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Everybody knows that nutrition is essential for your overall health. But when we talk about nutritious food most people think about weight loss, metabolism, heart, liver etc. but rarely do you hear a conversation about how food impacts your skin. Well today we’ll try and correct that and we’ll be talking about 7 of the best foods for a healthy skin. Welcome to another episode of Skincare Secrets… Through science we’ve progressively gotten better at understanding how what we eat impacts our skin. For better or worse, what we put in our mouths eventually shows up in some form or other on our face. There are tons of articles and studies to read out there about what to eat, what not to eat, what diet is the best, what’s the worst etc.#1 So let’s get to it. We start with fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Those are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for maintaining healthy skin. Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary to keep skin thick, supple and moisturized. A deficiency in omega-3 fats can cause dry skin. These fish are also a source of vitamin E, one of the most important antioxidants for your skin. Getting enough vitamin E is important for protecting your skin against damage from free radicals and inflammation. They are also a source of high-quality protein, which is needed for maintaining the strength and integrity of your skin. And last but not least, they provide zinc, which is an integral part of the production of new skin cells. There was a study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine published that found “considerable evidence” that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of certain skin cancers. #2 The second food is avocados. They are high in healthy fats and you need to get enough of these fats to keep skin flexible and moisturized. One study done on over 700 women at Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan found that a high intake of total fat — specifically the types of healthy fats found in avocados — was associated with more supple, springy skin. Avocados are also a good source of vitamin E and vitamin C. Interestingly, vitamin E seems to be more effective when combined with vitamin C. Even though a deficiency in vitamin C is rare these days, the National Institutes of Health points out that most Americans don’t get enough Vitamin E through their diet.#3 Number 3 is walnuts. They are a good source of essential fatty acids. In fact, they’re richer than most other nuts in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Now I should note something here. A diet too high in omega-6 fats may promote inflammation, including inflammatory conditions of your skin like psoriasis. On the other hand, omega-3 fats reduce inflammation in your body — including in your skin. One ounce of walnuts has small amounts of zinc, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium and they also pack around 4-5 grams of protein. So walnuts may provide the same benefits as fatty fish. #4 Number 4 is more of an ingredient than food - beta carotene. Beta-carotene is a nutrient found in plants and it can be converted into vitamin A in your body. This nutrient is found in fruits like mango a papaya, and also in vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes. When consumed, this antioxidant is incorporated into your skin and protects your skin cells from sun exposure. This may help prevent sunburn, cell death and dry, wrinkled skin.Interestingly, high amounts of beta-carotene may also add a warm, orange color to your skin, contributing to an overall healthier appearance.#5 The next one is more of a drink than a food but…. Green tea. The powerful compounds found in green tea are called catechins and work to improve the health of your skin in several ways. Like several other antioxidant-containing foods, green tea can help protect your skin against sun damage. One 12-week study in 60 women done in Germany found that drinking green tea daily could reduce redness from sun exposure by up to 25%. Green tea also improved the moisture, roughness, thickness and elasticity of their skin. While green tea is a great choice for healthy skin, you may want to avoid drinking your tea with milk. There's evidence that milk could reduce the impact of green tea’s antioxidants.#6 Olive oil seems to be the best for your skin of the cooking oils. A 2012 study describes that  a diet rich in olive oil reduces the effects of photo aging on your skin.This is the result of monounsaturated fatty acids in the oil, as well as squalene and others.#7 And last but certainly not least we have dark chocolate. Yep, I saved the best for last. And not that many people needed an extra reason to grab a chocolate bar but the effects of cocoa on your skin are pretty great. After 6–12 weeks of consuming a cocoa powder high in antioxidants each day, participants in one study in Germany, experienced thicker, more hydrated skin. Their skin was also less rough and scaly, less sensitive to sunburn and had better blood flow — which brings more nutrients to your skin. Pretty cool. Another study at the University of Bologna, Italy found that eating 20 grams of high-antioxidant dark chocolate per day could allow your skin to withstand over twice as much UV radiation before burning. Now there’s a caveat here though - make sure to choose dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa in order to maximize the benefits and keep added sugar to a minimum.And there you have it. The 7 foods that have been scientifically proven to help you maintain a healthy looking skin. Hope these were helpful. If you’d like to find out more about the studies and findings of some of the institutions I’ve mentioned you can head on over to PubMed.gov. Thanks for listening. Subscribe if you haven’t and I’ll see you in the next one.