Beautiful skin from the inside: This is how the right diet influences the appearance of your skin

With almost two square meters of surface area, the skin is our largest organ and reacts sensitively not only to external influences such as UV radiation, dry air, temperature fluctuations, and environmental and weather conditions, but also to an unbalanced diet. Those who radiant skin Anyone who wants to achieve this should therefore not rely solely on creams, serums, or peels, but also practice skincare from within. The foundation is a healthy, nutrient-rich diet – and that's easier than it might sound at first!

In our article, we'll reveal why beautiful skin comes from within, why proper nutrition is so important, and what's crucial. We'll also give you tips on which foods provide essential nutrients and which factors you should definitely avoid when caring for your skin from the inside out.

Beautiful skin from within – the effects of an unbalanced diet

We all dream of healthy skin and a radiant complexion. We try almost anything to achieve it: regular visits to the beauty salon, exquisite lotions with expensive ingredients, or face masks with varying degrees of effectiveness. But without the right diet, plump, youthful skin remains just a pipe dream. If your skin lacks essential nutrients like minerals, vitamins, and important antioxidants, this will manifest itself in various ways:

Skincare from within: Drink your skin beautiful!

Our bodies are 80 percent water – if we drink too little, this is directly visible on the skin: the tissue receives less blood flow, dries out, and thus loses elasticity. Water is not only a solvent for VitaminsIt also helps transport nutrients throughout the body. A balanced water intake is also essential for smooth skin metabolism by ensuring optimal blood circulation. Sufficient fluid intake is therefore particularly important for a fresh complexion and beautiful skin from within. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends that healthy adults drink approximately 1.5 to 2 liters of water (or unsweetened tea) throughout the day.

Ideally, drink a glass of water right after waking up: your body produces heat during this process, which gives you more energy to start the day and also boosts your metabolism. But not only water, green tea or kefir are also true beauty elixirs for the skin. While the fermented milk drink ensures a clear complexion by nourishing, moisturizing, and soothing, green tea stimulates the metabolism and supports the body's detoxification process. 

Our Sanft & Schöntip: Do you find it hard to drink enough water? Then simply liven up your mineral water with fresh fruit like raspberries or lemons. Cucumber, fresh mint, or ginger also infuse the water with their aroma. This is not only healthy and provides additional vitamins, but also helps you enjoy drinking water more.

The 5 golden food rules for beautiful skin from within

Food provides important nutrients that support the natural function of your skin and make it more resistant to external influences. Care products You can't make your skin glow on your own – you need the right diet. We have five golden rules for you that you should definitely follow when it comes to nutrition: 

1. Protein 

Healthy skin needs ProteinsTo build and strengthen connective tissue and improve its elasticity, you need protein. So make sure you eat a protein-rich diet. By the way, foods high in protein don't necessarily have to be of animal origin, like fish or lean meat: vegetarians and vegans can get enough protein from soy, various legumes, and nuts.

2. Alkaline foods

If your body becomes too acidic, wrinkles, blemishes, and skin irritations can develop. Therefore, focus primarily on foods that your body metabolizes into alkaline substances, such as pineapple, grapes, raw tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, herbs, sprouts, or macadamia nuts.  

3. Iron

An iron deficiency in the body leads to pale skin and skin diseases because cells and organs are not adequately supplied with oxygen iron It helps you achieve beautiful skin from within and gives your complexion a radiant glow. Excellent sources of iron include oatmeal, sesame seeds, flax seeds, quinoa, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and legumes.

4. Fruits and vegetables

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends five portions of fruit and vegetables per day: These vitamin-packed foods supply your body with numerous minerals, trace elements, and fiber, which has a positive effect on your natural skin metabolism. But be careful: Make sure to enjoy these sweet fruits only in moderation, because in addition to numerous vitamins, they also contain large amounts of fructose. 

5. Natural foods

Freshly prepared food contains all the essential nutrients for healthy skin. Therefore, try to eat as many unprocessed foods as possible and avoid industrially processed foods.

In the fight against free radicals: Antioxidants for beautiful skin

When it comes to skincare from within, antioxidants are essential for a radiant complexion. Antioxidants are a group of vitamins and minerals found in many foods and skincare products that help protect your body from free radicals. These so-called 'free radicals' are byproducts produced during various metabolic processes involving oxygen and can, in large quantities, negatively impact our health. Additionally, harmful external factors such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, and UV radiation trigger their development. 

Our skin is constantly exposed to free radicals – with serious consequences: They accelerate the skin aging process and promote skin inflammation and irritation. Antioxidants are a lifesaver in this situation; they can be produced by the body and also obtained from external sources through food. 

In our overview, we'll tell you which foods with antioxidants should be on your plate for beautiful skin from within: 

• Vitamin C : Vitamin C is the best-known antioxidant and combats free radicals in the aqueous layers of the skin. It is responsible for the formation of collagen fibers, thus firming the skin and reducing wrinkles. Furthermore, vitamin C helps to minimize large pores and reduce blemishes. Foods with a high concentration of this beneficial vitamin include berries, citrus fruits, kiwis, bell peppers, fennel, broccoli, parsley, sea buckthorn, Brussels sprouts, lamb's lettuce, peas, and ginger.

• Vitamin E : The antioxidant effect of vitamin E protects the membranes of skin cells and supports skin cell renewal. It also provides natural protection against harmful UV radiation and increases your skin's resilience. Vitamin E thus contributes to maintaining your skin's natural barrier function and therefore to a healthy complexion. Avocados, bell peppers, black currants, walnuts, hazelnuts, and vegetable oils such as rapeseed, sunflower, or olive oil provide you with plenty of this powerful antioxidant.
  
• Beta-carotene : Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A. It's not only good for your eyesight, but also supports the repair and formation of skin tissue and acts as a natural sunscreen from within. Thanks to its antioxidant properties, this provitamin A promotes cell protection, ensures the growth of new, young skin cells, and slows down the skin's aging process. Good sources of beta-carotene include carrots, almonds, pecans, and tomatoes.

• Zinc : The trace element zinc has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, thus promoting wound healing. If you suffer from dry, flaky skin, acne , or blemishes, this is often a sign of zinc deficiency. In this case, you should focus on foods that contain a high concentration of this trace element. These include, for example, nuts, shellfish, grains such as wheat bran or oatmeal, and legumes.

The right skincare from within: Nutritional don'ts

Now that you know which foods are essential for beautiful skin from within, let's focus on the factors that negatively affect your complexion. These include excessive alcohol consumption, nicotine, stress, and lack of sleep, which not only harm your overall health but also your skin, leaving visible marks: Alcohol dehydrates your skin and makes your complexion look unhealthy – tobacco promotes wrinkles and hinders your skin's optimal moisture production. Too much stress also accelerates skin aging. 10 helpful anti-aging tips You can find it in this article.

So, if you want radiant skin, you should avoid this lifestyle as much as possible. Give yourself time to rest and relax to rid your cells of negative messenger substances and promote regeneration. We recommend a structured daily routine and timely planning to prevent stress early on. 

But there are also a few things to consider when it comes to nutrition: Just as some foods can positively influence your complexion, others can negatively affect beautiful skin from the inside out. We've compiled four dietary don'ts for you: 

1. Foods high in sugar 

As delicious as it may be, excessive sugar consumption has a negative impact on your body's hormone levels. Since these levels influence, among other things, the activity of the sebaceous glands, too much sugar leads to increased sebum production in the long run, which in turn contributes to the development of blemishes. Furthermore, this sweet temptation promotes inflammation in body cells and skin problems.

2. Saturated fatty acids

Foods rich in so-called "bad" fats attack cells and lead to the development of pimples and acne. Saturated fatty acids are often found in highly processed foods and convenience products. Therefore, it's important to choose unsaturated fatty acids over saturated ones. "Good" fats, found primarily in nuts and many types of fish, contain important vitamins that slow down skin aging and improve the complexion.

3. Foods with a high glycemic index

These are foods that cause a sharp rise in your blood sugar. The high insulin release the body makes in response to this rapid increase in blood sugar stimulates the growth of sebaceous glands, which clogs pores and leads to pimples, acne, and blackheads. Sweets and sugar in all its forms—from white flour products like bread and sodas to white rice and crackers—should therefore be replaced with whole grain products, brown rice, or fruits and vegetables. Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular, provide optimal support for the skin by protecting it from drying out and strengthening connective tissue.

4. Highly spiced foods

Over-seasoning your food can lead to increased water retention in the tissues. Dark circles under the eyes and swollen eyelids can result.

Your checklist for beautiful skin from within

The following points will help you with your skincare from the inside out: 

Beautiful skin comes from within! 

True beauty – and radiant skin – comes from within. Your lifestyle and eating habits play a crucial role and can positively, but also negatively, influence your complexion. A nutrient deficiency usually becomes noticeable in your skin first, while a balanced diet provides your skin with essential vitamins and minerals, leaving it glowing. 'Proper nutrition' doesn't mean strict deprivation, but rather a healthy balance. 

If you follow our tips for beautiful skin from the inside out, break free from negative habits, and incorporate healthy foods into your diet, you're guaranteed to notice a change in your complexion soon. We also recommend regular, professional facials, for example Aquafacial, Microdermabrasion or Microneedling in Berlin Mitte, which support the natural functions of your skin, regulate the skin renewal process and thus ensure a radiant complexion.