In today’s world, the price for flawless skin is quickly growing. From cleansers to serums to at-home face masks, the amount spent by the average New York woman in her lifetime to achieve the fiercely sought-after “youthful glow” is close to $300,000!

But you don’t need to spend a fortune to give your skin some love. There are plenty of ways to support healthy skin from the inside out through diet. Overall, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, limiting processed foods, and keeping hydrated will support healthy skin.

Here are some of our favorite ways to use diet to support skin health!

Grapefruit
Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps keep early signs of aging at bay. As a necessary component of collagen, vitamin C also helps keep skin resilient and supple. Try grapefruit with shredded coconut, cinnamon, and chopped pecans for a satisfying snack.

Other great sources of vitamin C include bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, and papaya.

Green Tea
Green tea is a fantastic way to decrease inflammation and support hydration, both of which are essential for good skin. Green tea contains powerful polyphenols that help support health in a variety of ways – research shows that green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer and support the immune system as well as reduce signs of premature aging.

Other great sources of polyphenols include red wine, black tea, and dark chocolate.

Walnuts
Walnuts are a fantastic way to support the skin through healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids. Similar to vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids work to reduce inflammation or oxidative damage that can lead to skin imperfections. 

Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids include chia seeds, salmon, and flaxseeds.

Almost as important as the food you do include in your diet to support healthy skin is the food you don’t include – evidence shows that a diet high in sugar can lead to signs of premature aging, like wrinkles, fine lines, and decreased skin elasticity. Excess sugar in the diet may also lead to acne or breakouts. While it can be nice to enjoy a treat, be mindful of portion sizes of sugary foods (and drinks!) and take note of the role these foods play in your diet to best support skin and overall health.