You want great skin — but you also want to enjoy your life, and that includes eating delicious foods. Can you have your cake (and eat it, too) when it comes to a more youthful complexion and yummy snacks and meals? The answer is yes: with a slight caveat. Eating a balance of foods that include the occasional indulgence is not going to wreck your skin goals. Everyone needs to indulge once in while. But if you’re looking to make a few long-term food changes to your diet, it’s also worth knowing which foods are not going to do your skin any favors if consumed on the regular, and what sensible swaps you can make (don’t worry: the swaps are also delish).
“Dry, patchy skin and fine lines and wrinkles are mostly a result of sun damage, smoking, and loss of collagen from aging, but a poor diet can definitely contribute,” says Dr. Nadir Qazi, DO, a board-certified physician, cosmetic dermatology surgeon, and owner of Qazi Cosmetic Clinic. “Conversely, a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients from fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes can improve the look of your skin, healing it from the inside out. Proper hydration with clean water intake is also important in proper skin care, along with sunscreen applied daily.” Dr. Qazi outlines three dehydrating foods that make wrinkles so much worse, and a few skin-healthy alternatives..
Highly glycemic foods like white bread
White breads tend to have a high glycemic index and typically very low nutrients, making it bad for the body, skin, and the aging process, according to Dr. Qazi. “Switching from white breads with a high glycemic index to ones lower in glucose can prevent your skin from reaping the consequences,” Dr. Qazi says. “Rye bread is a great alternative. Rye bread’s low glycemic index and added health benefits like calcium and iron can boost the skin’s overall health without overloading the body with glucose that can sag and wrinkle the skin.”
French fries and chips
“Fat is necessary for the body; however, the wrong kind can be detrimental to your skin. are common deterrents for healthy looking skin,” Dr. Qazi says. “Processed in oil, fries and chips can dehydrate the skin and decrease elasticity. Salt also robs the skin of moisture, leave it feeling dry, and overtime, adding more wrinkles.”
The perfect alternative? Sweet potatoes. “Higher in Vitamins A, C, and E, sweet potatoes have added vitamins that can lessen the appearance of sagging and wrinkles on the skin,” Dr. Qazi says. “The only caveat: bake instead of fry or use your air fryer with very little oil. This can help limit the saturated fat in your diet and help maintain the proper function of skin cells.”
Sweetened dairy products like fruit-filled yogurts
Yogurt is healthy — but if your yogurt brand is adding a lot of extra sugar to the mix it’s messing with the nutrients you could be getting. “Anything with added corn syrup and white or refined sugars are going to wreak havoc on the skin,” Dr. Qazi says. “Fruit-filled yogurts are laden in refined sugars and although touted as good for you, they’re actually doing more harm than good. Instead, try plain Greek yogurt and add in your own flavors, like cinnamon, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, or your own fresh fruit. For an icy cold dessert, stick it in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes and eat it like ice cream. Yum.”
You don’t have to suffer for great skin. A few simple swaps (and the occasional French fry, because we aren’t sadistic) can keep your complexion healthy and youthful looking.
