It is well known that a diet filled with power foods such as dark leafy greens, blue berries and avacados can help beat chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

But did you know that eating certain foods can also be very beneficial for your skin?

There’s a growing body of research showing that what you eat really does affect your complexion. What you eat can affect your hormone balance, cause acne, and create or lessen inflammation, which is associated with skin aging.

If you feel like you have lost your ‘glow’ or simply wish to maintain your best complexion, eat more of the following foods of this list.  

Tomatoes

Eating any tomato-based food such as tomato sauce or tomato juice may help clear up acne. Lycopen, which is the phytochemical that makes tomatoes red, may lower acne-promoting hormones. Lycopene and other carotenoids found in orange to reddish-coloured fruits can also help defend your skin against UV rays by helping to improve the skin’s antioxidant status. Antioxidants combat free radicals produced from excessive sun exposure. 

Related Article: These Foods Can Help Save Your Memory 

Even though there’s no set recommendation for how much lycopene you should eat to combat stubborn acne, it is recommended that you include tomato-based foods in your diet about three to five times a week.

Strawberries

Strawberries have more vitamin C per serving than oranges or grapefruit. And research shows that people who eat foods rich in vitamin C have fewer wrinkles and less age-related dry skin than those who don’t.

Vitamin C fights free radicals, which damage cells and break down collagen, leading to fine lines. 

Olive Oil

Ancient Romans rubbed olive oil onto their skin because the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil results in smoother, more radiant skin.

Olive oil, which is a staple in the healthy Mediterranean diet, provides antioxidants to disarm free radicals and reduce inflammation. 

Green Tea

Green tea is filled with inflammation-fighting antioxidants.

Furthermore, research shows that drinking green tea may reduce your risk of skin cancer. And when you add a generous squeeze of citrus juice, the tea’s antioxidants get a boost of staying power, so they remain in and benefit the body longer, rather than being digested quickly.

Pumpkin

Carotenoids, which are the phytochemicals that give pumpkins the orange hue, act as antioxidants within the body, protecting against cellular damage, the effects of aging, and even some chronic diseases. 

Carotenoids help neutralize free radicals in the skin, keeping them from damaging the cells that fast-forward aging. Furthermore, pumpkin is filled with vitamins C, E, and A, as well as powerful enzymes that help to cleanse the skin.

Pomegranates 

Pomegranates are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits,.

Research shows this fruit’s juice has more inflammation-fighting antioxidants than red wine or green tea. Eat some fresh pomegranate or use it in an age-fighting scrub. 

Fish 

Research found that diets high in fish can prevent skin wrinkling because the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish slow down the wrinkling process. 

Omega-3s can also help combat acne. Acne spots can look red and are often warmer to the touch, which is a sign of inflammation. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids have mood-regulating benefits, which can help with the stress component of having acne.

Peppers

Those who eat green and yellow vegetables regularly tend to have fewer wrinkles, especially around the eyes. Also, studies found that carotenoids — the antioxidants in yellow and orange veggies — can decrease skin's sensitivity to the sun.

Aim for about two cups of peppers daily.

Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are high in zinc, and studies indicate a correlation between acne and low zinc levels, which may be because of zinc's healing properties.

Have a four-ounce serving of kidney beans to help you stay in the clear. In addition, studies show topical zinc to be as effective against acne as antibiotics are.