Written By Hannah O’Shei, PNW Intern, Spring 2021

Skincare is having a huge moment right now - for good reason. What we put on our skin is one important way to support skin health and appearance but what we put in our body may play an even bigger role.

The skin is the largest organ system in our body. Our skin is tough, waterproof, and acts as a barrier to everything from sunlight to bacteria. Our skin also plays a major role in nutrition. The skin helps convert sunlight into vitamin D which is essential for things like calcium absorption, bone growth, the immune system, and regulation and secretion of insulin. Skin has some incredible abilities so it’s important we take care of the skin we’re in.

How Can We Support Skin Health Through Food?

There are some basic things we should be focusing on in our diet to support our skin health; fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like omega-3-fatty acids, as well as probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods. 

What about collagen? We shed some light on that below as well. 

As always, aiming for an overall healthy eating pattern is key. 

Fruits and Vegetables

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to support our skin. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants all of which work together to protect our skin from damage. Antioxidants, for example, fight free radicals in the body which destroy and damage our cells. 

Vitamin C which is found in citrus fruits, cantaloupe, kiwi, papaya, strawberries, tomatoes, red bell peppers, broccoli, and even sweet potatoes aids in the production of collagen, skin regeneration, and might have photoprotective benefits - meaning it could help protect our skin from sun damage.

Carotenoids which are naturally occurring compounds found in fruits and vegetables, act as powerful antioxidants in the body that may help with skin health and appearance and could have other benefits like reducing our risk of cancer. Carotenoids give many fruits and vegetables their red, orange, and yellow appearance however, in green vegetables, the presence of chlorophyll is more visible. Some common carotenoids are beta carotene, lycopene, and lutein. 

• Beta carotene is found in foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, spinach, kale, cantaloupe, and apricots.

• Lycopene is found in foods like tomatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, guava, and papaya.

• Lutein is found in foods like dark leafy greens, peas, summer squash, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, asparagus, and lettuce.

Overall, focusing on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables means that you are eating an abundance of these protective compounds - they are great for our skin health!

Omega-3-Fatty Acids and Unsaturated Fats

Omega-3-fatty acids are found in plant-based foods like walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp hearts, soybeans, seaweed, and algae. There is evidence that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for skin homeostasis which means that our skin can effectively perform functions like temperature regulation, water retention, and protection. Furthermore, it promotes healthy aging, skin appearance, and wound healing. Omega-3-fatty-acids may also help reduce the risk of skin cancer and sun damage.

Unsaturated fatty acids also play an important role in cellular water retention - meaning eating healthy fats is one way to keep your cells and skin hydrated. These healthy fats are found in oils like safflower, avocado, canola, and olive oil as well as nuts, seeds, and avocados. 

Probiotics and Prebiotics

You may be surprised to hear that gut health also plays a role in skin homeostasis. Maintaining a healthy gut may also help prevent and treat inflammatory skin conditions like acne and psoriasis.

Probiotics are living microorganisms. They help to populate the gut with healthy bacteria. Probiotics can be found in foods like tempeh, fermented vegetables like kimchi and sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir (both vegan and non-vegan varieties are made using probiotics), and also miso.

Prebiotics are used as food for the bacteria living in our gut. When we feed our gut prebiotic-rich foods we are supporting a healthy gut which in turn helps support other organ systems- including our skin. Resistant starches which are prebiotic in nature are found in foods like under-ripe bananas, garlic, asparagus, artichokes, onions, and oats.

You can learn more about probiotics and prebiotics here .

Collagen Supplements - Myth vs. Science

What is collagen? Collagen is a protein (composed of amino acids) and it’s the main component of connective tissues in the body. Collagen-based protein powders and supplements are made from processed animal parts. Bovine collagen for example is made by boiling cow bones and cow by-products. 

Why do people take collagen supplements? When we age there is a decrease in collagen production which results in wrinkles, sagging, and can also weaken joints and tendons. The food and supplement industry has started advertising collagen supplements to fix these targeted issues and there are many claims that consuming collagen will boost collagen synthesis directly. There are some major flaws with this logic though. When we take collagen supplements our body breaks it down and then uses the amino acids where it sees fit. This means that the collagen we consume may be used for something entirely different than what it says on the supplement bottle. It’s important to note that the research on collagen supplements is on-going but so far there is not enough evidence to say that it can prevent or slow down the normal aging process any more than a balanced diet would.

Does plant-based or vegan collagen exist? No, despite it being advertised heavily. True collagen is only animal-based. However, there are some collagen-boosting powders on the market for those following plant-based diets. These collagen-boosting powders contain the nutrients required to synthesize collagen in the body such as protein, vitamin C, biotin, zinc, and copper.

When it comes to collagen and collagen-boosting supplements I say save your money and focus on eating a well-rounded plant-based diet!

Bottom Line

Eating an overall healthy diet with a focus on fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, probiotics, and prebiotic-rich foods can help support skin health and appearance. It’s no wonder that people who follow a plant-based diet tend to have radiant skin, right? ;)

Let’s note though that eating a healthy diet doesn’t mean you’re immune to aging. Getting wrinkles, sagging skin, acne, and cellulite are all perfectly normal - and it’s also important to note that skin appearance has a lot to do with our genetics!

The best thing we can do for ourselves is to eat an overall healthy diet, wear sunscreen, stay hydrated, stay active, and find ways to reduce stress. There are many factors involved in maintaining healthy skin and diet is just one piece of the puzzle.