What To Eat For Healthier Skin As You Age

You won't erase years of sun damage by eating a handful of berries, but the right foods can give your skin the nutrients it needs to repair itself, stay stronger and age more gracefully.

Eat Your Way to Better Skin

Think of your food as another part of your skincare routine rather than something completely separate.

How This Works

You'll see plenty of articles and social media channels telling you to add a few berries to your breakfast or throw some avocado into a salad, as if that's all it takes. We don't think that's enough.
If healthier skin is the goal, these foods need to become part of the way you eat every day, not something you remember every now and then.

Nobody expects to build muscle by exercising once a fortnight, and nobody expects sunscreen to work if they only wear it once a month. Food works the same way. The more consistently you eat well, the more chance your skin has to benefit from it.

some black tea, spinach, broccoli, blueberries, goji berries, strawberries, beets, purple sweet potato, beans, avocado, spinach, walnuts

Foods You Should Add To Your Plate

When you're stood in the fruit and veg aisle, you probably wonder if any of this makes a real difference or if it's just marketing dressed up as science. And that's a fair question.

Nothing here is rare or expensive, it's food that's already in the shop, you just never had a reason to reach for it before. Now you can swap them in a few times a week to give your skin help it didn't have before.

Black Raspberries

Packed with antioxidants. Eat them first thing in the morning.

Nero Kale

Super powerful greens. Try them sautéed or as kale chips.

Purple Sweet Potatoes

Rich in skin-helping compounds. Use in soups or roasted.

Red Cabbage

Has more antioxidants than green cabbage. Great in slaws or stir-fries.

Goji Berries

Used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Add to yogurt, cereal or trail mix.

Black Lentils

Full of antioxidants and iron. Perfect in stews, works well in soups and curries.

Pomegranate Seeds

a section of pomegranate fruit overflowing with seeds

Sweet, tangy, and great for your skin. Mix with berries for a morning boost.

Don't be surprised if your local supermarket doesn't stock black raspberries. Try a health food shop or buy them online instead. Frozen berries are a good choice if fresh one are too expensive or out of season.

See More Colourful Food Ideas

Food Combos That Work Better Together

Antioxidants work well on their own, but when paired with the right nutrients, they work even better. Here’s how you can get the most out of your high-antioxidant foods.

grilled salmon and avocado slices pumpkin seeds spinach and kale with olive oil

Pair Antioxidants with Healthy Fats

Have you ever made a huge salad and skipped the olive oil dressing because you were trying to be healthy? Well, that was the wrong move. Vitamins A, D and E need healthy fats to do their job well.
Sauté your spinach and kale in some olive oil instead of serving them dry, and add pumpkin or sunflower seeds to avocado alongside some salmon. That's an easy meal that brings several skin-friendly nutrients together in one go.

Combine Vitamin C with Iron-Rich Foods

So you've started eating more spinach because you heard it's rich in iron. That's great, but don't stop there. Vitamin C helps your body absorb more of the iron in plant foods. Put both on the same plate and let them do the job together.
Add papaya, strawberries or kiwi to a spinach salad. If that's alot, just drink orange juice with it instead.

A little extra tip before you move on

Everyone talks about spinach, so we'll point you towards something different. If you come across fluted pumpkin leaves (ugwu), give them a try. They're naturally rich in iron, they don't collapse into a soggy pile during cooking and they're incredibly versatile. We don't think they get anywhere near the attention they deserve.

hummus with nuts grilled vegetables kale and red pepper

Pair Zinc with Antioxidants for Better Skin Support

You'll eat hummus one day and steamed broccoli the next and never once think to put them on the same plate. Fair enough, why would you. Zinc and antioxidants make a good team, and it's easy to bring them together. Spread a generous layer of hummus or sunflower seed butter over roasted red peppers or steamed broccoli. Or stir in some seasoned spinach with quinoa or baked sweet potato. That's it. You already did the hard part when you bought the ingredients.

While We’re Talking About Zinc

A lot of us reach for pumpkin seeds and call it a day. Try black sesame seeds instead. They're one of the best plant sources of zinc going, and they bring their own antioxidants along too. They pair deliciously with rice dishes, roasted vegetables and salads, and one bag will keep you going for ages.

Want Some Bean ideas?

Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans and adzuki beans all bring something slightly different to the plate.

See More Beans

Polyphenols Help Protect Your Skin

Enjoy Polyphenol-Rich Foods

Polyphenols are what give berries, dark greens, herbs and spices their colour.

Plants make them to survive sun, pests and general environmental stress, and when you eat them regularly, some of that protection rubs off on you too. That includes your skin, which deals with its own daily dose of sun, pollution and general wear. Eating a wide mix of colourful food is a simple way to hand it a bit more backup.

Pair Polyphenol-Rich Foods with Gut-Supportive Ingredients

Your gut bacteria and polyphenols work better as a pair. Feed the bacteria in your gut with prebiotic veg like leeks, garlic, onions, asparagus and Jerusalem artichokes. They'll help break the polyphenols down so your body gets more out of them. It's simple, just get both on your plate.

Reading about ingredients is one thing. See how to combine ingredients that are rich in polyphenols.

See Polyphenol Food Pairings

Check out more of our skincare guides for men