Whether your skin is dry or acne-prone, assistance can be found in what you eat

Unhappy skin is caused by oxidative stress, inflammation, and dryness, so what you consume supports the body to deal with that from the inside out. The ideal diet is composed of nutritionally dense foods, which keeps things humming on the inside and looking pretty on the outside.

Whether your skin is dry or acne-prone, assistance can be found in what you eat. A properly nourished body is even associated with better wound healing, so the perks just keep coming.

Omega-3 fatty acids produce collagen, combat inflammation, and keep cell membranes in good shape. They also keep our heart and arteries healthy. They are found in fish (don’t rely on gefilte), flaxseed, and walnuts.

Vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols are antioxidants, which are found in colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and even in coffee and dark (very dark) chocolate (70% cacao).

Vitamin A (which is also the topical retinol) is found in liver, sweet potato, cooked spinach, and low-fat dairy products. Yogurt (meaning plain, not flavored) is doubly fabulous because of the probiotics — a happy gut also means happy skin.

Healthy oils keep skin lubricated, but the less processed, the better. Extra virgin, expeller-pressed, cold-pressed — these are the terms you want to see on the bottle. A little goes a long way.

Then there’s always everyone’s friend, the avocado.

Margarine? Hard pass. Standard margarine (and dairy-free whipped topping) contain partially hydrogenated oils, aka trans fat. Trans fat is no friend to the body, internally (think heart disease) or externally; consumption has been shown to increase skin’s sensitivity to UV radiation, meaning sun damage and skin cancer.

Sugar and simple carbs can also exacerbate acne. High-glycemic foods (sugar and white flour) cause inflammation, which makes oil secretion higher. In my youth, the blame was put on chocolate, but it’s not the chocolate that causes pimples — it’s the sugar in the chocolate. A low glycemic diet, one that doesn’t spike blood sugar, can help keep acne at bay. Complex carbs are the go-to here, which includes whole grains (give farro a try!), legumes, fruit, and starchy vegetables.

Nitrates in processed meat ravage collagen fibers, so it pays to know what exactly is preserving your cold cuts. Another aging culprit: sodium. Too much of it absorbs water from the body, leaving it wrinkly, and oil glands can act up, too, in an attempt to lubricate the skin, which leads us back to: acne. So keep chugging water! Water, water, water. Skin likes water. (Skin doesn’t like soda. Or fruit juices.)

And for the statement that no one wants to hear: Sugar ages the body. I’m not talking about the sugar in fruits, which also contain fiber and nutrients, but refined sugar and simple carbs, like white flour.

Sugar reacts with a protein in the body that results in “advanced glycation end products,” which, in turn, interferes with collagen repair, which leads to wrinkles. So keep an eye on your sugar intake. A little here and there won’t cause much damage, but you’d be surprised how much can be in processed foods. Read the nutrition labels. For instance, I recommended plain, unflavored yogurt above flavored ones because there is a shocking amount of sugar in the flavored ones. You’d be better off adding your own sweetener.

Some people can get acne breakouts from dairy. Some only react to milk, but not cheese and yogurt. Whey protein products might also be a trigger for some. It’s not the same for everyone, so you can try cutting back on dairy, then reintroduce different products and observe how the skin reacts.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 923)