Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable a cousin to broccoli. Compared to broccoli, cauliflower comes in many colors, such as orange, purple, green, and the most common, white. Each of these colors brings more nutritional density to your daily diet. Consuming this veggie with potent anti-inflammatory with bioactive compounds combats oxidative stress. The imbalance between your body being able to fight the production of damaging free radicals cells and harmful effects is when Oxidative stress occurs. Why does this matter? Most likely, this is the cause of some diseases, premature aging to the body and your skin. Cauliflower not only contains vitamins C and K but also helps with both productions of collagen and serotonin. Your mood will be happy, and your skin radiant!

• Carrots– Rich in antioxidants and vitamins E, C, A, and beta-carotene, carrots may benefit your skin’s texture and appearance. As an anti-inflammatory, vitamin E helps speed up the healing process of facial wounds such as acne scars and blemishes. Rich in beta carotene, turning into natural retinol combined with vitamin A, helping to repair skin tissues, calming and protecting the skin when overexposed to UVA rays. Additionally, minimizing wrinkles and fine lines. Pack the carrots on your next outing. Along with collagen production properties found in carrots, vitamin C promotes even skin tones helping with dark circles under the eyes and demising dark spots. Add 1-2 carrots a day to a salad, with dips, roasted, or in your favorite smoothie. Like everything, moderation counts here. In 28-30 days, see the healthy skin you regenerate.

• Watermelon– Watermelon is exceptionally hydrating at 92%. One cup of watermelon contains about 118 ml or 1/2 cup of water along with vitamins C, A, E, and fiber. The green rind has been used for years to help calm redness and inflammation. So you can eat the fruit and make great use of the outer shell. Watermelon contains compounds similar to hyaluronic acids found in serums or creams. Foods such as watermelon boost natural hyaluronic acid and collagen levels, elevating skin hydration inside and out. Don’t throw away the watermelon seeds! Fully roasted (not raw), they contain protein, fatty acids, and ceramides to help lock moisture into your skin. Additionally, the magnesium within these seeds can help lower cortisol, a hormone that is out of balance in the body and may cause acne or other health conditions. Nothing goes to waste with the mighty watermelon.

• Fresh Coconut & Water– Not everyone has access to fresh coconut and the refreshingly healthy water it contains within its coconut shell walls. I still choose this due to the incredible skin benefits. Most all grocery shopping outlets have some coconut water on its shelf. It is essential to read the labels; many contain little coconut water and many additional additives. That being said, there are many products worth trying. The best is a fresh coconut! Containing 95% water and is rich in electrolytes. Studies have shown the benefits of 245gm or 1 cup providing advanced skin hydration provided by electrolytes and boosting collagen production. Coconut water also fights against anti-aging, along with anti-inflammatories defending against harmful free radicals, anti-antimicrobial assisting to the health of your immunity while fighting off outer pollutants that may cause infections on your skin. I could go on and on with the exceeding benefits of this fruit!

• One mention, if you can enjoy a fresh coconut, here are some skin tips for the flesh. Coconut meat contains fatty acids and polyphenols that greatly benefit the skin. Young coconut meat is highly nutritious for the skin and helps with digestion. (Gut-Skin Axis) The coconut meat’s fiber helps remove toxins from the body, and protein and 17 amino acids support collagen production, helping build healthy connective tissue. Lastly, coconut is an excellent source of Iron! 4 oz of coconut meat has 11% of the daily recommended iron intake. This boost could improve your energy levels and improve symptoms of anemia. Not only will your skin benefit your health will too.

Healthy skin is crucial not only for our appearance but also for our physical health. Studies have shown the correlation between the gut, skin, and hormones with various skin conditions. With anything, moderation is the key to introducing a new food or work routine into your daily life. These foods are available in many forms fresh, frozen, and freeze-dried year round. It is never too late to start taking care of your skin.

Let me know what fruits or vegetables you eat to promote healthy beautiful skin. Passionately and Continuously learning about new foods all over the globe. Contact: shellythefoodscholar IG, Pinterest, Ko-Fi and [email protected]