12 MORE Things You Should Be Eating for Great Skin and Hair

A few months ago, we talked about 13 things you should be eating every day for the sake of your skin. Today, we’re back with 12 more foods to add to your grocery list. Still hungry? Read on!

Spinach

Green leafy vegetables like spinach are loaded with vitamins — A, C, E and K, to name a few — and minerals that are the key to healthy skin. For example, vitamin B helps protect skin from UV rays that can cause sun damage and vitamin C repairs skin cells.

Carrots

Not just good for your eyesight! Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, a vitamin that forms the main active ingredient in retinols. So if you’re looking for anti-aging benefits as well as decreased oil production, make like a rabbit and chow down on these orange beauties.

Oranges

You know vitamin C is great for immunity, but it also plays a big role in keeping skin hydrated and young-looking. Not into wrinkles or dry skin? Oranges are you friend.

Blueberries

When in doubt, reach for produce that sports a vibrant color, like blueberries. Bright, concentrated hues mean antioxidants, a crucial part of shielding your delicate skin from free radicals.

Olive Oil

Remember those essential fatty acids found in salmon? Good news! They exist in olive oil, too. Since it’s easy to add olive oil to pretty much everything you eat, chances are you’re getting plenty of the good stuff. What’s more, quality olive oil contains antioxidants like polyphenols that fight free radicals.

Green Tea

Finally, your matcha obsession is justified! The vitamin K found in green tea helps brighten dark spots on skin, like undereye circles, so drink up (and not just for the caffeine) if you’re feeling sleepy. Green tea also helps to flush toxins out of the bloodstream — and therefore, skin — as a result of all the polyphenols it contains.

Watermelon

This summer staple is an excellent source of hydration — much of the fruit is actually just water — and hydrated skin means less puffiness and inflammation. It’s also pretty low in sugar compared to other fruits, so you don’t need to worry about your blood sugar spiking and messing with your skin.

Salmon

Feeling inflamed? Add fatty acids to your plate via salmon. Our skin needs fatty acids to stay healthy but our bodies can’t produce the stuff on their own, so we have to supplement with fatty, oily fish like salmon. It’ll help reinforce your skin’s barrier and keep it moisturized.

Broccoli

Collagen is a skin buzzword, and for good reason. But you don’t need to drink bone broth to load up; instead, get your broccoli on. Since it’s packed with vitamin C, the vegetable supports natural collagen production.

Oysters

Surprised to see these briny bivalves on this list? Don’t be! Oysters have sky-high levels of zinc, a mineral that boost immunity and speeds up healing, both skin necessities. Zinc also helps the body create collagen, so oysters lend a hand in keeping your skin tight and plush.

Pumpkin

Not just a Halloween decoration, pumpkins are packed with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and fruit enzymes that act as effective, gentle exfoliation. When skin cells die, they need to be sloughed off to encourage new cell growth. So eat your pumpkin, but consider slathering leftovers on your face as well.

Walnuts

If you’re after omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, walnuts are the best bang for your buck; they’re richer in fatty acids than almost all other nuts and can help reduce inflammation and improve collagen production. Omega-3 is also said to reduce stress, so there’s that.

This information is not intended to treat, diagnose or prevent any disease or issue. 
Please seek your doctor’s advice for any questions regarding a specific condition and before beginning any exercise, diet or health-related regimen.