The age-old saying that “true beauty starts from within” rings true to skincare, as the nutrients in our diets are the foundation for healthy, radiant skin. A balance of fats, vitamins and minerals in your gut are essential to feeling your best - and we guarantee your skin will thank you too! You don’t need to completely overhaul your diet – simply keeping these foods in mind whilst grocery shopping can benefit your complexion and energy levels.
TOP 5 SKIN FOODS
FOODS RICH IN FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS AND ESSENTIAL FATS
- Vitamin A-rich food. These include organic livers, cod liver oil, pastured eggs yolks, cultured ghee and butter, makerel, salmon and tuna. Vitamin A promotes cell turnover in the skin and prevents skin from becoming keratinized, rough and dry. It regulates sebum production which contributes to acne.
- Vitamin E-rich foods. These include organic leafy greens, wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, almonds and olive oil. Vitamin E is anti-inflammatory and defends the skin against free radicals and provides protection against harmful UV rays.
- Vitamin K2-rich foods. These include pastured chook egg yolks, cheese, grass fed meat, tempeh (fermented soy) and other fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir. Vitamin K2 prevents the calcification of skin’s elastin. Elastin is the protein that gives skin the ability to spring back, to help smooth out lines and wrinkles by depositing calcium and other minerals where necessary.
- Omega 3-rich foods. These include wild salmon, sardines, anchovies and pastured beef, lamb and eggs. Omega 3 helps reduce dryness, inflammation and prevents hyper keratinisation of sebaceous follicles also known as keratosis pilaris. This looks like chicken skin – rough, red and bumpy usually appearing on the upper thighs, buttocks and upper arms
Vitamin C-Rich Foods
These include bell peppers, guava, dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kiwi, citrus fruits, strawberries and the richest source -Australian Kakadu Plum. Vitamin C is involved in the regulation of collagen, a structural protein necessary for the extracellular stability of skin, promotes faster skin healing, decreases dry skin and prevents the formation of scar tissue. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that regulates collagen synthesis, forms barrier lipids, regenerates vitamin E, and provides protection from harmful UV rays.
ZINC-RICH FOODS
These include oysters and sustainable fish and seafood. Zinc improves wound healing, reduces inflammation, protects skin against UV rays and helps transport Vitamin A in blood.
SULFUR-RICH FOODS
These include organic: garlic, onions, brussel sprouts, broccoli and kale. Sulfur is necessary for collagen synthesis or insufficient production of collagen as we age. It is one of the major contributors to the development of wrinkles and rapidly ageing skin.
VITAMIN B5-RICH FOODS
These include pastured chook egg yolks, organic broccoli and grass fed organic meats. B5 increases the levels of glutathione in the cells, which helps reduce the effects of sun damage, pollutants and other stressors and thereby reducing the signs of ageing and prevents wrinkles.Don’t worry if you don’t hit every one of these nutrients - our bodies are smarter than we give them credit for, and do not need to be obsessively micro-managed to keep us healthy. However, diversifying your dinner plate with a range of colourful veggies, a variety of fish and meats and trying out new fruits is excellent skin food, mood food and soul food!
