Healthy skin reflects a healthy body. What you are is what you eat, and good food nourishes you inside and out. Your skin is continuously changing in response to your daily diet. Your environment, lifestyle, prescription medication, sleep, and stress also significantly impact the condition of your skin. Through eating the best foods for your skin type, you’ll feel and look better, starting from within.
What should I eat for my skin type?
Your skin type determines the best foods to eat. Just like you’d pick a different face wash or moisturiser to someone else with another skin type, your meals should give your skin exactly what it needs, whether you have dry, oily, or combination skin.
Eating for dry skin
Dry skin can easily become irritated, red and sensitive, particularly in chilly winters, sweltering summers or continuously air-conditioned areas.
Drink two litres of water daily, and eat water-rich fruits like melons. Coconut water contains natural electrolytes which help balance your body’s water content.
The fatty acids in avocado, olive oil, and salmon also hydrate your skin, while too much alcohol and caffeine can dry it out even more.
Soaked almonds, pecans, pumpkin, sesame, and chia seeds are packed with healthy fats and antioxidants. Boiled eggs and fish give your skin the necessary collagen and keratin proteins to keep its elasticity and moisture.
Dry skin can also mean you’re vitamin A or D deficient, so eat more broccoli, spinach, and sweet potato.
Tip: Coconut oil is a natural soothing balm for dry, cracked, and flaky skin. Applied topically, it helps combat inflammation and locks in moisture.
Other best dry skin foods include:
- Bananas
- Berries
- Cashews
- Pumpkin
- Sesame oil
- Sunflower seeds
Eating for oily skin
Oily skin can lead to acne and blemishes, plus it presents with visible pores and spots. Hydration is key, so eat more cucumbers and watermelons! They also contain antioxidants and lycopene to protect you from the sun.
Surprisingly, anti-inflammatory oils in avocado, fish, flaxseed, and olives can help make your skin less oily.
To prevent overproduction of oil and help unblock your pores, ditch refined carbs and eat whole wheat grains, and choose chicken or fish over red meat. Grapefruit, kiwis, oranges, and strawberries can help detox your liver and flush out your skin’s oiliness.
Acne-prone oily skin can also cause indigestion, so include more broccoli and leafy green vegetables and dodge the refined carbs and sugar late at night. Steer clear of highly processed, fried burgers and chips, and substitute sugar for naturally sweet fruit. Healthy fats from salmon and walnuts contain the essential omega-3 fatty acids to help control inflammation and prevent acne.
Tip: Cucumber, lemon, and mint-infused water moisturises your skin and keeps it oil-free.
Other best oily skin foods include:
- Almond milk
- Butternut
- Carrots
- Green tea
- Onion
- Ginger
Eating for combination skin
A combination skin benefits from integrating meal plans for dry and oily skin types. Enjoy foods in moderation, and graze on smaller meals and snacks throughout the day. Cook with some carbs, but brown rice or quinoa are high-protein and low-glycemic grains which help you avoid inflammation and an imbalance.
Other best combination skin foods include:
- Broccoli and kale
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Spinach
Some foods can trigger an eczema flare-up. If you’re prone to this, try avoiding:
- Citrus fruit
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Gluten or wheat
- Some nuts
- Soy
- Spices
- Tomatoes
Eating more of certain foods and less of others can improve the condition of your body and skin. Knowing your skin type and how to eat for it is both nutritious and delicious. Take this positive step to embracing more wellness and benefitting from a happy, glowing complexion and a healthier you.
Date Published: 14 January 2022
