Healthy Skin: How to Feed Your Complexion

by Elle,

Eat your way to healthy skin with these good-for-your-face foods

In the June issue of ELLE magazine, senior editor April Long uncovers how to maintain glowing skin while on a diet —and gives a bevy of beauty-boosting nutrition tips. To build upon Long’s complexion-enhancing advice, we contacted Carrie Wiatt, nutritionist to the stars (Fergie is a client), who reveals her top good-for-your-face foods here.

1. Berries
“Berries are particularly good because they’re packed with antioxidants that can protect your skin cells from oxidative damage caused by environmental toxins,” says Wiatt. In fact, when scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University measured various fruits for their ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), berries were among the top 10 most powerful (blueberries ranked number three, with blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries occupying fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively).

2. Salmon
“Of all fish, salmon is one of the richest in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Wiatt, adding that “the skin absolutely has to have essential fatty acids in order to stay plump and youthful-looking.” Not a fan of fish? Contrary to rumors, Wiatt says fish oil supplements won’t cause overactive sebaceous glands in acne-prone skin (“It’s a myth that they’ll make your skin oilier”). If you’re still wary, Wiatt recommends finding healthy fat in avocados (“They’re great for keeping skin moisturized and resilient”), flaxseed or olive oil, and nuts.

3. Sunflower Seeds
Whether you prefer them as a snack or salad topping, Wiatt says sunflower seeds provide a healthy dose of vitamin E—a powerful antioxidant that can protect the skin from sun damage, decelerate the aging process, and diminish the appearance of wrinkles and acne scars.

4. Whole Grains
One of Wiatt’s favorite skin-healthy snacks: Sunflower seed butter from Trader Joe’s spread over whole wheat bread. Whole grains—breads, cereals like bran flakes, etc.—are good sources of zinc and selenium, two powerhouse minerals that guard skin from damage and maintain collagen fibers. As anti-inflammatory agents, zinc and selenium can also help quell acne flare-ups.

5. Citrus Fruits
“Vitamin C helps build collagen,” says Wiatt, noting the importance of vitamin C-infused citrus fruits in upholding skin firmness and elasticity. Citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges are refreshing to eat during summer, but those who lean toward the exotic and/or vegetable variety can find wholesome alternatives in kiwi and red peppers, which actually contain more vitamin C per serving.

6. Spinach
This leafy green is a must-have for any salad—besides being chock-full of zinc, selenium, and vitamins C and E, spinach is also a prime source of vitamin A, which signals the production of new skin cells. Dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese contain ample amounts of the antioxidant too, but may not yield positive skin results for everyone (milk is laced with cow hormones, which some researchers say boost hormonal acne in humans who consume it). If you do have sensitivity to milk, however, there’s no reason to sour on the creamy mixture: It can also work wonders topically. Wiatt suggests pouring some in your bath à la Cleopatra for skin-smoothing results (in addition to Vitamin A, milk contains exfoliating lactic acid). Many beauty brands also offer packaged, less messy milk-based options (see Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash).