The Best Plant Foods for Better Skin

The Best Plant Foods for Better Skin

We spend so much money on skin products, but honestly? Good skin health is very much about what you put in your body. 

Here are several whole foods that are genuinely powerful when it comes to skin health, and they're quite easy to find, wherever you live.

Sweet Potatoes

Let's start with sweet potatoes, which are basically a skin superfood in disguise. They are packed with beta carotene, and a single half-cup serving of baked sweet potato contains enough to provide more than six times the daily value of vitamin A.

Beta carotene works as a kind of natural sunblock, getting absorbed into your skin and helping protect your cells from sun exposure, which can reduce dryness and wrinkling. Pretty impressive for a humble root vegetable.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are another great pick. Red bell peppers are loaded with beta carotene and are also one of the best sources of vitamin C, which your body needs to produce collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm and strong.

Broccoli

Then there is broccoli, which deserves way more credit than it gets. It contains lutein, which protects your skin from oxidative damage that can lead to dryness and wrinkles, as well as a compound called sulforaphane, which acts as a powerful protective agent against sun damage by neutralizing harmful free radicals.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are another skin hero worth mentioning. They are rich in vitamin C and contain all the major carotenoids, including lycopene, which has been shown to help protect skin from sun damage and may even help prevent wrinkling. A tip: pair them with a little healthy fat like olive oil, since fat helps your body absorb carotenoids more effectively.

Walnuts

Do not sleep on walnuts either. They are a solid source of essential fatty acids, along with magnesium and the amino acid arginine, all of which may help reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the skin.