Your skin is your body’s largest organ, so it’s no wonder that its health directly correlates with your body’s own. While investing in good products for your skincare routine is a great way to keep your youthful glow for years to come, it’s just as important, if not more, to eat a healthy and balanced diet. 

Research suggests that highly processed foods can expedite aging by triggering inflammation and hindering skin’s metabolism. Replacing these with foods that are antioxidant-rich will instead protect your skin against environmental stressors speeding up your metabolism and in turn slowing down the aging process. Opting for a diet filled with fruits and vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and of course lots of water will do wonders for your skin. Here are some of the foods that you should consider adding to your diet. 

Fruit   
Add blueberries, mangoes, and citrus to your morning smoothie, on yogurt, or in a fruit salad to help fill up on antioxidants and protect your skin from free radicals that slow down the aging process.

Veggies 
Loading up on vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and carrots are helpful for packing in the carotenoids, which are integral for hydrating skin and keeping damage at bay, as well as, vitamin C which prevents sun damage and stimulates collagen production.  

Proteins and Healthy Fats
Start your day with egg whites and avocados to get in amino acids, collagen, and omegas right off the bat, which all help skin’s elasticity. Snacking on seeds and nuts will allow you to sneak in some zinc and essential fatty acids, helping to reduce inflammation, expedite wound healing, and regulate oil production. For lunch or dinner, opt for fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring to get omega-3s, which also help collagen production and reduce inflammation, redness, and acne. Top it all off with antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, which studies have shown can lead to more hydrated skin that better withstands the aging process

Spices
Did you also know that spices are a great way for adding nutrition to your diet? Turmeric helps combat free radicals and promote collagen production. Cinnamon is good for stimulating circulation and blood flow bringing oxygen and nutrients directly to the skin and paprika is a great source of vitamin C and E and carotenoids.