Updated on November 9, 2023.
Do you really have to spend a lot to have fresh, vibrant skin?
Top-shelf skin creams average about $400 per ounce, yet very few offer any proof that they do what they promise. A better bet that's backed by experts—and is much easier on your wallet? Load your shopping cart with nutrients that have been shown to possess skin-hydrating, sun-protecting, and skin-strengthening powers, says Amy Wechsler, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. Here's her grocery list of the best foods for your skin:
Firm, bright, and colorful
You've heard it before: "Eat more fruits and vegetables." But if you've yet to take that advice to heart, maybe knowing that they can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles will do the trick.
The skin doctor's top three picks: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and cantaloupe
What they do: Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants. These powerful anti-inflammatory help your skin neutralize free radicals whenever they make an appearance. Free radicals are highly reactive oxygen molecules that damage cells and contribute to everything from dryness to wrinkles.
Fresh and juicy
Your body can't store much vitamin C (another powerful antioxidant), so you need to replenish your supplies regularly. The easiest way: Have some citrus every day.
The skin doctor's top four picks: oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit
Ounce for ounce, oranges are the top citrus source of C, but a healthy diet includes variety, so mix things up. Make lemonade, squeeze limes on melon, add grapefruit to a green salad, or instead of drinking sugary soda, splash orange juice into a glass of sparkling water.
What they do: Citrus fruits help keep your skin's vitamin C levels high. While vitamin C is a nifty antioxidant, it's not the only reason it's on this list. It also helps keep collagen strong and resilient. (Collagen makes up the supportive protein fibers that help keep skin firm and taut. Reduced levels of collagen may contribute to lines, wrinkles, and sagging.) Since collagen typically increases in your mid-30s, now's a great time to make citrus part of your daitly diet.
Smoothing and soothing
There's a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG (or epigallocatechin-3-gallate) that does all kinds of good things for skin. The best place to find it? Black, green, or white tea (but not herbal varieties). Brew a full teapot every morning so that you can sip four to six cups throughout the day. (Just be sure to ease back by the mid-afternoon as the caffeine in tea could keep you up at night—and you know your beauty rest is important for healthy skin, too.)
The skin doctor's top pick: green tea
While all true teas contain EGCG, the various types of green tea have the most. Dr. Wechsler's personal favorite is hojicha green tea, a variety that originates in Japan.
"The roasting process that turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content," she says, which can come in handy if you're sensitive to caffeine or if it's just one of those days when you don't need another stimulant.
What it does: Tea gives your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multitasker. Not only does EGCG put a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging. It also helps prevent skin cancer and has a taming effect on tumor cells. What's more, green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid with stress-reducing effects. Anything you can do to ease the flow of the stress hormone cortisol also helps keep collagen fibers intact.
Dark and green
Certain dark green vegetables, whether they're fresh, frozen, raw, or steamed, really deliver on vitamin A, one of the most skin-essential vitamins going.
The skin doctor's top three picks: spinach, turnip greens, and broccoli
What they do: Dark, leafy greens deliver a hefty supply of vitamin A, which supports skin-cell turnover. This is the process that keeps cell growth and development humming along. Without enough vitamin A, skin may become dry, tough, and scaly.
Fish faves
Several cold-water catches give your skin a double benefit: skin-smoothing omega-3 fatty acids and the restorative powers of protein.
The skin doctor's top seven picks: salmon, trout, tuna, sardines, Atlantic mackerel, Pacific herring, and most types of shellfish
Just don't go... overboard. As good as omega-3s are for skin (and the rest of you, too) it's important to be mindful of what you eat and aim to avoid or reduce your intake of fish that contain more mercury. (These include some types of mackerel and tuna.) A good rule of thumb is to limit seafood or freshwater fish to two meals a week. That's a must for young children and for people who are pregnant, who may become pregnant, or who are nursing.
What they do: Omega-3s fight inflammation, one of the top factors that can damage skin. They also help protect against sunburn, enhancing the effects of your sunscreen's SPF. Protein is required to build and repair skin cells and to make enzymes and hormones that help keep it glowing.
