Healthy Diet, Healthy Skin: Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Fruits and vegetable. The Seaweed Bath Co.

It is no secret that the skin dryness, irritation and redness many of us experience can result from inflammation of the skin. Eating anti-inflammatory foods may help reduce the symptoms of irritated skin and ease the discomfort caused by skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Thus, it is important to include anti-inflammatory foods in our diet whenever possible.

Below, we provide a list of some of our favorite anti-inflammatory foods that are easy to incorporate into your everyday diet.

Fish

Fish, such as salmon and tuna, provide excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which are powerful anti-inflammatory agents. To learn more about omega-3’s, click here. Not a fish lover? Consider adding walnuts or flax seed to your diet for a healthy helping of omega-3’s.

Fruit

We love blueberries, strawberries, apples, red grapes and kiwi. All of these delicious fruits contain important antioxidants, which work to reduce inflammation.

Vegetables

Reach for bright green leafy greens, onions, bell peppers, broccoli and cauliflower. Bright colored vegetables are always excellent choices, as many of them contain anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.

Whole grains

Brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal are all delicious and healthy options. Whole grains are an important source of fiber, which helps to reduce inflammation. To find out why we are so keen on quinoa, click here.

Spices

Spice up your favorite dishes with ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and curry powder. All have been shown to possess valuable anti-inflammatory properties.

Drinks

You can’t go wrong with a refreshing glass of water. Research also shows that antioxidant-rich green tea may improve inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. To learn more about the benefits of green tea, click here.

This is just a sampling of the wide range of healthy and nutritious anti-inflammatory foods you can find in your local grocery store. It is always important to choose foods you actually like and enjoy eating. Whenever possible, choose fresh, bright-colored vegetables and fruit. Avoid processed, artificial and fried foods.