Keeping your skin fresh, clear and spot free is a never-ending challenge. Right when you think you’ve got it under control, the smallest bit of stress brings a whole new breakout. It’s a nightmare, and skincare routines can cost a small fortune. But what if there was a way to use everyday ingredients that are part of your supermarket shop to improve your skin?

We’ve done some digging and found some of the best superfoods to eat that’ll keep your skin glowing.

Salmon or mackerel

You might love fish for a healthy dinner option, but there’s more to it than just a delicious meal. The Omega-3 acids in fatty fish like salmon or mackerel help keep your skin naturally moisturised and can reduce redness, meaning that even if you do get a spot, you won’t have to cake it in concealer to hide it. Plus, the protein in fish helps keep your skin strong, meaning you’ll have fewer breakouts. If you’re out of ideas on how to eat more fish, why not try a pan-fried mackerel salad or salmon burgers?

Avocados

You can’t read an article about superfoods without avocados making an appearance, and among their many uses is contributing to great skincare. This magical green fruit is full of healthy fats which give your skin flexibility, so you’ll be less likely to develop wrinkles. They’re packed with vitamins C and E, which provide antioxidants and help your skin create collagen to keep your skin younger for longer. There are even suggested signs that avocados can protect from the Sun (although you’re still better off wearing sun cream). It makes for a tasty snack in a sandwich or on toast, and when you’re getting all these skin benefits, it’s well worth it.

Lemon

Lemons are more than just the orange’s more bitter cousin. They’re full of vitamin C, which means they’ll help your skin look younger and more firm. They also help counter the acidity of foods like coffee, alcohol or processed meals. If you don’t balance your body, you’ll have too much acid in your system, which makes your skin dry up and become easily irritated. Don’t let that happen! Grab a lemon and squeeze it over your pancakes or into your porridge to make sure you can keep your natural glow.

Blueberries

Chock-full of antioxidants, blueberries are so easy to get into your diet and they can keep your skin fresh at the same time as being a tasty snack. These fight to keep your skin cells and collagen intact, meaning you’ll keep younger-looking skin for longer. There are also some all-important vitamins in blueberries, including vitamin A which helps balance the oil in your skin and can act as a natural antidote for acne. As if you needed more of an excuse to grab a blueberry muffin with your coffee tomorrow morning…

Sweet potato

Sweet potatoes are filled to the brim with beta-carotene. It’s found in vegetables like carrots, squash, kale and spinach. In one serving of sweet potato though, there’s enough beta-carotene to give you about 4 times the amount of vitamin A you need in a day. It also acts a bit like natural sun cream (although again, please make sure you’re still protecting yourself with that too), because it protects the skin from sun exposure. This can help with dryness and wrinkles, and studies show that carotene can give your skin warmer tones, which make you look naturally healthier. Sweet potato is delicious too, so there’s no shortage of recipes to discover to up your intake of it.

 

Well, there you have it! Five ingredients to get creative within cooking to make your diet and your skin healthier. Combined with drinking plenty of water, you’ll be on your way to stronger, happier skin in no time.