Best and Worst Foods for Your Skin

Want youthful, flawless and healthy skin? It might be time to edit your grocery list and embark on a healthy skin diet

1. Best: Yogurt

Norenius says that dairy products* contain vitamin A, which “is an important factor when it comes to skin health.” As long as you stick to yogurts in non- to low-fat varieties with no added sugars (and you don’t go haywire with the consumption), you will be consuming lots of protein and vitamins — all which help to enhance your immune system and as a result give you clear, vibrant skin.

*Be careful with milk consumption as it has been shown to contribute to acne and clogged pores due to its sugar content and added hormones. Drink it in moderation.

2. Worst: White bread

Any “high glycemic foods such as pasta, white bread and cakes have recently been linked to an increase in acne according to a recent Australian study,” says Norenius, so stick to whole grains. Whole wheat and oats are packed full of antioxidants and have been found to be anti-inflammatory.

3. Best: Blueberries

Foods rich in antioxidant properties such as blueberries, which have the most antioxidants per serving compared to other commonly consumed fruits and berries, will have a significant impact on your skin, says Norenius. “Free radicals caused by pollution and UV radiation attack skin cells and cause DNA damage,” she says, and these tasty little treats are powerful ammo in the fight against the premature aging process.

4. Worst: Salt

“Salt causes tissues to swell and may make your face seem puffy and unhealthy,” says Norenius. Iodized salt is especially bad in high doses as it has been shown to aggravate acne. Make sure to check all pre-packaged foods for their sodium content before consuming and make sure to rinse all canned vegetables, meats and beans after opening them to reduce the sodium content.

5. Best: Salmon

Fish like salmon, which is “rich in omega fatty acids or essential fatty acids, [is] also critical to the overall health of the skin,” says Norenius. Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are “responsible for healthy cell membranes and the overall health of the various cells in the body. The stronger the walls of the cells, the more water is kept in, thus making skin cells look more vibrant, plumper and overall more youthful,” she explains.

6. Worst: Candy

Candy is loaded with sugar and overeating sugar causes wrinkles and dull skin. How? It damages your collagen and elastin, the super important fibers that keep your skin firm and youthful, causing it to become dry which leads to premature wrinkles and sagging.

7. Best: Almonds

Almonds are packed full of vitamin E and are rich in monounsaturated fat, which is a “good” fat known for lowering cholesterol and keeping cell membranes strong and intact, which Norenius says is crucial for keeping skin youthful.

8. Worst: Alcohol

Alright, so this isn’t technically a “food,” but you consume it and that’s why it made this list. In short, over indulgence of booze can wreak havoc on your skin. It is “extremely dehydrating to cells within the body including your skin cells,” says Norenius. It also causes “vasodilatation which can be an aggressor for rosacea,” she warns.

9. Best: Spinach

This dark leafy green has beta-carotene, a super-charged antioxidant that helps repair skin cells and slows down skin cancer cells. It helps give skin a youthful glow while preventing aging. It also is full of lutein, potassium, fiber and folate, which also help with DNA repair that restores skin cells damaged by the sun and helps keep them cancer-free.