Although heading to a dermatologist is a great way to help you feel a bit more confident in your skin, there are many other ways to give your skin a bit of a boost. Often, the glow that we all crave starts from the inside—hydration and whole foods may be the missing piece when it comes to improving your complexion. Before spending a ton of money at the doctor’s office to improve your skin health, try introducing these foods into your diet. It could be a great way to make sure you get all the essential nutrients your skin needs to look its absolute best.
Turmeric
This spice, often used in curry, has been having its popular moment. Usually, I am pretty wary of trendy foods accompanied by big health claims, but this one checks out. In terms of its acne-fighting benefits, turmeric has properties that are proven to be anti-inflammatory, which can do wonders for swollen, red cysts that keep popping up.
#SpoonTip: Turmeric is best absorbed with pepper, so next time you’re preparing a curry make sure to sprinkle a little extra turmeric onto the dish.
Almonds
Eating almonds is an easy and delicious way to up your daily dose of Vitamin E, which is essential for healthy skin, hair and nails. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps to neutralize free radicals and may even help to reduce collagen breakdown, keeping your skin looking youthful. My favorite way to incorporate almonds into my diet is by slathering almond butter onto basically everything I eat.
Berries
Berries are basically great for everything (which is amazing because they are essentially nature’s candy). This is because they are incredibly concentrated with antioxidants. Eating antioxidant-rich food has been linked to the reduction of acne symptoms, as they fight off acne-causing free radicals. Sticking with your classic blueberries is great, but—if you really want to experiment—barberries have been shown to be a highly effective acne treatment.
Sweet Potatoes
Just as retinol (the purest form of Vitamin A) can help reduce the symptoms of acne, so, too, can foods with a high concentration of this vitamin. Sweet potatoes—or, really, anything orange—are a delicious and wonderful source of Vitamin A. Just one sweet potato can give you over 100 percent of your retinol activity equivalent. Sprinkle on some turmeric and pepper, and you’ve got yourself a terrific acne-fighting meal.
Pumpkin Seeds
Incorporating some pumpkin seeds into your diet can do wonders for your skin health because these seeds are packed with zinc. Zinc has some wonderful anti-inflammatory properties. While zinc is found in a lot of foods, these seeds give you some of the biggest bangs for your bucks. Add them to your salad or mix them into your oatmeal or chocolate to incorporate some acne fighting properties into your day.
These are just a few of my favorite ways to obtain all the nutrients I need so that I can have the best skin I possibly can. However, there are an abundance of ways to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin E, zinc, antioxidants, and the myriad of other nutrients that your body needs. Overall, making sure you eat a balanced diets that works for your needs and goals while simultaneously making you happy is the most important thing.