Want a fabulous complexion? A healthy glow starts from the inside out. So feed your skin with these epidermis-boosting superfoods, from sweet potatoes to sunflowers seeds. Plus: How to eat them today.
SWEET POTATO
Antioxidants aren’t just good for your overall health, they’re also great for your skin, says Scott Herman, M.D., of Lanphier Day Spa & Salon in Darien, CT: “My favorite [source] is the sweet potato, a skin superfood also rich in vitamin A and beta carotene.”
Eat It: Bake it—then “top it with a dollop of coconut oil for a healthy source of fat, which helps absorb those complexion-friendly antioxidants,” says Herman.
BERRIES
Vitamin C, a grade-A antioxidant, is another complexion savior, and strawberries and blueberries are packed with it. “Vitamin C also helps form collagen, which allows skin to stay tight and smooth,” says Fairfield, CT-based nutritionist Dana White.
Eat It: Blend frozen or fresh berries into a morning smoothie, or bake them into whole wheat muffins for a fiber-filled snack perfect for any time of day.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS
This ballpark staple is full of vitamin E, which protects skin cells from sun damage and other environmental enemies, says White. Other prime sources of this important nutrient include almonds, avocados and peanuts.
Eat It: Snack on them anytime (you can buy them in the bulk section pre-shelled if cracking them yourself isn’t your thing) or rotate sunbutter into your PB&J routine for a new spin on the classic combination.
DARK CHOCOLATE
A few ounces of 70 percent (or greater) cocoa dark chocolate a week is a tasty and skin-saving treat, says Herman. “Cocoa is packed with flavonols, which help skin protect itself from free-radical UV damage and collagen break-down.”
Eat It: Buy small, individually wrapped bars (like those from Dove) to avoid eating too much.
WALNUTS
This crunchy nut, as well as salmon and chia seeds, is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which “fight inflammation and control puffiness,” says White.
Eat It: Sprinkle them chopped on cereal, oatmeal and granola, and then top with fresh or frozen berries for a breakfast that will help your skin before you even help yourself to that first cup of coffee.
