There are certain foods that are great for your skin. The food we eat and what we drink affects all of our vital organs—including our skin. And with our skin being the largest organ in our body, what we eat and drink matters.
We don’t often think about it this way, but our skin is the largest organ in our body. It plays a vital role in our overall health and wellness. It protects what’s inside by creating a barrier that keeps water and nutrients in, while keeping harmful bacteria and viruses out.
Pretty amazing, really.
Our skin helps to maintain our body temperature and makes vitamin D when exposed to the sun. It’s also full of nerve endings to help us sense the outside world and avoid damage from things that are too hot, too cold, or too sharp. Fascinating, isn’t it?!
Skin care is not only on the outside
Skin care isn’t only something we need to do on the outside. What we eat and drink affects all of our vital organs—including our skin. Here is a list of some of the essential nutrients you need to keep your skin healthy and happy so it can play its many fundamental roles and look its very best. These foods are great for your skin.
5 Foods that are great for your skin
What we eat and drink affects all of our vital organs—including our skin.
Water –
You may not always think about water as an essential nutrient, but it absolutely is.
Water plays many important roles in your body. Water is the main component in our cells, the main component of hormones, enzymes, and other fluids. It helps to cushion our brain and our other organs. It allows us to maintain our body temperature, and it provides shock absorption for our joints. Does it surprise you to learn that adults are 60% water?
When it comes to our skin, water is just as essential.
Your skin has three layers. The outermost layer—the one you see and feel—is called the epidermis. The middle layer is the dermis, and underneath that is your hypodermis.
When your epidermis doesn’t have enough water, your skin feels rough and loses elasticity. The water your epidermis needs comes from the inside. One clinical study found that when participants who didn’t drink a lot of water increased their intake, their skin became more hydrated and their skin’s “extensibility” or “stretchability” improved within 2 weeks.
Drinking more water can help skin hydration and may be particularly beneficial if you have dry skin or don’t drink enough water.
How much water do we need every day?
According to the Mayo Clinic, women should aim for 2.7 L (11.5 cups) of fluids per day, while men should aim for 3.7 L (15.5 cups) per day. Note that these fluids can come from drinking water or other beverages, and can even come from water-rich foods like soups, fruits, and vegetables. Your personal water needs may be higher if you sweat a lot (from physical activity or living in a hot, humid environment), if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you are prone to urinary or digestive tract conditions (kidney stones, vomiting, diarrhea).
Be kind to your skin, and stay adequately hydrated.
Protein –
Protein is an essential macronutrient which means you need quite a bit of it every day (more than with micronutrients like vitamins where you need much smaller amounts every day).
Our bodies don’t store protein. Every bit that we have either has a job to do or is repurposed for burning energy or stored as fat.
Therefore, we need to make sure that we eat protein every day to allow our tissues to be rebuilt and repaired.
Protein makes up parts of your cells, immune system antibodies, and the enzymes needed for thousands of reactions (including digestion). Your body’s main structure is also made from proteins. This includes your bones, muscles, organs . . . and skin. Different proteins are made by combining different building blocks called amino acids.
Your skin is made up of several different proteins.
For example, collagen and elastin are very plentiful and build up the structure of your skin. Over time, and with exposure to the elements, your body’s ability to produce collagen decreases.
Keratin is another important protein in your skin. Keratin makes up the outer epidermis layer giving it rigidity and enhancing its barrier protection. We want it to stay strong and intact.
How much protein do you need every day?
The recommended daily amount of protein is based on your body weight. For every 20 lbs you weigh you should try to get just over 7 grams of protein each day. This means a person who weighs 140 lbs needs about 50 g protein/day, while someone who weighs 200 lbs would need about 70 g protein/day.
Where is protein found?
Protein is found in meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs. Plant-based sources of protein include soy, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and even vegetables like corn, broccoli, and asparagus. (Plant based proteins are more collections of amino acids than true whole proteins, but combined with other plant foods, they can still give us all the amino acids we need.)
Who would have guessed that protein is a food that is great for your skin?!
Essential Fatty Acids For The Skin
There are two types of fatty acids that are essential nutrients for our health and our skin. They are linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic acid (omega-3). Omega-3 fatty acids in particular are anti-inflammatory and have been linked to many health benefits including improvements in rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, heart disease, and psoriasis, to name a few.
A higher intake of linoleic acid (Omega -6) is associated with lower levels of skin dryness and thinning as skin ages.
On the other hand, a lack of fatty acids is linked to increased water loss from the skin, drying it out and causing weakness in the protective outer barrier.
Where can you find these essential fatty acids?
You can get these essential fatty acids from eating fish (salmon, tuna), shellfish, nuts (walnuts), seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame), oils (soy, canola), leafy vegetables, and avocados.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient and has several functions including making other nutrients more absorbable and available. It is a water-soluble antioxidant vitamin that plays many roles in your body, including in skin health.
A deficiency of Vitamin C (scurvy) results in skin lesions, as well as skin that is easily bruised and slow to heal.
This is, in part, because of Vitamin C’s role in stabilizing the protein collagen. Another sign of Vitamin C deficiency in the skin affects hair follicles and can cause “corkscrew hairs.” These are examples of why Vitamin C is so important for skin health.
How much Vitamin C do we need every day and where is it found?
Every day you should aim for at least 75 mg of Vitamin C. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources In particular, bell peppers, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits), broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, kiwis, blackcurrants, potatoes (especially the skins), and parsley.
These foods are great for your skin.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a group of essential vitamins called tocopherols. They are fat-soluble antioxidants that work synergistically with Vitamin C. When given together, vitamins C and E (and zinc) can speed up wound healing. Deficiency of Vitamin E is linked to red, dry skin.
Vitamin E is often applied directly (topically) on the skin to reduce redness and some of the effects of sun damage. Ingesting great sources of vitamin E helps the skin from the inside by protecting collagen and fats from breaking down.
How much Vitamin E do we need every day and where do we find it?
The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is 15 mg. You can get Vitamin E in vegetables, oils (wheat germ oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil), nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), spinach, broccoli, corn, kiwis, and soy.
These are more great choices of foods that are great for your skin.
Skin care beyond nutrition
While nutrition is essential, and I’ve covered my top 5 recommendations above, don’t forget other important skin care practices that help protect and nurture your skin.
- Use gentle cleansers and warm (not too hot) water to keep skin clean
- Moisturize after taking a shower or washing your hands
- Avoid things that bother your skin such as harsh cleansers, fragrances, and irritating fabrics
- If you have allergies or intolerances (e.g. to gluten or pollen), avoid those
- Limit your sun exposure and use sunscreen as appropriate
- Be physically active
- Try to get enough quality sleep
- Use a humidifier and wear gloves when the weather is dry and cold
- Avoid tobacco
One of my favorite ways to meet my requirements for these nutrients that help keep my skin healthy is fish tacos with fresh pico de gallo and diced avocados served with lime wedges.
Add a side of summertime berries or melons for an extra special twist.
Another summertime favorite breakfast is yogurt with homemade granola (with walnuts) and fresh strawberries.
The nutrients you consume feed your whole body—including your skin.
As your largest organ with many critical roles, your skin needs a variety of different nutrients every single day. Water, protein and essential fatty acids are important macronutrients. The antioxidant vitamins C and E are among some of the micronutrients your skin needs to heal and stay healthy.
Look for these skin-loving elements 👆 in choosing foods that are great for your skin.
If you have any medical concerns with your skin, see your healthcare professional.
