We think a lot about skincare as something we put on, when in fact, a clear skin diet is one of the easiest and most effective ways to ensure you get -and maintain- a healthy skin glow.
If you want firm, luminous and timeless skin, we have news for you:
It takes more than moisturizer to have a radiant complexion; what makes skin supple, strong, flexible, and sun-damage resistant, comes from the inside.
What you put on your skin is important (for sure!) as skin is the largest organ in your body and it absorbs everything, but no amount of acne-fighting or anti-aging creams will get you long term results if your diet and exercise practice are not supporting them.
Vitamins, minerals, and Collagen Peptides are vital to clear skin.
Knowing that we put together a shortlist of actionable clear skin diet meals, tips, and drinks, to use the power of superfoods in your advantage. Age gracefully, minimize sun damage and glow from the inside out.
This clear skin diet is not a diet at all! It’s an easy nutrient-focused skincare regime.
These are science-backed foods and drinks that you can simply add to your current summer skincare routine in the easiest way possible; instead of depriving it’s about adding!
The Clear Skin Diet: What to Eat for Better Skin this Summer
Whether you are traveling to a tropical location or just hanging out at the local pool this summer, this time of year is always busy and takes a toll on your skin.
Yes, the dose of Vitamin D is much -much- needed, but we can also easily over-do it. So, because we love to see you shine bright like a diamond, we put together a list of skin-replenishing recipes that you can put together as fast as you can say “sarong!”
Consider this non-diet your new clear skin diet.
#1 Have More Berries
Clear Skin Benefit: Berries help your skin get the silky smooth look and feel that you love.
The bioactive compounds and antioxidant power of berries such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries, is well documented. These antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that damage skin cells creating the appearance of lines, bumps, and wrinkles.
Clear Skin Diet:
Add any of these drinks or snacks to your rotation to amp the summer skincare routine with natural sources of antioxidants.
- Berry-infused water: just drop some sliced strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries with mint and some ice for a refreshing dose of homemade antioxidant water.
- Drink homemade strawberry juice without added sugar. We like to mix them with kiwi to spice it up.
- Have a berry smoothie for breakfast.
- Snack on sugar-free mixed berry fruit bowls.
- Try blueberry juice, smoothies, and mocktails.
- Have a glass of Organifi Red Juice made with a mix of freeze-dried berries to maximize their antioxidant potential.
#2 Snack on Dragon Fruit and Other Citrus Fruits
Clear Skin Benefit: Dragon fruit and citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C, which helps in the regeneration of skin and clearing acne.
Vitamin C is not just a potent weapon for the immune system, it also has an essential role in skin health. Ascorbic acid, its active compound, is necessary for collagen synthesis and may help prevent (and correct!) ultraviolet-induced photodamage from sun rays or tanning beds, both topically and ingested. One of the benefits of dragon fruit is that it has 9.2 mg of Vitamin C per 100g, making it 26% of the recommended daily intake.
Clear Skin Diet:
- Try a lemon water detox.
- Eat acai and dragon fruit bowls for breakfast or mid-afternoon snacks.
- Try a dragon fruit (also known as pitaya) smoothie like this one by plant-based dietitian Sharon Palmer.
- Make dragon fruit chips at home following Passionately Raw’s recipe.
- Drop some citrus fruit slices in your water bottle.
- Munch on orange and tangerine slices while relaxing.
#3 Try Eating Rose Hip
Clear Skin Benefit: rosehip oil is rich in Vitamin C, A, and E, which repair, nourish, and repair the epidermis.
If you’re asking “what is rosehip good for?” and also “can you even eat that?” you’ll be surprised to learn that it is not just an essential beauty oil for summer skincare, it is even more powerful ingested. Rosehip oil has 60 to 80 times more Vitamin C than lemons, it is full of antioxidants, and may also contribute to collagen formation and healthy skin.
Clear Skin Diet:
Rosehip can be eaten directly from the plant or in oil form, most people find the taste too strong in the natural source, so find what feels right for you. Try adding a few drops of edible rosehip oil to salad dressings, smoothies, juices, and more - get creative!
#4 Get More Collagen
Clear Skin Benefit: improves the appearance of the skin, regenerates skin cells, and slows down aging.
Collagen is the most abundant protein in animals and humans, it is critical in the composition of hair, nails, and skin. Research shows it could improve cellulite, fight sun damage, and increase dermal matrix synthesis, repairing wrinkles, generating new skin cells, and slowing down the aging process. It is more than just a summer skincare aid, it’s lifetime skin support.
Clear Skin Diet:
Collagen production decreases around age 30, boost it with:
- Egg whites for brunch.
- Guava slices or guava juice.
- A mix of cashews and almonds.
- Organifi’s GLOW Raspberry Lemonade which has not only collagen peptides but also rosehip oil, among other collagen-supporting foods.
#5 Eat Green and Orange
Clear Skin Benefit: cruciferous vegetables and orange legumes replenish skin with color and oxygenation for a fresh look.
Dark leafy greens are rich in antioxidants, iron, and beta-carotene. Just like carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes are. This beta-carotene is turned into Vitamin A by the body and used to regenerate cells and eliminate damaged ones, resulting in that fresh and dewy complexion you’re looking for. Eating your greens is also part of an integral summer skincare routine.
Clear Skin Diet:
- Try green smoothie popsicles
- Eat carrot and celery sticks (yum!)
- Get on a green smoothie challenge
- Eat more broccoli, kale, spinach, and chard salads or juices
- Try sweet potato tacos and other light recipes with orange veggies and legumes
#6 Reset with Turmeric
Clear Skin Benefit: acne and bump-free skin; turmeric supports liver reset.
Adding turmeric to a smoothie or meal is an easy way to get more of this remarkably healthy root in your clear skin diet, helping clear acne, rashes, and irritation. One of the many benefits of turmeric is that it has anti-inflammatory properties and helps the liver flush out toxins. Turmeric is a fantastic addition to both internal and external summer skincare.
Clear Skin Diet:
Turmeric is incredibly versatile and can be added to both sweet and savory snacks, consider adding a little black pepper to some to enhance turmeric absorption by 2,000.
- Turmeric Hummus to match your carrot and celery sticks
- Turmeric Lemonade
- Turmeric Ice cream - yes ice cream!
- Watermelon and Turmeric smoothie.
- Turmeric Cooler Juice
#7 Drink and Eat Aloe Vera
Clear Skin Benefit: hydration, sun protection, and youthful glow. Aloe vera repairs the skin from the inside out.
The benefits of aloe vera are extensive, but it helps skin with its remarkably hydrating properties, promoting healthy blood flow, and fighting inflammation. You can eat aloe vera, drink it, or use topically in its raw form. However, even the so-called 100% aloe vera gels are not edible, stick to natural or powder form.
Clear Skin Diet:
- Create a aloe vera and berry mocktail with Organifi Glow
- Chocolate, aloe, and cashew ice cream, by Flexitarian Nutrition
- Vegan, raw, aloe brownies by Vie de la Vegan
- Organifi Pure travel packs with aloe
- Kiwi and aloe popsicles by Creative Green Living
#8 Drink More Water!
Clear Skin Benefit: skin suppleness and vital hydration.
This should go without saying, but somewhere between the mimosas and the frozés, it can be easy to forget that we need to drink even more water in the summer. No summer skincare routine could leave out the most crucial ingredient: water. Dehydration leads to skin dryness, scaly appearance, cell shriveling, and an unhealthy dulled look - skin cells are mostly water!
Clear Skin Diet:
Calculate your weight and measure how much water you should be drinking in a day when you’re not very active. Add cups per day or ounces according to how much exercise you do, how much you sweat, and how much alcohol you’re consuming. You can use a free online calculator like this one.
Make water more fun! If you’re not big on H2O, try different ways to make water more enjoyable. For example:
- Drink sparkling water
- Make your own infused waters - lemon, berries, basil - are very refreshing and all add their own health properties to the mix.
- Mix up a "water cocktail" for yourself adding sparkling water, individual fruits or herbs, and a squeeze of your favorite citrus fruit.
- Add flavored ice cubes to your water, using edible essential oils, fruits, or plants.
Whatever you do these clear skin diet recipes and quick add-ons, like Organifi Glow, will help nourish skin from the inside out. Couple them with exercise for firmness and circulation, and everyday sun protection for the maximum effect this summer and beyond.