4 Foods Types That Make Your Skin Glow Instantly

You need to understand the skin structure to know the best foods that make your skin glow.

Our skin has two main layers.

• Epidermis
• Dermis 

Epidermis – The outer layer epidermis is covered in a thin layer of cells that helps to protect the skin from damage.

Dermis – The middle layer dermis is made up of several layers of cells and contains blood vessels and nerve cells.

These blood vessels supply nutrients from dermis to the epidermal layer of the skin. Nutrients help to promote cell growth and regeneration, keep the skin hydrated, and prevent inflammation. 

Eating foods that are high in antioxidants may help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. A diet rich in vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats helps in supporting the immune system, and repairing damaged skin. These nutrients are essential for the production of collagen and elastin, which help to make skin cells strong and maintain elasticity of the skin.

Chia seeds can be consumed regularly to maintain a glow on your skin.

Imbalance in nutrition and poor eating habits lead to a decrease in collagen production, which causes skin aging such as wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots.

Foods to eat that make your skin glow

#1. Hydrating Food 

Proper hydration of the skin not only helps maintain its appearance, but also helps to ensure internal pH balance of your skin and tissue function. A lack of hydration can lead to dryness, wrinkles, dehydration, and increased sensitivity to the environment. 

Foods that contain high water content, such as fruits and vegetables, help keep your skin hydrated from the inside out. Consuming hydrating foods can improve your skin’s elasticity and tighten your skin for healthy glowing skin. 

In addition, water enriched food can also increase the production of natural skin lubricants, which can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age spots. To keep the skin’s surface smooth and healthy, hydrating food also provides moisture and nutrients to the cells.

Water enriched foods also contain antioxidants and other nutrients that are beneficial for your skin.

Fruits and vegetables high in water content include 

• Citrus fruits – lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and limes
• Other fruits – watermelon, muskmelon, pineapple, grapes, apricots, blueberries, peaches
• Vegetables – cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, spinach and leafy green vegetables.

 Drinking 8 glasses of water a day also helps keep your skin hydrated and looking healthy, radiant. Because it helps to flush out toxins and other impurities from the body.

#2. Collagen Rich Food

Collagen is a type of protein, found in the middle layer of the skin dermis, that helps keep your skin elastic and smooth. Collagen also helps keep your skin hydrated, which is important for preventing dryness and cracking. 

As you age, your body produces less collagen which leads to dry skin and the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. So, eating foods high in collagen will help to keep your skin healthy and elastic.

These are the healthiest foods to eat that produce collagen.

• Animal-based protein – Bone Broth, Eggs, Meat – beef, pork, and lamb, Fish and shellfish
• Plant-based protein – algae spirulina.
• Citrus fruits – oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes 
• Berries – Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
• Tropical fruits – mango, kiwi, pineapple, and guava 
• Vegetables – garlic, leafy greens, beans, tomatoes, bell pepper boost collagen synthesis in the body too.

Glowing Skin Tip – With healthy diet, you should also follow 15 minutes morning skincare routine for healthy and glowing skin.

#3. Vitamins

Vitamin A

Vitamin A contains retinoids, which can help to fight signs of sun damage like hyperpigmentation, sunspot and cell turnover. Vitamin A can stimulate collagen production, which helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. 

Vitamin A keeps your skin moist by regulating the production of sebum, which is the oil that keeps your skin from drying out. 

Vitamin A acts as an exfoliate, which can help to remove dead skin cells and improve the appearance of skin tone. Vitamin A can also improve acne-prone skin by reducing inflammation and preventing clogged pores.

Food that contains Vitamin A (retinol) 

• Orange or yellow vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, yellow bell pepper, and papaya.
• Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, and broccoli.
• Fruits including mangoes, apricots, and plums
• Fortified low-fat spreads, milk, yogurt, eggs, and cheese.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) – The recommended vitamin A for a healthy adult is 900mcg for men and 700mcg for women per day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is necessary for the production of collagen, a protein that helps to keep skin elastic and healthy. A lack of vitamin C can lead to dry, cracked, and wrinkled skin. 

Nutrients with vitamin C can help to improve the overall appearance of the skin, by reducing wrinkles, age spots, and formation of scars, and increasing collagen production.

Vitamin C is also an effective antioxidant, which can help to protect the skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation and free radicals.

Fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C include

• Citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, grapefruit, 
• Other fruits like blackcurrant, kiwi, strawberries, rose hip, guava, 
• Dark green leafy vegetables like mustard greens, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, chili pepper, and bell pepper.  

Vitamin D

Vitamin D also called “Sunshine Vitamin”, is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight. During exposure to the sun UVB rays interact with a 7-DHC (dehydrocholesterol) protein in the skin epidermis (top layer) and dermis (middle layer). Then converts it into pre-vitamin D3 which in turn into vitamin D3, the biologically active form of vitamin D. 

However, over-exposure to the sun’s UV rays increases the risk of premature aging, sunburn, suntan, and developing risk of skin cancer. So, you can also get enough vitamin D from dietary sources and use sunscreen with SPF 30 for better protection from UV rays. 

Vitamin D is important for calcium and phosphate absorption that helps to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Vitamin D regulates the production of skin cells to enhance skin immunity. Packed with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, Vitamin D protects the skin from infection and inflammation.

Diets rich in vitamin D are likely

• Dairy products such as milk, salmon, butter, and cheese.
• Fortified soy milk and yogurt 
• Egg and fatty fish like mackerel, tuna, and sardines. 
• Fortified cereals, orange juices

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by free radicals and helps to keep skin healthy.

To keep your skin moisturized, vitamin E found in the sebum (skin oil) protects the skin from water loss and damage. Vitamin E can also improve blood circulation, which can help your skin feel softer and smoother.

Food high in Vitamin E

• Plant oils such as rapeseed (vegetable oil), sunflower, safflower, soya, corn, and olive oil
• Wheatgerm like cereals and cereal products.
• Nuts include almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and sunflower seeds.

#4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids 

Omega-3 is an essential polyunsaturated fat found in foods like fish and seeds. Omega-3 helps to keep cell membranes flexible and protects your skin from damage caused by inflammation.

The sebum (oil) production is regulated by omega-3 fatty acids, which lead to less acne and skin dryness. Omega-3 fatty acids delay the skin’s aging process and boost hydration to prevent wrinkles and acne. Omega-3 fatty acids also support healthy cell turnover, which speeds up natural repair processes.

In addition, omega-3 helps improve the overall appearance of your skin by reducing wrinkles and age spots. Omega-3 fatty acids also help to protect your skin from UV damage and reduce inflammation.

Omega-3 rich foods

• Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines
• Seeds – flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds
• Soybean and soy oil 
• Avocados
• Walnuts

Conclusion 

A balanced and nutrient-rich diet is important for overall health, but it is also essential for keeping your skin healthy and glowing. In addition, face yoga can make a big difference in the appearance of your skin.

Regular practice of face yoga helps to improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation, sign of aging, and boost the production of collagen and elastin.