5 Top Foods To Get Healthy Skin

It’s not all about mud masks and moisturisers when it comes to radiant skin. Some of the best ingredients for a healthy complexion could be sitting in your kitchen without you even realising. Fit Squad DXB trainer and nutrition coach Devinder Bains gives you the lowdown on how your diet could be the secret to fresh skin that’s full of life. Here’s top five foods (and drink) to add to your plate right now…

1.Pomegranate 

This tasty super fruit is packed with polyphenol antioxidants that are essential for healthy skin. As well as fighting free radicals, polyphenols regulate skin's blood flow, giving it that rosy, fresh look. Pomegranates also provide an excellent source of Vitamin C and further antioxidants such as flavonoids which help the skin combat problems such as wrinkles, blemishes and inflammation. Eat one pomegranate a day, or drink a couple of glasses of sugar-free juice, to help your skin build  a protective barrier against the elements - or if you prefer, it can we applied directly to the skin as a moisturiser. Pomegranates can also help reduce the risk of cancer, they boost heart health and help increase immune and memory function, as well as helping with improved blood flow to the whole body.

2. Bell Peppers

Vitamin C is essential for making the protein collagen, which provides the foundation for your skin, and there’s no better or easier way to get vitamin C than fill you diet with bell peppers. Increase red ones in particular which are most abundant in Vitamin C, which acts an antioxidant to fight free radicals which not only damage collagen but also elastin, which gives your skin elasticity.  Studies have shown that vitamin C can also reduce the onset of wrinkles – so stack up on peppers and citric fruits when ever possible. Bell peppers are also high in beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A to speed up healing, prevent breakouts, keep the skin hydrated and support the skin's immune system. Vitamin A helps maintain a healthy dermis and epidermis – the top two layers of the skin.

3. Seeds 

Whether you choose sunflower, pumpkin or chia – seeds are a powerhouse of goodness for the complexion. Pumpkin seeds are a skin superfood because they’re so abundant in zinc - a mineral and antioxidant that helps to regulate skin oil glands and wound healing, with low zinc levels being linked with acne. Chai seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids – which are the building blocks of healthy skin cells. These fatty acids, as well as cholesterol are found naturally in the skin barrier and help strengthen it, this skin barrier protects against environmental damage, keeps out dirt and debris and locks in moisture. Sunflower seeds like their counterparts are loaded with vitamin E and are high in essential fatty acids. As well as being ingested, sunflower and chai seed oils work a treat when applied directly to the skin, especially to moisturise parched lips and heels.

4. Avocado 

As well as one of the tastiest foods on the planet, the avocado ticks all the boxes when it comes to what you need for healthy skin. It’s rich in healthy fats (helps keep the skin moisturised and springy) vitamin C (collagen make-up and reduces dry skin), and vitamin E - which has been linked to reducing the affects of photodamage – the damage caused to skin from sun exposure, which can lead to inflammation and even skin cancers, in fact studies have shown that foods that contain both vitamin C and vitamin E - are even better at the protecting against skin cancer. Half an avocado, provides about 17% of the daily required vitamin E and 10% of vitamin C, they’re also great sources of potassium (14%), folate (20%) and vitamin K (26%) - which is needed for wound healing.

5. Green Tea

The healthy skin goals you can achieve with this cuppa are incredible. Green tea contains compounds called catechins which reduce irritation, redness, and swelling, one catechin in particular: EGCG - helps protect the skin against DNA damage from UV radiation and in turn protects against skin cancer. One study found that drinking green tea daily could reduce redness from sun exposure by up to 25%, it also improved the moisture, thickness, and elasticity of the skin. And it’s not just for drinking - it has many benefits when applied straight to the skin, it’s often used to treat acne and for unclogging pores, the polyphenols contained in the tea damage bacterial membranes and fight against infection - reducing bacterial growth that causes acne. Green tea is also high in vitamin B2 which is essential for maintaining collagen levels and the caffeine can help shrink blood vessels around the eyes – perfect for treating puffy eyes and dark circles.

Read next: Five Immune Boosting Foods

Want to know more about what you should be doing to stay fit and healthy? Book a free consultation with one of our personal trainers now by calling or WhatsApping us on +971 55 542 7231 or emailing us at info@fitsquaddxb.com