Plant Based Food For Glowing Skin

A whole foods vegan diet does wonders for your complexion because there are so many plant-based ingredients that have properties that keep your skin healthy. This is a diet that eliminates all animal products and focuses on plants in their purest form, as opposed to processed foods.  

The vegan diet has been known to help with skin troubles such as acne, partially due to the elimination of dairy, which causes inflammation. The reason that dairy causes skin issues is because it contains whey protein, hormones and sugars. Whey protein is a pro-inflammatory which can show up as acne or rosacea. 

Your environment can also contribute to the health of your skin, which is why it’s important to wear sunscreen outside as this can protect you from harmful pollutants. This is another area where plant-based foods can come in handy, as you can make your own face masks using ingredients like avocado, oatmeal, and banana.

Even if you aren’t vegan, or aren’t intending to go vegan anytime soon, you can still fill your diet with lots of amazing plant foods that will help make your skin look supple and radiant! 

Walnuts are a good source of healthy Omega-3 fats which strengthen your skin cells and lock in moisture. Not only are they packed with fibre and protein, but they can do a great job of making skin smooth and healthy. Fortunately, walnuts are a versatile ingredient that can be added to sweet and savoury recipes. If you’re stuck for inspiration, try using them as a pine nut alternative in pesto. 

These tiny superfoods have tonnes of health benefits from promoting hair growth to improving vision, but they are also amazing at fighting signs of ageing. They’re full of antioxidants and are a good source of zinc and iron - all things that are great for promoting a healthy glow! Blueberries are versatile and also can be inexpensive if you buy them frozen in bulk; just pop a handful on your breakfast each morning, or snack on them throughout the day!

This amazingly creamy fruit gained its trendy reputation in the western world quite a few years ago now, and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. Avocado on toast remains to be one of the most popular brunch options, and rightly so! It’s sometimes shunned for being high in fat; but not to worry, healthy fats are beneficial in moderation because they do a great job at keeping skin moisturised and supple.

Water is perhaps the most important ingredient for skin health and yet a lot of people forget to drink a sufficient amount. Daily life gets in the way, time runs away with you, and before you know it the evening has arrived and you’ve forgotten to drink water! I like to make sure I always carry a stainless steel bottle around with me, and when I’m indoors, I use a huge mason jar so I have no reason not to keep drinking. Lack of water makes your skin dry, tight, flaky and not to mention dull, and personally, I find that I’m much more energised on the days that I get my 2 litres in.