The Best Foods For Dry Skin

Are you eating the right foods?

The best foods for dry skin are those that keep it replenished with a balance of oil and moisture because 'dry skin' is a term that describes skin that has low moisture content.

Dry skin is usually dull looking and when the water content falls below 10% it loses its flexibility and cracks and splits appear.  Chapping and cracking are signs of extremely dry, dehydrated skin.

The most common areas are the hands and face, as they are mostly exposed to all conditions, but dry skin can be an all over body problem, and poor diet can be a cause.

Foods For Dry Skin To Include

An overall balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds and nuts is preferable, to get the maximum variety of nutrients to the skin.

• Eat quality protein from vegetable sources
• Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout twice a week
• Eat nuts and seeds everyday
• Increase your intake of raw foods
• Eat foods high in sulphur, such as garlic, onions, eggs and asparagus
• Yellow and orange vegetables as they are high in vitamin A
• Drink at least 2 litres of water every day to keep the skin hydrated

Foods To Avoid To Prevent Dry Skin

• Avoid fried foods, animal fats and vegetable oils that have been subjected to heat.  Heating oils leads to the production of free radicles, which have a destructive effect on the skin.
• Soft drinks, sugar, chocolate and junk food in general can be harmful to the skin.
• Avoid alcohol or caffeine containing drinks as they have a diuretic effect which causes the body to lose water and therefore the skin to lose moisture.

What Are The Best Minerals and Vitamins For Dry Skin?

• A deficiency of vitamin A can cause dry skin.  A good source of vitamins A and D is cod liver oil
• Vitamin E found in avocado, fresh nuts and seeds and dark green leafy vegetables, as well as vitamin E found in creams and lotions.
• Zinc found in shellfish, wholegrain, pumpkin and sesame seeds and dark green leafy vegetables
• Vitamin B12 containing foods such as clams, eggs, red meat and shellfish

Other Treatments For Dry Skin

Prevention is the best form of treatment and applying a cream or lotion regularly to the skin will help restore and maintain its water and oil balance.  

In addition to the above foods for dry skin, consider the following preventative measures:

• Use sunscreen
• Wear gloves in cold or windy weather
• Use protective gloves when handling chemical and household detergents
• Avoid using harsh abrasive skin cleaners
• Avoid soap and detergents

Click back to the homepage