Eat Your Way to Healthy Summer Skin

Ahhh there’s nothing like the feeling of the warm summer sun against your skin. (Sunscreen-protected skin, that is.) But while you protect your skin the traditional way, why not keep it even more hydrated and healthy with a variety of summer-friendly foods:

• Watermelon: If you can’t drink eight glasses of water a day, eat it! As the name suggests, watermelon has a high water concentration (91%, to be exact), and it’s an excellent way to keep your skin hydrated. Plus, it can reduce under-eye puffiness!
• Salmon: Rich in omega-3s, salmon (especially its skin) is one of the best types of foods for your skin. It helps reduce inflammation, break down collagen and elastin, and retain your skin’s moisture for a youthful appearance.
• Avocados: With a good source of healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, avocados help increase collagen production, soothe inflammation, and eliminate dead skin cells. (If you have any left over, you can use them to make a homemade facial mask or moisturizer.)
• Figs: Like avocados, the antioxidants in figs help exfoliate the skin and enhance its texture. Figs come in different colors, so keep in mind that the darker the fig, the more antioxidants it has.
• Tomatoes: Whether you like Roma, heirloom, cherry, or plum tomatoes, all varieties are loaded with lycopene, one of the best antioxidants for fighting UV damage. And what’s nice is they’re easy to add to almost any dish, from omelets and pastas to salads.
• Pomegranates: The antioxidants in pomegranates help fight free radicals (molecules in the skin that cause cellular damage), promote new cell growth, and give your skin a soft texture and natural glow.
• Walnuts: The omega-3 fats in walnuts can enhance heart health, hydrate your skin, and reduce the signs of lines and wrinkles. Walnuts also contain vitamin E, which helps prevent the signs of aging caused by UV damage — most of this is found in the thin skin that surrounds them, so don’t peel that away!
• Cherries: Another antioxidant rich-food, cherries help reduce inflammation, hyperplasia (small, inflamed bumps on the skin), and abnormal skin cells. Since freezing cherries can destroy antioxidants, make sure to eat them fresh.
• Peppers: While the most common colors of peppers are green, yellow, orange, and red, other colors include lavender, white, brown, and dark purple. Whichever you choose, all are full of carotenoids, known for decreasing sun sensitivity.
• Kale: When you eat kale, your body converts the beta carotene into vitamin A that’s important for healthy skin growth. Toss it in your salad, add it to soup, or bake a batch of kale chips.
• Berries: All berries ­— especially blueberries — are loaded with antioxidants, but don’t eat them with dairy. When you do, it’s harder for your body to absorb them. Combine blueberries with raspberries, strawberries, and/or bananas (which also help nourish dry skin) for a colorful presentation.

However you decide to protect your skin from the inside, remember to always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply it regularly.