1. Tomatoes
Eating any tomato-based foods, such as sauce and tomato juice, may help clear up acne. That's all thanks to an ingredient called lycopene, the phytochemical that makes tomatoes red. It helps boosts collagen strength and fights off the oxidizing effect of UV rays by eliminating skin-aging free radicals. To increase tomatoes' lycopene benefits, try cooking them into tomato paste or tomato sauce—cooking tomatoes ups their lycopene levels.
2. Carrots
Carrots and sweet potatoes have beta carotene, a natural sun protectant, and are rich in vitamin A, which restores damaged collagen. Think of carrots as your very own wonder wands: good for the eyes and good for clearing up breakouts. No magic here, though—just plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin A, an antioxidant that prevents the overproduction of cells in the skin's outer layer.
3. Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that help fight cell-damaging free radicals. Berries contain high amounts of plant compounds known as anthocyanins that have strong antioxidant properties and give the berries themselves their purple-blue appearance. Blueberries also help boost the strength of collagen fibers, which Dr. Burns explains "give our skin structure.
4. Safflower Oil
Safflower oil is a good source of vitamin E, a major player when you're eating for glowing skin. This antioxidant vitamin plays a role in skin health by decreasing collagen breakdown, helping prevent and repair damage from UV exposure, and decreasing skin inflammation. Plus, the omega-6s found in safflower oil can be the ultimate moisturizer for people who suffer from dry, flaky, or itchy skin. They keep cell walls supple, allowing water to better penetrate the epidermis.
5. Oranges
Oranges are one of the most well-known food sources of vitamin C, and they're one of the best fruits for glowing skin, too. This powerful antioxidant has been shown to protect the skin from oxidative stress including UV damage to the skin, stimulates the formation of the skin barrier, improves skin hydration, and improves wound healing.
6. Salmon
To support the skin barrier, you need to be consuming sufficient amounts of healthy fats. Fish and fish oil is very beneficial for healthy glowing skin while reducing inflammation. Besides being one of the most potent sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3s, salmon also contains dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE). DMAE promotes healthy skin because it protects the integrity of cell membranes. Strengthening the cell membranes guards against their deterioration that causes premature aging.
7. Yellow Peppers
Vitamin C is important for collagen production and, along with vitamin E, is an important antioxidant that can protect against free radical damage. Instead of grabbing an orange to get your dose, much on some vitamin C-rich yellow bell peppers. In a British Journal of Nutrition study of more than 700 Japanese women, researchers found that the more yellow and green vegetables the subjects ate, the less apt they were to have wrinkles and crows feet—even once they controlled for smoking and sun exposure.
8. Broccoli
Broccoli is another vitamin C-rich food that's great for achieving glowing skin. For those with combination skin, I'd recommend cruciferous vegetables and antioxidant fruits. In addition to broccoli, other great cruciferous veggies include cauliflower, kale, and bok choy.
9. Cantaloupe
Add this melon to your fruit salad recipes for glowing skin. "Vitamin A is also important for the health of your skin, so reach for dark green and orange fruits and veggies, such as cantaloupe, mango, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, kale, carrots, and spinach," says Dr. Salge Blake.
10. Kale
Kale is a top choice as it reduces oxidative stress. This cruciferous veggie is loaded with the skin's favorite anti-aging vitamins A, C, E, and K. Leafy greens are one of the most potent sources of vitamin K, a vitamin that helps with blood clotting and faster healing when ingested.
11. Avocado
Avocados are wonderful for adding hydration to skin and reducing inflammation. The fruit is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been proven to hydrate and shield the skin by lowering the risk of premature aging caused by ultraviolet radiation. Avocados' potent source of fats also helps you absorb many of the fat-soluble vitamins that also help protect your skin from sun damage.
12. Strawberries
Strawberries are another vitamin C-rich fruit to add to your diet if you want glowing skin. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, antioxidants, and other compounds that help build strong collagen and can even help protect against harmful UV rays. There is some research showing that eating more fruits and vegetables can help improve skin tone and texture.
13. Kiwi
Kiwi fruit is rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C. Vitamin C is required in the pathway the body uses for making collagen.
14. Oysters
Oysters might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about radiant skin—but they might after this! That's because oysters contain high levels of the trace mineral zinc. Your body might need a little of it each day, but zinc has a huge impact on cell functioning, as more than 100 different enzymes require it to function. And skin cells, in particular, rely on zinc to make the proteins that repair damaged tissues and regenerate new ones.
15. Eggs
Protein-rich foods, such as egg whites, have lysine and proline, amino acids that form collagen. Egg yolks are rich in vitamins that are essential for proper cell function, as well as contain the "beauty vitamin. This B vitamin is more commonly known to help hair grow and strengthen fingernails, but research has shown it also helps protect skin from acne, rashes, and even dryness.
16. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are another great source of omega-3s. "Omega-3 fatty acids help contribute to the skin barrier function. Eating these healthy fats helps to support the skin barrier," Dr. King says.
17. Sweet Potatoes
A study in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour showed eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables gives a healthier, more attractive, and more radiant glow than you would get from sun exposure. But it was those who consumed more portions of red and orange vegetables per day who had the greatest sun-kissed complexion—the result of disease-fighting compounds called carotenoids that give those plants their colors. Few foods are as rich in the beauty stuff as a baked sweet potato.
18. Potatoes
Potatoes sometimes get a bad rep, but they're full of nutrients like vitamin C. They just might be the most delicious way to get that glowing skin you're looking for!
19. Spinach
Popeye's favorite veggie triumphs again. Dr. Umar cites spinach as a good source of both vitamin A and vitamin C. In a study published in the International Journal of Cancer, people who ate the highest amount of leafy greens prevented squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
20. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a good source of vitamin A, and contrary to what Starbucks would have you believe, it's delicious year-round. Try one of our dozens of pumpkin recipes if you're not sure where to start.
21. Mango
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Mango is another fruit that's great for glowing skin—it's one of Dr. Salge Blake's recommendations for adding more vitamin A to your diet.
22. Almonds
Almonds are full of one of the most oft-associated vitamins with skincare: vitamin E. That's because this vitamin helps repair scarred cells and defends against sun damage. Volunteers who consumed 14 milligrams of the vitamin per day (about 20 almonds) and then were exposed to UV light burned less than those who took none.
23. Brussels Sprouts
Fruits aren't the only great sources of vitamin C. Veggies like Brussels sprouts are another great way to add the nutrient to your diet—you'll have glowing skin in no time.
24. Walnuts
Sunscreen, beach umbrellas, and big floppy hats are reliable tools in your skin cancer-fighting arsenal. Walnuts? Didn't come to mind. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent skin cancer by inhibiting the formation of the chemical COX-2. Walnuts are a prime source of healthy fat.
25. Natto
Natto is a Japanese dish made by boiling and fermenting soybeans with bacteria that increases the beans' nutritional value. These fermented soybeans are unique in that they're the highest dietary source of vitamin K2—a vitamin that is important for cardiovascular and bone health as well as promoting skin elasticity to help prevent wrinkles. On top of that, natto is a potent source of gut-healing probiotics, deeming this unique snack one of our best foods for skin.
26. Turmeric
Turmeric isn't just a game-changer when it comes to protecting against cancer or reducing pain. This Indian spice can also protect your skin. That's because turmeric's active antioxidant, curcumin, has shown to be one of the most effective anti-inflammatories, free-radical fighting options out there (even more effective than ibuprofen!), according to a study in Oncogene.
27. Papaya
This tropical fruit contains a plethora of active enzymes which pass on their health benefits. One enzyme, chymopapain, has been used to relieve inflammation—a common source of skin conditions. And another enzyme, papain, can help remove blemishes and even treat acne when applied topically as the enzyme dissolves pore-clogging fats and cleanses the skin.
28. Green Tea
Pour yourself a cup of this green elixir and watch your skin glow! "Green tea has a catechin called EGCG that helps the DNA repair mechanisms in our skin after sun exposure. This is the main reason we believe it may be anti-carcinogenic. In addition, it is a potent antioxidant to help slow aging.
29. Coconut Water & Oil
Nothing goes to waste when you're using coconut for skincare. When you first crack it open, you can drink the fruit's natural water—it's full of muscle-relaxing potassium and electrolytes to replenish and rehydrate your skin, making it softer and younger-looking. coconut oil contains a potent antimicrobial, caprylic acid, which can help improve gut health by destroying bad bacteria and candida.
30. Brazil Nuts
Prone to pesky dark circles? Experts have found that aging—not just lack of sleep—is the primary source of dark circles other than genetics. Over time, skin loses collagen and thins, which makes the veins beneath the eyes more visible. Luckily, all you have to do is grab a single brazil nut. That's because one brazil nut has more than 135% of your DV of selenium, a nutrient that can boost the production of collagen. This mineral helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight and acts as an antioxidant, stopping free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells.