An effective skin care regime is essential for a radiant complexion. But it’s also possible to eat your way to a fabulous glow.
GB News spoke exclusively to a dietician about her top breakfast, lunch and dinner options for “beautiful, youthful skin”.
Registered dietician nutritionist Shelley Balls from Consumer Health Digest said: “The best breakfasts, lunches and dinners for beautiful, youthful skin are ones that include a variety of foods and emphasise whole foods, healthy fats and lean proteins.
“Nutrients shown to play a key role in skin health include B vitamins like niacin and biotin, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega-3 fats, copper, selenium, zinc, probiotics, and potassium.”
The lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids in nuts and seeds ‘help moisturise and hydrate your skin’
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Breakfast
For a skin-boosting breakfast, the expert recommended whipping up scrambled eggs with spinach and whole wheat toast topped with sliced avocado and a side of berries.
Alternatively, skin enthusiasts can enjoy overnight oats made with Greek yoghurt, strawberries, walnuts and chia seeds.
Shelley explained: “The nuts and seeds provide lean protein and omega-3 fats that can help moisturise and hydrate your skin.
“Either of these breakfast options is also high in vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant protecting your skin from oxidative stress and helps moisturize and heal your skin.”
Lunch
For lunch, the dietician advised that chicken fajita wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, served with guacamole and black beans could be a winner for “youthful skin”.
Offering an extra skin tip, she added: “Don’t forget your orange on the side for an additional boost of vitamin C.”
Shelley stated: “Bell peppers and citrus fruits are packed with vitamin C, which is needed to produce collagen.
“[Collagen] keeps the skin firm and elastic, helps reduce inflammation and protects your skin from UV rays.”
The expert also recommended stocking up on potassium-rich foods such as peppers and whole grains as these help keeping the skin hydrated by “regulating your skin’s ability to hold water”.
She added: “Chicken is a great source of lean protein and selenium. Selenium acts as an antioxidant that helps protect skin cells from damage and inflammation.”
Dinner
Shelley advised enjoying an evening meal of salmon, sweet potato and green salad.
She explained that this dinner is high in omega-3 fats, vitamin C, Vitamin A, lean protein and whole grains.
Vitamin A is great for “preventing signs of ageing” and cataylsing skin repair by “promoting cell turnover”.
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‘Don’t forget your orange on the side for an additional boost of vitamin C’
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As well as stocking up on the right foods, it’s also important to limit your consumption of things that can actually cause the skin to age prematurely.
An article published in the National Library of Medicine on Diet and Skin Ageing – From the Perspective of Food Nutrition cited fat, tobacco, alcohol, sugar and baked goods as products that deteriorate the skin.
For those looking to eat their way to better skin, a dermatologist shared the one type of healthy fat that is crucial for glowing, healthy skin.
