Our guide to healthy summer skin

Looking for the type of glowy summer skin that *doesn’t* come from a hot commute on the tube? Here's what you should be including in your diet for radiant summer skin.

One rule definitely doesn’t fit all when it comes to skin and nutrition, however there are certain foods we should definitely be including in our diet for healthy skin. We find the best thing to do is simply watch how your body reacts to certain foods and see how they affect your skin. When our founder Lily started juicing every day, she noticed that her skin was brighter. When she reduced dairy in her diet, she found that she had less breakouts. And generally, if her diet is healthy and balanced you can see it in her skin.

The best advice we can give is to just try a few different things out gradually. Be conscious of the changes you make and register how they affect your skin. Below is a guide to the foods you should *definitely* be including for radiant skin.

Hydrating Foods

As temperatures rise in the summer months, our optimal water consumption increases. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of water steadily throughout the day. In addition, you can also "eat" your water through hydrating fruits and veggies such as cucumber (water content 95%), radishes, banana and spinach.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A has two forms: retinoids and carotenoids. Retinol stimulates the production of new skin cells (without which skin can become overly dry), and carotenoids can prevent cell damage and premature skin ageing. Both forms are found in a wide range of healthy foods - retinoids can be found in animal products, such as salmon and eggs, and carotenoids are found in plant-based foods such as bell peppers, kale, carrots and sweet potato.

Vitamin E

Getting enough vitamin E is essential for protecting your skin against damage from free radicals and inflammation. Interestingly, vitamin E has been shown to be more effective when combined with vitamin C. Sources of vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, sunflowers seeds and avocado.

Our Buckwheat Pasta with Broccoli, Pesto and Nut Crumb is a great way of combining vitamins E and C.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for skin as it aids collagen production to keep skin looking healthy and supple. The array of vitamin C-rich summer produce, such as blackcurrants, strawberries and peppers, makes getting your hit an easy task.

Vitamin C also protects your skin from oxidative damage, caused by the sun and environment factors, which can lead to signs of ageing. Some of the best food sources include broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and bell peppers.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids helps to maintain healthy membranes around our skin cells, as well as reducing inflammation, which can cause redness and acne. Oily fish (such as salmon and mackerel), walnuts and flax seeds are all excellent sources. Why not try our Baked Salmon with Sweet Potato & Rocket Salad recipe for supper tonight, the ultimate skin-boosting dish!

-

You'll find a plethora of all these skin-boosting foods on our home delivery packages. Let us take care of the planning, shopping and cooking while you look forward to waking to find a new day of food ahead of you. By removing foods that make you feel tired and bloated, and replacing them with a healthy, balanced diet, rich in plant based foods and lean protein, you will start to feel more energised, less stressed and lighter, not to mention the healthy glowing skin.