The popular saying “you are what you eat” isn’t all nonsense. When it comes to your skin, what you eat definitely plays a big role. Our skin takes its nutrients from the food we eat, so loading up on all the right vitamins and minerals can actually help solve common skin problems like acne. Many experts have gone as far as to create “clear skin diets” that promise to zap zits before they form. Based on the simplest science, these diets actually work!
Complexion Perfection
Skin experts at Self magazine have some great recommendations for skin-clearing foods. Luckily, they’re easy to find at your local grocery store and healthy to eat in general, not just for your skin. To get a great complexion, add these to your daily diet:
- Strawberries and citrus fruits, red peppers, and broccoli. Loaded with vitamin C, these foods will boost collagen production to give you smooth skin.
- Sunflower seeds and almonds. The vitamin E and antioxidants in these foods are perfect for protecting the skin to keep it healthy, even from harmful UV rays.
- Dark orange, leafy green, and red vegetables. Think squash and spinach, packed with beta-carotene (vitamin A to the body), which will work to freshen up your complexion.
- Fortified cereal, lean meats and poultry, and oysters. Get a youthful glow from these zinc- and iron-laden foods. They’ll keep dullness away and improve oxygenation to the skin cells.
Water Magic
When doctors say you need eight glasses of water a day, they aren’t joking. Drinking water is great for your overall health, but especially for your skin. Healthy skin means a healthy inside, so drink lots of water to keep everything working right. Self explains that dehydration can make your skin look dull, dry, and parched. Get at least six cups of water a day to work this watery magic on your skin.
Skin-Destroying Foods
Not everyone responds to the following foods in the same way, says Care2, but they could be causing your acne problems. It’s best to avoid highly sugary or salty foods, as well as some others that may surprise you. Experts suggest limiting or elimination these foods in your diet:
- Sweets. The rush of glucose can overload your bloodstream, creating harmful agents that breakdown skin cells and lead to early wrinkling. The stress on your pores can cause bigger problems than just pimples.
- Milk. Surprising, but true. Milk intake has been linked with more pimples in our teenage years, but the link has been proven for adults (yet). It’s best to avoid milk, which raises insulin levels and may lead to pore blockage.
- Spicy foods. Acne and rosacea suffers beware of these foods, which can cause inflammation of the skin and prolong a breakout.
- Wine. Limit wine to one glass a day or risk halting your body’s release of its own antidiuretic hormone, causing dehydration of your skin.
- Refined grains. These highly-processed foods lack nutrients and won’t do any good for your skin. Consider them “empty” foods that just impede the processes of their healthy alternatives.
Clear Skin Diet Basics
Armed with your Do and Don’t lists, you’re now ready to tackle the clear skin diet and destroy those pimples. Make sure your daily food intake involves six glasses of water, five servings of colorful fruits and vegetables, one tablespoon of mixed fresh seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc.), a tablespoon of seed oils, as many organic foods as possible, dairy alternatives, and fiber-rich foods. Together, a plate full of healthy foods will go a long way toward achieving healthy, acne-free skin.
References:
Care2. 5 Foods for Clear Skin.
Natural Acne Remedy. The Clear Skin Acne Diet.
Self. The Great Skin Diet.
