Food can have a major impact on your skin health. While a multi-step skincare routine, regular visits with an esthetician and taking off your makeup regularly all help to promote better looking skin, those acts can only go so far. In addition, topical treatments also have a limit on what they can do when your diet isn’t healthy.
What you eat plays a bigger role in your skin health than you may think, and may be the missing link to the skin of your dreams. Your skin is an organ, so it needs healthy foods and nutrients to thrive. On your journey to glow-up your skin this season opt for these eight foods to eat during breakfast for hydrated and glowy skin.
Avocado
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to make an avocado mask to have better skin. In fact, avocados can work more effectively on your skin when directly consumed. A study from the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition revealed that eating avocados daily can improve your skin’s elasticity. The textured green fruits contain copious amounts of antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E, which help your skin stay firm and and hydrated.
Sweet Potatoes
When it comes to your overall skin health, sweet potatoes pack a big punch, including Vitamin A, Beta carotene, anti-inflammatory compounds, and Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps your body create collagen by influencing the production of fibroblasts, which are cells that release collagen. With collagen being a beauty-favorite supernutrient, get your daily fix of it by eating sweet potatoes.
Coconut Water
Coconut water both tastes refreshing and hydrates your body, which includes your skin. Consuming coconut water in the morning is like a cheat-code to a healthier skin, because it contains lots of electrolytes to keep your skin hydrated and plump.
Apples
Apples can be the key to better skin especially when incorporated into your breakfast meals. They contain a number of vitamins, which can help speed up skin cell production. Eating apples can help shed dead skin cells from your face to reveal a smooth surface.
Blueberries
Blueberries aren’t only beautiful in color. They are extremely impactful for your skin. The small fruits feature antioxidants that can help reduce premature aging. According to an article from Healthline, the antioxidants in blueberries “ are natural compounds that help fight cell-damaging free radicals.” Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells in the body, including your skin. Outside factors including sun exposure and pollution can increase the presence of free radicals in your skin, causing premature aging, wrinkles and sagging. When you run low on antioxidants, opt for a blueberry-centered breakfast to get your skin back on track. Include the purple-blue fruits in a yogurt parfait or an aesthetically-pleasing acai bowl.
Walnuts
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to a healthy body and skin. In fact, your body can’t naturally produce these acids on its own, so you have to get it through food. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce the inflammation caused by acne breakouts.
Manuka Honey
Manuka honey is a special type of honey produced by bees who feed on Manuka trees, which populate New Zealand and Australia. Consuming the special honey is like a skin elixir. Manuka honey contains natural sugars that act as humectants, which draw moisture from the air back into your skin. To incorporate the honey into breakfast meals, drop some in your hot tea or top your smoothie bowl with Manuka honey.
Salmon
Fish for breakfast may not be ideal for many people, but it should be your go-to if you want better skin. Salmon specifically contains Astaxanthin, an antioxidant that may help hinder wrinkle production. Breakfast recipes for salmon can include smoked salmon on a bagel and crispy salmon patties with biscuits.