The 12 Best Foods for Healthy Skin

2. Avocados

Avocados are high in healthy fats. These fats benefit many functions in your body, including the health of your skin (7 Trusted Source).

Getting enough of these fats is essential to keep skin flexible and moisturized.

One study in over 700 women found that a high intake of total fat — specifically the types of healthy fats found in avocados — was associated with more supple, springy skin (8 Trusted Source).

Preliminary evidence also shows that avocados contain compounds that may protect your skin from sun damage. UV damage to your skin can cause wrinkles and other signs of aging (8 Trusted Source, 9 Trusted Source).

Avocados are also a good source of vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant that helps protect your skin from oxidative damage. Most Americans don’t get enough vitamin E through their diet.

Interestingly, vitamin E seems to be more effective when combined with vitamin C (5 Trusted Source).

Vitamin C is also essential for healthy skin. Your skin needs it to create collagen, which is the main structural protein that keeps your skin strong and healthy (10 Trusted Source).

A deficiency in vitamin C is rare these days, but common symptoms include dry, rough and scaly skin that tends to bruise easily.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that protects your skin from oxidative damage — caused by the sun and the environment — which can lead to signs of aging (10 Trusted Source).

A 100-gram serving, or about 1/2 an avocado, provides 10% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin E and 17% of the RDI for vitamin C (11).

Summary Avocados are high in beneficial fats and contain vitamins E and C, which are important for healthy skin. They also pack compounds that may protect your skin from sun damage.

3. Walnuts

Walnuts have many characteristics that make them an excellent food for healthy skin.

They are a good source of essential fatty acids, which are fats that your body cannot make itself.

In fact, they’re richer than most other nuts in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (12, 13 Trusted Source).

A diet too high in omega-6 fats may promote inflammation, including inflammatory conditions of your skin like psoriasis. On the other hand, omega-3 fats reduce inflammation in your body — including in your skin (13 Trusted Source).

While omega-6 fatty acids are plentiful in the Western diet, sources of omega-3 fatty acids are rare. Because walnuts contain a good ratio of these fatty acids, they may fight the inflammatory response to excessive omega-6.

What’s more, walnuts contain other nutrients that your skin needs to function properly and stay healthy.

One ounce (28 grams) of walnuts contains 6% of the RDI for zinc, which is essential for your skin to function properly as a barrier, as well as necessary for wound healing and combatting both bacteria and inflammation (14 Trusted Source).

Walnuts also provide small amounts of the antioxidants vitamin E, vitamin C and selenium, in addition to 4–5 grams of protein per ounce (28 grams) (12).

Summary Walnuts are a good source of essential fats, zinc, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium and protein — all of which are nutrients your skin needs to stay healthy.

4. Sunflower Seeds

In general, nuts and seeds are good sources of skin-boosting nutrients.

Sunflower seeds are an excellent example.

One ounce (28 grams) of sunflower seeds packs 37% of the RDI for vitamin E, 32% of the RDI for selenium, 10% of the RDI for zinc and 5.4 grams of protein (15).

Summary Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of nutrients, including vitamin E, which is an important antioxidant for the skin.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Beta-carotene is a nutrient found in plants.

It functions as provitamin A, which means it can be converted into vitamin A in your body.

Beta-carotene is found in oranges and vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes (5 Trusted Source, 16 Trusted Source).

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source — one 1/2-cup serving (100 grams) of baked sweet potato contains enough beta-carotene to provide nearly four times the RDI of vitamin A (17).

Carotenoids like beta-carotene keep your skin healthy by acting as a natural sunblock.

When consumed, this antioxidant is incorporated into your skin and protects your skin cells from sun exposure. This may help prevent sunburn, cell death and dry, wrinkled skin.

Interestingly, high amounts of beta-carotene may also add a warm, orange color to your skin, contributing to an overall healthier appearance (5 Trusted Source).

Summary Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which acts as a natural sunblock and may protect your skin from sun damage.

6. Red or Yellow Bell Peppers

Like sweet potatoes, bell peppers are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A.

One cup (149 grams) of chopped red bell pepper contains the equivalent of 92% of the RDI for vitamin A (18).

They’re also one of the best sources of vitamin C, necessary for creating the protein collagen which keeps skin firm and strong. A single cup (149 grams) of bell pepper provides an impressive 317% of the RDI for vitamin C (18).

A large observational study in women linked eating plenty of vitamin C to a reduced risk of wrinkled and dry skin with age (19 Trusted Source).

Summary Bell peppers contain plenty of beta-carotene and vitamin C — both of which are important antioxidants for your skin. Vitamin C is also necessary to create collagen, the structural protein that keeps your skin strong.

7. Broccoli

Broccoli is full of many vitamins and minerals important for skin health, including zinc, vitamin A and vitamin C (20).

It also contains lutein, a carotenoid that works like beta-carotene. Lutein protects your skin from oxidative damage, which can cause your skin to become dry and wrinkled.

But broccoli florets also pack a special compound called sulforaphane, which boasts some impressive potential benefits. It may even have anti-cancer effects, including on some types of skin cancer (21 Trusted Source, 22 Trusted Source).

Sulforaphane is also a powerful protective agent against sun damage. It works in two ways: by neutralizing harmful free radicals and switching on other protective systems in your body (22 Trusted Source, 23 Trusted Source).

In laboratory tests, sulforaphane reduced the number of skin cells killed by UV light by as much as 29%, with protection lasting up to 48 hours. Evidence suggests sulforaphane may also maintain collagen levels in your skin (23 Trusted Source).

Summary Broccoli is a good source of vitamins, minerals and carotenoids that are important for skin health. It also contains sulforaphane, which may help prevent skin cancer and protect your skin from sunburn.

8. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and contain all of the major carotenoids, including lycopene.

Beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene have been shown to protect your skin against damage from the sun. They may also help prevent wrinkling (24 Trusted Source, 25 Trusted Source, 26 Trusted Source).

Because tomatoes contain all of the major carotenoids, they’re an excellent food for maintaining healthy skin.

Consider pairing carotenoid-rich foods like tomatoes with a source of fat, such as cheese or olive oil. Fat increases your absorption of carotenoids (27 Trusted Source).

Summary Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and all of the major carotenoids, especially lycopene. These carotenoids protect your skin from sun damage and may help prevent wrinkling.

9. Soy

Soy contains isoflavones, a category of plant compounds that can either mimic or block estrogen in your body.

Isoflavones may benefit several parts of your body, including your skin.

One small study in middle-aged women found that eating soy isoflavones every day for 8–12 weeks reduced fine wrinkles and improved skin elasticity (28 Trusted Source).

In postmenopausal women, soy may also improve skin dryness and increase collagen, which helps keep your skin smooth and strong (29 Trusted Source).