Best Diet Plan And Foods For Naturally Glowing Skin

The skin is the largest organ. And it can also be your biggest problem! Pollution, sun, stress, hormones, and unhealthy food can make your skin dull and prone to acne and pigmentation. And you end up spending a ton of money on skin care and makeup products without any sustainable results. This is precisely why you need to be on a skin-friendly diet and consume fruits, veggies, and healthy fats. In this article, we give you the best diet plan for glowing skin and a list of foods to eat and avoid. Incorporate it into your lifestyle to get a healthy and natural glow that will outdo any makeup artist’s smart hacks. Swipe up!

Diet Plan For Glowing Skin

MEALS	WHAT TO EAT
Early Morning (6:00 a.m.)	1 cup water + juice of half a lime Or 1 cup water + aloe vera juice
Breakfast (6:45-7:00 a.m.)	1 cup papaya + 1 cup milk/soy milk/green tea + 4 almonds Or 1 wheat bread + 1 cup ricotta cheese/boiled egg/ oats + 1 cup green tea
Mid Morning (9:30-10:00 a.m.)	1 cucumber/carrot, sliced with yogurt/hummus Or 1 cup freshly pressed fruit juice/ coconut water
Lunch (12:30 – 1:00 p.m.)	Lettuce wrap with veggies and chicken/mushroom/tofu + 1 cup buttermilk Or Blanched veggies + grilled fish/chicken/ lentil soup + 1 small cup brown rice
Snack (3:30 – 4:00 p.m.)	1 cup green tea Or 1 cup freshly pressed fruit/vegetable juice
Dinner (7:00-7:30 p.m.)	Vegetable/chicken stew + 1 flat bread + 1 cup raita Or Mixed vegetable curry + 2 flat breads + 1 cup raita
Bed Time (10:00 p.m.)	1 cup warm milk/ water + a pinch of turmeric

Takeaways From This Diet Chart

You do not have to stick to this diet chart. You can consume healthy foods that will help repair and rejuvenate your skin. And for that, you have to understand what to include in your diet and what to avoid. Given below are a few tips that will help you do so:

• Drinking water on an empty stomach is a must. You may consume aloe vera juice, turmeric powder, or lime juice.
• Always have breakfast before heading out.
• Include good amounts of fruits, veggies, and protein in every meal.
• Stick to healthy snacking by consuming freshly pressed fruit juice, yogurt, buttermilk, or coconut water.
• Consume foods that are good for your gut and liver.
• Avoid foods that you may be allergic to, such as dairy, seafood, and gluten.
• Get creative by seasoning your food with spices and herbs.

Now, let us take a look at the list of foods you must consume, and how they help improve your skin health.

15 Foods For Naturally Glowing Skin

1. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

When it comes to skin health, dark leafy greens take the front seat. Loaded with antioxidants and essential vitamins and nutrients, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, Swiss chard, radish leaves, mustard leaves (sarson ka saag), lettuce, coriander, parsley, broccoli, and arugula help rid your skin of dullness and enhance its glow. You can add them to salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, daal, etc.

2. Water

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Drinking lots of water throughout the day will keep your system internally hydrated, which, in turn, directly reflects on your skin. Water not only by flushes out the harmful toxins from your system but also keeps wrinkles at bay and gives you naturally glowing skin. Keep a bottle of water handy and sip on it whenever you crave for your favorite cola.

3. Turmeric

This is my favorite! Turmeric kills the harmful bacteria inside and outside your body. Cucurmin is the main phytonutrient responsible for turmeric’s antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties. You can consume washed and peeled raw turmeric first thing in the morning or while going to bed with a glass of milk. You will see visible results in just one week’s time. No kidding! You can also add it to curries, salad dressing, juices, etc.

4. Avocado

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Avocado is the perfect superfood for the skin. It is rich in vitamin E and healthy fats. The healthy fats lower the inflammation, and vitamin E acts as an antioxidant. Avocados help slow down skin damage, lock moisture, and prevent premature wrinkling, acne, and dullness. Easy ways to include them in your diet is to add them to your breakfast bowl, sandwiches, salads, dipping sauce, etc.

5. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is the most popular home remedy for all skin problems. It contains the hormones auxin and gibberellin that have anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, when you apply aloe vera topically or consume its extract in the form of juice or supplements, it helps in reducing any kind of inflammation. However, never directly consume aloe vera gel straight from a plant.

6. Fruits

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Fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fruit sugar. These sweet treats keep your hunger pangs at bay, preventing you from consuming sugary junk food that increases inflammation in your body. Hence, by consuming fruits, you will be able to maintain your skin’s health and get the glow that you always wanted. Here are a few fruits that we recommend:

1. Mangoes are rich in antioxidants and vitamin A, which prevent premature aging, retain the skin’s elasticity, and facilitate the growth of new skin cells.
2. Banana is rich in vitamins A, B, and E and prevents premature wrinkling of the skin.
3. Papaya helps shed the dead skin cells and clears your skin of impurities.
4. Oranges and kiwis are rich in vitamin C, which delays the onset of wrinkles and boosts collagen synthesis. Other vitamin C-rich fruits are guavas, grapefruits, and strawberries. Vitamin C also protects the skin from sun damage and promotes cell turnover, thus preserving the youth and beauty of your skin.
5. A glass of warm water with honey and lemon juice lightens your skin tone and keeps it clear.
6. Apple helps maintain a toned look and makes your skin look younger.
7. Berries are also a rich source of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant and immunity booster. Consuming them will help get rid of dark spots and marks quicker.

7. Carrot

Carrots contain high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and antioxidants. They make your skin healthy from the inside by flushing out toxins. They protect your skin from sun-induced damage and prevent premature aging and wrinkles. Sweet potatoes and yam are other options that show similar results.

8. Fish And Fish Oil

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Fish and fish oil are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They provide the skin with a healthy dose of natural oils (good fats) to reduce inflammation, acne, scaly skin, and redness. Consume fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and carp or take fish oil supplements to keep your skin healthy and soft. Consume grilled or baked fish. Do not discard the skin.

9. Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are great for your skin. The main sources of healthy fats are nuts (almond, walnut, macadamia, etc.), seeds (flaxseed, sunflower seed, chia seed, etc.), healthy oils (olive oil, rice bran oil, etc.), and fish and fish oil, which we have already talked about. Nuts, seeds, and oils are great options for vegans and vegetarians. Include them in your diet in adequate amounts to get flawless skin.

10. Green Tea/Matcha Tea

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Green tea is a natural source of antioxidants. It is loaded with a potent phytonutrient, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The percent of EGCG is highest in matcha tea and green tea. The antioxidants in the tea help scavenge the harmful free radicals, thereby protecting your skin from premature aging, dark spots, and redness. They also help lower the levels of DTH, the acne-producing hormone, leaving your skin healthy and blemish-free.

11. Broccoli

Broccoli is a rich source of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants play an important role when it comes to enhancing skin health. The free oxygen radicals attack the cells and disrupt the normal functioning of the cells and organs. This, in turn, can cause hormonal imbalance, weak immunity, gut problems, etc. So, you need a good dose of antioxidants from food, specifically broccoli, as it gives you quick results as compared to other cruciferous veggies.

12. Yogurt

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Yogurt and buttermilk contain probiotics that help in digestion, absorption, and excretion. When your digestion is smooth, and you have no gut problems, your skin will be less prone to breakouts, dryness, and infections. Consume yogurt every day after lunch, with dinner, and in shakes and smoothies.

13. Bottle Gourd

Bottle gourd (and bottle gourd juice) is a natural remedy for chicken pox scars. It hydrates and protects your skin, thereby giving it a natural glow. The phytonutrients present in bottle gourd have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which make it one of the best foods to get rid of scars naturally. Consume bottle gourd juice in the morning with other breakfast items. You can also make bottle gourd soup or add it to stews and daals.

14. Bitter Melon

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It tastes bitter but is an amazing natural remedy for all your skin problems – from redness and allergies to scars to tanning. Apart from being a good source of antioxidants and having anti-inflammatory properties, bitter melon also keeps your liver and gut healthy. Consume boiled bitter melon or add it to stews. Do not fry or soak it in water for a long duration as it reduces its nutritional value.

15. Red Wine

Red wine is nothing but fermented red grape juice. It has the ability to retain the skin’s original glow and prevent aging. The antioxidants present in it help flush out toxins and protect the skin from inflammation and sun damage. However, consume it in limited quantities as excess alcohol causes dehydration, which might aggravate your skin problems.

These were the foods you could consume to keep your skin healthy. But which foods do you need to avoid? Here’s the list.

Foods To Avoid

• Spicy foods
• Processed and junk foods
• High-sodium and high-sugar foods
• Oily and unhygienic foods
• Foods containing high levels of estrogen
• Foods that increase the internal body temperature
• Overcooked or partially charred foods (kebabs)

Healthy and glowing skin is a sign of good health. And you should consume healthy food and follow a diet plan for glowing skin to achieve it. Toss out all bad food habits and start following a new lifestyle. Cheers!