What you eat can play a part in how your skin looks and functions.
Your skin, like the rest of your body, needs a wide range of nutrients. Protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals all play roles in maintaining normal skin, which is why a varied, balanced diet matters.
Of course, there’s no single food that will guarantee clear, glowing or younger-looking skin. Your age, genetics, hormones, sun exposure, skincare, smoking and other lifestyle factors can all affect its appearance too.
But if you want to support your skin from the inside, eating well is a very good place to start.
What does a healthy skin diet include?
You don’t need to follow a specialist “skin diet” or fill your kitchen with expensive superfoods.
A varied diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, protein and sources of unsaturated fat should provide most people with the nutrients they need.
So, what might you put on the menu? Here are some of our favourites.
Avocados
Avocados are unusual among fruits because they’re rich in unsaturated fats, particularly monounsaturated fat.
They also provide vitamin E, vitamin C and a range of other nutrients.
Vitamin C is needed for normal collagen formation, while vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative stress. The unsaturated fats in avocado can also form part of a healthy, balanced diet.
So while an avocado isn’t going to erase your wrinkles, it’s certainly earned its place on a skin-friendly plate.
Oily fish
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring are rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Fish also provides protein and a range of vitamins and minerals.
Protein is needed for the growth and repair of body tissues, including skin, while essential fatty acids have a number of roles in normal cell function.
Current UK guidance recommends eating at least two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish, although there are different recommendations for some groups.
If you don’t eat fish, plant foods including walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds and rapeseed oil provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
Green tea
Green tea contains plant compounds called polyphenols, including catechins, which have antioxidant properties.
There’s ongoing research into green tea and the skin, but you don’t need to drink gallons of it or apply it to your face to achieve healthy skin.
If you enjoy green tea, it can simply be one of the drinks you include as part of a varied diet.
Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
Spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage and other green vegetables provide a wide range of nutrients, including vitamin C, folate and carotenoids.
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables also contain plant compounds called glucosinolates, which are converted into compounds including sulforaphane.
Rather than focusing too heavily on one particular compound, however, the important thing is variety. Eating different vegetables gives your body a broader range of nutrients.
Colourful fruit
Berries, red grapes, oranges, kiwis and many other fruits provide vitamin C and a variety of colourful plant compounds.
For example, red and purple grapes and some berries contain polyphenols, while orange and yellow fruits are often good sources of carotenoids.
The exact nutrient profile varies from fruit to fruit, which is another reason that “eating the rainbow” is more useful than concentrating on one supposed superfood.
Red and yellow peppers
Red and yellow peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C and also provide carotenoids, including beta carotene.
Vitamin C is needed for normal collagen formation and the normal function of skin, while beta carotene can be converted by the body into vitamin A.
Peppers are also an easy way to add another colour to your daily fruit and vegetable intake.
Soy foods
Soybeans provide high-quality plant protein as well as unsaturated fats, fibre and a range of vitamins and minerals.
Foods such as tofu, tempeh, edamame and unsweetened soya products can therefore be useful additions to a varied diet, particularly if you eat little or no animal protein.
Soy also contains naturally occurring compounds called isoflavones. There has been research into isoflavones and the appearance of ageing skin, particularly in postmenopausal women, but the evidence isn’t strong enough to treat soy as an anti-ageing food.
It’s better to enjoy soy for its overall nutritional value rather than expecting it to balance your hormones or transform your skin.
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds provide unsaturated fats, protein and nutrients including vitamin E.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which means it helps protect the body’s cells from oxidative stress.
A small handful of sunflower seeds can be sprinkled over salads, porridge or yoghurt, making them an easy way to add some variety to your diet.
Sweet potatoes
The orange colour of sweet potatoes comes from carotenoids, including beta carotene.
Your body can convert beta carotene into vitamin A, which contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
Carrots, pumpkin, spinach, kale, apricots and some other colourful fruits and vegetables also provide carotenoids.
They’re all good additions to your diet, but it’s important not to confuse their nutritional benefits with sun protection. Eating beta-carotene-rich foods is no substitute for using appropriate sunscreen.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes provide vitamin C and several carotenoids, including lycopene.
Interestingly, eating carotenoid-rich vegetables with a source of dietary fat can help your body absorb some of these compounds.
That doesn’t require anything complicated. Tomatoes with a little olive oil, for example, make a simple combination.
Walnuts
Walnuts provide protein, fibre, unsaturated fats and several vitamins and minerals.
They’re also notable among nuts for providing alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
A small handful of nuts can make a nutritious snack or be added to porridge, yoghurt, salads and other meals.
Again, there’s no need to think of walnuts as a treatment for your skin. They’re simply one of many nutrient-rich whole foods that can contribute to a healthy diet.
Other pointers for a healthy skin diet
The foods above are examples rather than a definitive shopping list. You certainly don’t need to eat all of them to look after your skin.
A few broader principles are more important.
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Aim for at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables each day.
Choosing a variety of colours is a simple way to get a broad mix of vitamins, minerals and other plant compounds rather than relying on one particular “superfood”.
Make sure you’re getting enough protein
Protein is essential for the growth and repair of body tissues.
Sources include fish, eggs, lean meat, dairy products, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds.
You don’t need to eat animal products to get enough protein, but if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet it’s worth making sure you’re including a good variety of plant protein sources.
Include sources of unsaturated fat
Fat is an essential part of a balanced diet.
Unsaturated fats are found in foods such as nuts, seeds, avocado, olive and rapeseed oils and oily fish.
They are energy-dense, so you don’t need enormous quantities to get their nutritional benefits.
Choose fibre-rich foods
Wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds all provide fibre as well as a range of other nutrients.
Swapping heavily refined carbohydrates for higher-fibre alternatives can be a simple way to improve the overall quality of your diet.
Stay adequately hydrated
Getting enough fluid is important for your overall health and normal body function.
In the UK, general guidance is to aim for around six to eight glasses of fluid a day, although you may need more in some circumstances.
That doesn’t mean drinking extra litres of water will suddenly make dry skin plump and glowing. How hydrated your skin feels also depends on its barrier, your environment, skincare and other factors.
A healthy skin diet is part of a bigger picture
What you eat matters, but there’s no magic menu for perfect skin.
Your skin changes throughout your life, and its appearance is influenced by everything from genetics and ageing to sun exposure, smoking, your environment and the products you use.
That’s why it’s more helpful to think about diet as one part of looking after your skin rather than trying to eat your way to a flawless complexion.
If you’d like to understand more about what healthy skin actually looks like and how you can support it, read our guide to skin health and why it matters.
And if there’s something specific about the appearance of your skin that you’d like to improve, Medikaur offers a range of clinician-led aesthetic treatments and skincare options.
At your consultation, we’ll talk about your skin, what you’d like to change and the options that may be appropriate for your individual goals.
