9 “Beauty Foods” That Will Keep Your Skin Glowing, According to Doctors

The newest trend in skincare isn’t a cream, cleanser, or cosmetic procedure, it’s something far simpler: Your diet. In fact, the internet has recently rallied around the concept of “eating your skincare,” or loading up on nutritionally dense beauty foods that can actually give your skin an upgrade from the inside out.

“What you eat contributes to your skincare as much as creams and cleansers do,” says Stephanie Taylor, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and senior consultant to the cosmetics manufacturing company Medpak Solutions. “Feed your body well, and your skin reflects it. That is the ultimate glow-up.

“While dietary choices can positively impact the skin, they should complement, not replace, traditional skincare practices. For instance, you should ignore the dangerous viral claim that eating watermelon, rich in lycopene, can serve as a substitute for sunscreen.

That said, doctors are all-in on the idea of eating foods that both beautify you aesthetically and boost your health. These are the nine beauty foods to put on your plate to get your skin glowing in no time.

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Avocados are known to contribute to skin hydration and elasticity, making them a great addition to your derm-friendly diet.

“Avocados are rich in healthy fats such as oleic acid, keeping the skin supple and moisturized. They also consist of vitamin E, guarding against damage inflicted on the skin from pollution or the sun,” explains Taylor. ‘

In fact, the dermatologist says she regularly recommends them to patients looking to revitalize their skin from the inside out: “I usually prescribe avocado for patients with rough or dry skin since it enhances the quality of the skin in a natural manner.”

Berries are a superfood, densely packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that the body craves. And these nutritional features that make berries beneficial for your overall health can also help you maintain healthy and glowing skin.

“Berries consist of plenty of antioxidants such as vitamin C and polyphenols. They combat inflammation and maintain your skin’s collagen, making your face firm and smooth,” says Taylor. “I’ve noticed that patients who incorporate berries into their diet experience fewer breakouts, and their skin appears brighter.”

In particular, she recommends blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries, noting that these contain ample antioxidants.

Every expert we spoke to emphasized the importance of incorporating fatty fish into your skincare diet. Taylor suggests trying salmon, mackerel, and sardines—all of which are rich in healthy polyunsaturated fats.

“Fatty fish consist of plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which repair the skin barrier and fight inflammation,” the doctor tells Best Life. “They’re excellent for soothing itchy skin and can be used for eczema or psoriasis. I used to see individuals with red and itchy skin improve immensely after incorporating fish in their weekly diet.”

Roger Kapoor, MD, a Harvard-trained dermatologist and senior vice president at Beloit Memorial Hospital, agrees that omega-3-rich foods are an essential part of any skincare diet. He says they “lock in hydration” by strengthening the skin’s lipid barrier, ultimately making our skin look more plump and smooth.

“Omega-3s have the ability to calm our skin as they reduce the ability for our body to produce inflammatory compounds,” Kapoor explains. “This helps our skin have less irritation, dryness, or redness. Fish also have a lot of protein and zinc within them, which helps our body repair and regenerate quicker.”

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Want to smooth wrinkles, increase collagen, and even protect against sun damage? Adding sweet potatoes to your diet could help do just that.

“Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes the development and regeneration of skin, and it is vital for smooth and clear skin,” says Taylor. “I routinely recommend this vegetable for patients with acne-prone skin as well as congested pores.”

Some people associate chocolate with breakouts, but Kapoor says that by choosing dark chocolate made with at least 70 percent cocoa, you should only see skin improvements.

“Dark chocolate is a great source of flavonoids, which enhance blood flow and hydration to our skin, producing a more radiant and even skin tone,” he explains. “Of course, everything in moderation! Too much chocolate may lead to a sugar spike and have the opposite effect!”

Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, and chia seeds, are rich in omega fatty acids, making them another great beauty food to add to your skincare diet.

“In addition to being essential to heart and brain health, omegas are also key to proper skin function,” shares Geeta Yadav, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of FACET Dermatology in Toronto, Canada. “Omega fatty acids help keep your skin hydrated, nourished, and balanced from the inside out. If your skin and hair tend to be very dry, increasing your consumption of these foods may help.”

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Because it contains an abundance of polyphenols, green tea can boost your heart health, support brain function, stabilize your blood sugar, and reduce inflammation. But the experts say there’s another, lesser-known benefit to brewing a daily cup: Healthier skin.

“Green tea contains the catechin EGCG, an active ingredient that assists in controlling oil and shielding the skin against the damage done by sunlight,” says Taylor. “It calms the skin and keeps the breakouts at bay,” she adds, noting that she often prescribes this beauty food for teens and adults with sensitive and oily skin.

Yadav recommends eating plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables to get glowing skin.

“Vibrant produce, like tomatoes, citrus fruits, broccoli, kale, and other leafy greens, is higher in antioxidants than other fruits and vegetables,” she says. “Antioxidants are compounds that defend against free radicals, unstable molecules that cause stress on the body and can lead to damage, including skin aging. The more of these foods you have in your diet, the better!”

Finally, Yadav recommends eating plenty of water-rich foods, which she says can help you moisturize your skin from the inside out.

“Hydration is key to healthy skin, and most of us don’t drink enough water throughout the day, so increasing your hydration levels through food can be helpful,” the doctor explains. “Foods like cucumber, celery, tomatoes, lettuce, and melon (especially watermelon!) have naturally high water contents.”

She explains that not only does water help plump the skin to make it look firmer, smoother, and healthier, but it’s also critical to your body’s natural detoxification processes.

“Incorporating plenty of water into your diet helps the body flush out waste, which could help promote clearer skin with fewer blemishes,” Yadav points out.