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5 Best Foods for Clear and Healthy Skin

What you eat has a direct impact on how your skin looks and feels. Discover five science-backed foods that support clear, healthy, glowing skin.

Written by Calocurb • January 9, 2021 • 1 min read
Graphic highlighting 5 best foods for clear and healthy skin on a bright yellow background

Key Takeaways

  • Fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, helping to keep skin soft, moisturized, and less prone to redness and inflammation.
  • Avocados provide healthy fats and vitamins E and C, supporting skin moisture, firmness, and elasticity.
  • Walnuts offer a unique combination of omega-3s, omega-6s, zinc, and antioxidants that protect and nourish skin.
  • Sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A and acts as a natural defence against sun damage while promoting a healthy glow.
  • Dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa contains antioxidants that improve skin blood flow, reduce wrinkles, and boost elasticity.

Everyone's heard the saying "You are what you eat." When it comes to your skin, it's especially true. What you eat can do wonders to how your skin looks and feels.

5 of the Best Foods for Clear and Healthy Skin

  1. Fatty Fish

    Fatty Fish

    Fatty fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel are great for your skin. They're high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep the skin soft and moisturized (1, 2).

    Some studies have also shown that omega-3 fats can reduce redness and acne (3), and they're high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that fights inflammation and free radical damage (4).

    If you enjoy fatty fish, try to incorporate it into your diet 1–2 times per week.

    Summary: High in omega-3s and vitamin E, fatty fish help keep skin soft, moisturized, and reduce redness and inflammation.

  2. Avocados

    Avocado

    Avocados are high in healthy fats, which help keep skin well moisturized and supple (5, 6).

    A study in over 700 Japanese women found that avocado-rich diets were linked to fewer wrinkles and more elastic skin (7).

    They're also packed with vitamins E and C, which support skin firmness and health (8).

    Summary: Rich in healthy fats and vitamins E & C, avocados keep skin moisturized, firm, and healthy.

  3. Walnuts

    Walnuts

    Walnuts contain more omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than most nuts (9), plus zinc, which aids wound healing and fights infections (10), and antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium.

    Summary: Walnuts' fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E, and selenium help keep skin healthy and fight inflammation.

  4. Sweet Potatoes

    Sweet Potato

    Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene, converted by the body into vitamin A, which acts as a natural sunblock (11), and may give skin a healthy glow (12).

    They also provide vitamins C and E to support skin firmness and health.

    Summary: Beta carotene and vitamins C & E in sweet potatoes help improve complexion and skin health.

  5. Dark Chocolate

    Dark Chocolate

    Dark chocolate is rich in cocoa antioxidants (13) that improve skin blood flow, reduce wrinkles, and enhance suppleness (14, 15, 16).

    Choose varieties with at least 70% cocoa and minimal added sugar, and enjoy in moderation.

    Summary: Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate can boost skin blood flow, reduce wrinkle appearance, and increase elasticity.

Summary

Add these skin-friendly foods to your everyday diet and look forward to clearer, healthier skin over time.

References

  1. Pilkington SM, Watson REB, Nicolaou A, Rhodes LE. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: photoprotective macronutrients. Exp Dermatol. 2011;20(7):537-543. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1600-0625.2011.01294.x ⤴
  2. Ziboh VA. Omega-3 fatty acids and skin health. In: Katsambas AD, Lotti TM, editors. European Handbook of Dermatological Treatments. Berlin: Springer; 2010. Available from: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-12264-4_9 ⤴
  3. Jung JY, Kwon HH, Hong JS, Yoon JY, Park MS, Jang MY, et al. Effect of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid and gamma-linolenic acid on acne vulgaris. Acta Derm Venereol. 2014;94(5):521-525. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23206895/ ⤴
  4. Thiele JJ, Ekanayake-Mudiyanselage S. Vitamin E in human skin: organ-specific physiology and considerations for its use in dermatology. Mol Aspects Med. 2007;28(5-6):646-667. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27559512 ⤴
  5. Dreher ML, Davenport AJ. Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(7):738-750. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24675046 ⤴
  6. Fulgoni VL III, Dreher M, Davenport AJ. Avocado consumption is associated with better diet quality and nutrient intake in US adults. Nutr J. 2013;12:1. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22970231 ⤴
  7. Nagata C, Nakamura K, Wada K, Oba S, Hayashi M, Takeda N, et al. Dietary patterns and skin ageing among Japanese women. Br J Nutr. 2010;103(10):1493-1498. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20085665 ⤴
  8. Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM. The roles of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22254062 ⤴
  9. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Health Professional Fact Sheet. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/ ⤴
  10. Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS. Zinc therapy in dermatology: a review. Dermatol Res Pract. 2014;2014:709152. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29295546 ⤴
  11. Evans JA, Johnson EJ. The role of phytonutrients in skin health. Nutrients. 2010;2(8):903-928. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23053552 ⤴
  12. Tan KW, Graf BA, Mitra SR, Stephen ID. Daily consumption of a fruit and vegetable smoothie alters facial skin colour. Behav Ecol. 2017;28(2):570-575. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article/28/2/570/2990210 ⤴
  13. Stote KS, Clevidence BA, Novotny JA, Henderson T, Radecki SV, Baer DJ. Effect of cocoa and green tea supplementation on antioxidant capacity and skin health. J Nutr. 2017. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28649251 ⤴
  14. Heinrich U, Neukam K, Tronnier H, Sies H, Stahl W. Long-term ingestion of cocoa flavanols improves skin hydration and reduces roughness. J Nutr. 2006;136(6):1565-1569. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26581682 ⤴
  15. Williams S, Tamburic S, Lally C. Eating chocolate can significantly protect the skin from UV light. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2006;5(1):30-32. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16702322 ⤴
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