8 Foods for Clear Skin

Nutrition

Mar 11

There are so many mixed messages about how to improve our skin through diet, supplements or crazy skincare routines! This article will explore evidence-based advice for the role of nutrition in keeping our skin healthy, as well as the role of nutrition in specific skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.

Eating well for healthy skin

A number of different factors impact our skin, including genetics, age, hormones, medication, stress, sleep, movement, skincare routine, exposure to UV rays, pollution and smoking.

Nutrition is also one of these factors. Good nutrition plays a key role in keeping all of our organs healthy, and our skin is the biggest organ in the body! However, the role of nutrition is sometimes overstated when it comes to skin health. For example, even though eating well supports healthy skin, it won’t alter genetic predispositions, reverse UV damage or prevent the natural ageing process.

With that being said, there are a number of nutrients that play an important role in skin health:

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Protein
Dietary protein provides amino acids which the body uses to make proteins that play an important role in the structure of our skin, such as keratin, elastin and collagen. Good sources include; meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, beans, pulses, nuts (including nut butter!), seeds and soy-based products like tofu, and protein supplementation. Collagen is an important protein that is found in our skin. Some recent studies have suggested that taking hydrolysed collagen supplements may help to reduce wrinkles and improve skin health.
Essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids)
Found in oily fish (like salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines and pilchards), walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, vegetable oils and tofu. These are involved in building our outer layer of skin, which helps to form our skin’s barrier and maintain moisture in the skin. Omega-3’ has anti-inflammatory properties which may also benefit skin health.
Vitamin C
Found in oranges, strawberries, kiwis, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and potatoes. This vitamin is involved in creating collagen which provides structure to the skin. It is also an antioxidant and is involved in wound healing.
Vitamin E
Found in a variety of nuts and seeds, leafy green vegetables, sunflower oil, safflower oil and in certain fortified foods. Vitamin E protects the skin as it is an antioxidant, it may offer some protection against UV rays.
Vitamin A
Present in the form of retinol in the liver, dairy products, eggs, salmon and in the form of beta-carotene in green leafy vegetables, carrots, peppers, sweet potato, apricot and mango. This vitamin is an antioxidant and is also needed for cell growth and turnover.
B-vitamins
These vitamins are found in a variety of foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, vegetables and fortified foods. A lack of these B-vitamins can lead to inflamed skin, dermatitis, rashes and cracks in the skin at the corners of the mouth.
Zinc
Found in red meat, oysters, crab, lobster, poultry, dairy products, beans, nuts, whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals. Zinc plays an important role in wound healing and reducing UV damage.
Selenium
Found in meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, Brazil nuts, seeds and whole grains. Selenium protects the skin by acting as an antioxidant.

Other factors to consider

Underfuelling
Underfuelling by not eating enough overall calories is also linked with skin issues such as dry and itchy skin, dermatitis and delayed wound healing (2).
Therefore, a balanced diet that contains enough energy and a variety of fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, oils, fish, meat, pulses, eggs and dairy should provide all the nutrients for good skin health (2). This way of eating reflects a Mediterranean-style diet, which has also been found to have numerous health benefits for other organs such as our heart and brain.
Hydration
Hydration is really important for healthy skin. Water, milk (or plant-based alternatives), tea and coffee are all great sources of fluid. Alcohol should only be consumed within the recommended low-risk limit for overall health, and to avoid dehydrating the skin (2).

Summary

From a nutritional point of view, we can support the health of our skin by following a varied Mediterranean-style diet, consuming enough energy, staying hydrated and not drinking too much alcohol. There are a number of dietary considerations for the management of acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis — but a lot of this advice also comes back to an anti-inflammatory, gut-friendly way of eating, like the Mediterranean diet. Importantly, there are a number of factors that impact our skin beyond diet, so always follow individualised advice.