Healthy foods for healthy skin

​Your skin is your body’s largest organ and it’s a complex, three‑layered barrier that protects you from infection, regulates temperature and helps you sense the world around you. What you eat plays a powerful role in how well your​​ skin functions and influences how strong and healthy it looks, feels and works. A healthy diet can support skin repair, hydration and barrier function. A​​ variety of tasty foods like salmon, berries, nuts and eggs can all play a part in maintaining that skin.

Different factors ​​influence the health and appearance of our skin, including ​​ageing, sun exposure, ​​stress and ​sleep, ​​but choosing to eat well is one way we can actively support our skin and its functions.

Here, Lauren Atkins, Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian (Adv APD) shares some of the best foods to nourish your skin from the inside out.

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How does diet affect skin health?

“Think of it this way,” says Atkins. “Your skin is like a sandstone wall constantly weathering in the elements. Your diet does not paint the wall; it determines the quality of the stone, the mortar holding it together, and the team of workers making repairs. Without the right building materials arriving daily, even the best wall starts to crumble from within.”

So, when we think about how our diet affects our skin, it’s not just about knowing which foods are good for you, it’s about eating them regularly as part of your diet.

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What nutrients are important for healthy skin?

Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, this ​​plays a key role in keeping your skin healthy. “Collagen fibres are like the steel cables of a suspension bridge,” says Atkins. “They need to be correctly twisted and cross-linked to hold their shape. Vitamin C ensures correct assembly.” ​​Foods that are high in vitamin C include citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons, kiwi fruit, tomatoes, strawberries, blackcurrants, guava, broccoli, capsicum (peppers), brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes.

Omega-3 fatty acids

“These are your ​​anti-inflammatory firefighters,” says Atkins. “If inflammation were a fire alarm in the skin, omega-3s are the sprinkler system, reducing the intensity of flare-ups and giving the skin a chance to recover.” Foods rich in omega-3 include ​​salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines, ​​flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts and canola oil.

Protein

​​​Essential for building and repairing body tissues, including your skin, protein ​​helps your body grow and repair cells. “If skin were a construction site, protein provides the bricks, mortar, and the workers themselves,” says Atkins. “You can have the best architects (vitamins), but without raw materials, nothing gets built.” ​​Foods high in protein include edamame, tofu and tempeh, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, boneless and skinless chicken breast, salmon, lean beef, canned tuna, Greek yoghurt, eggs, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and soy milk.

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Antioxidants

“Found in colourful plant foods,​​ antioxidants neutralise the reactive oxygen species generated by UV exposure and pollution,” explains Atkins. ​​Foods high in antioxidants include citrus fruits, cereals, meat, eggs, fruit (especially highly coloured ones), green tea, cocoa, seafood and green vegetables.

Foods that support healthy skin and hair

“Rather than a fixed 'superfood' list, I recommend thinking in terms of categories,” says Atkins.

• Fatty fish: “Salmon, sardines and mackerel are some of the richest dietary sources of ​​EPA/DHA omega-3s for anti-inflammatory support,” says Atkins.
• Walnuts and​​ pumpkin seeds: “These are brilliant sources of omega-3 and zinc,” shares Atkins.
• Berries: ​​Dark-coloured berries, including cherries, blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries and pomegranates, are high in polyphenols, ​​which act as antioxidants that help protect skin cells from free radicals. ​​Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells. Antioxidants help protect the body from this damage.
• Eggs: ​​Eggs – and more, specifically, egg yolks, are a good food source of biotin, which ​​helps your body make fatty acids – important building blocks for healthy skin.

Can hydration affect your skin?

​​​“Hydration is important for healthy skin,” says Atkins. “If we’re mildly dehydrated, signs of this might include ​​reduced skin turgor (how elastic and firm the skin is), ​​a flushed skin tone, and ​​slower tissue repair.”

But how much water should you drink? “​​A general guide is 35-45ml per kg of body weight per day,” says Atkins. “We count all fluids towards this, except for diuretics (e.g. coffee, heavily caffeinated drinks).”

According to Australian Government guidelines, it’s recommended for ​​a 70 kg adult to drink 2,500-3,000 mL/day.¹

“Water-rich foods absolutely count,” says Atkins. “Cucumber, celery, watermelon and warming broths all contribute to hydration.”

How to incorporate a skin-friendly diet

The key takeaway? Eat lots of healthy foods for healthy skin – and do it consistently. “Your skin is not just a cosmetic surface; it’s a living, working organ that protects you every single day against the sun, bacteria, and the accumulated wear of a whole life. It deserves to be fed well,” advises Atkins.

The good news is that a ​​balanced diet, centred on a variety of whole foods and low in processed foods, is the recommended approach. “The diet that best supports your skin is not a restrictive or expensive ‘skin diet’,” says Atkins. “The best diet for healthy skin is the same kind of abundant, consistent whole food pattern that also supports your heart, your brain and your energy.”