Your skin is inextricably linked to your diet, and just as eating heavily processed foods may lead to increased inflammation and a worsening complexion, focusing on foods that can improve your gut health may be what your skin needs to glow. If your gut is inflamed it’s more than likely this will show through on your face with breakouts, puffiness, and redness, so your body on the whole will benefit from an overhaul to your diet that is gentler on your stomach.
We spoke with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Rebecca Marcus to get the full picture on your diet’s impact on your complexion, and exactly what you should be eating to reduce irritation and achieve your best skin yet.
Probiotic & Prebiotic-Rich Food
Keeping processed food to a minimum is essential for improving both your gut health and smoothing your complexion, but taking it a step further and focusing on including probiotic-rich foods in your daily eating habits will make the most significant impact on your body. “Probiotics are live bacteria that we ingest that support the gut microbiome. Probiotics are found in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi, and of course are also available as nutritional supplements,” explains Marcus. These foods can help to balance your gut health, in turn translating to other organs, such as your skin.
Probiotics are more commonly discussed when it comes to diet and skincare, but eating foods that are packed with prebiotics can also help to turn around your gut health and provide significant anti-inflammatory benefits to the skin which will quickly improve your complexion. “Prebiotics are specific types of fiber found in fruits and vegetables such as garlic, asparagus, bananas, apples and oats that feed these beneficial bacteria and encourage their growth,” says Marcus. “Eating a diet rich in pre- and pro- biotics is another way to support the gut microbiome and the healthy, glowing skin that follows.”
Inflammation has a much greater impact on your body than just a bloated belly, and when you’re suffering from gut issues it can become a larger problem that takes down the skin with it. “Inflammation can be reflected in the skin in the form of acne, eczema, or other inflammatory conditions,” notes Marcus. With this, there are certain foods outside of processed ingredients that may be worth avoiding in order to maintain a balanced gut and smooth skin.
“Foods that cause inflammation such as dairy and sugar have been scientifically proven to cause breakouts. Following an anti-inflammatory diet focused on foods that are as close as possible to how they are found in nature (plants, whole grains, wild fish, etc.) keeps the body and therefore the skin in top form,” suggests Marcus.
Although a solid skincare routine complete with SPF, retinol, and a powerful moisturizer are necessary for a strong base to your complexion, eating for your gut health is going to make the most significant and long term changes to your skin to reduce inflammation and enhance your inner glow.
