The 5 Best Foods for Healthy Skin!

External treatment is an effective way to heal damaged skin, however, many people neglect to take care of it from the inside out. Every aspect of health begins within the body, and many chronic skin conditions are linked to the type of diet one consumes.

1. Orange Foods

Orange foods that are good for your skin include sweet potatoes, carrots and squash as they are high in vitamin A and beta carotene. Vitamin A is one of the most important components of healthy skin. It aids in the natural shedding of dead skin cells to keep the surface moist and supple. Deficiency in this vitamin is linked to certain skin disorders, including the common condition keratosis pilaris, caused by a buildup of keratin due to skin that does not shed normally.

2. Liver

Though most turn their noses up at the thought of eating liver just once, it is actually one of the best foods for skin. Consuming it regularly can lead to significant changes in skin health and texture. Liver is filled with a variety of nutrients including zinc, vitamin B12, iron, copper, vitamin D and vitamin E. This food is also high in vitamin A, and those that add it to their diets report changes in skin conditions and texture. Adding cod liver oil as a supplement has been shown to improve numerous skin problems.

3. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a substance that works well when applied topically as well as when consumed. Topically it helps to relieve dryness while fighting bacterial and fungal infections. When consumed, it helps make skin more moist from the inside out. It contains essential fatty acids that keep skin looking and feeling healthier. Extra virgin and cold pressed coconut oil is still filled with nutrients, so avoid the highly-processed varieties.

4. Walnuts

Also high in essential fatty acids, walnuts help to promote healthy cell membranes. This leads to better barriers for harmful substances while allowing beneficial nutrients to pass through. These cell membranes also hold water in, thus the better their barriers are the better they can retain moisture that leads to plump and young-looking skin.

5. Berries and Deep-Colored Fruits

As they are high in antioxidants, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are great foods for clear skin. Antioxidants work to scavenge free radicals found in the body. Free radicals are charged particles of oxygen that create hazardous bonds with other organic substances. These organic substances become oxidized and destroyed in the process. This process leads to skin damage in various forms including dryness, wrinkling, and even an increased risk of skin cancer.

Learning what foods are good for your skin isn’t difficult, and you may find you already enjoy many of them.