Naturally glowing skin seems to be the biggest flex of 2020. Am I right? An effortlessly radiant complexion exudes confidence, youthfulness, and health. To achieve a skin glow, we often think about serums, moisturizers, and highlighters as the only solution. But frankly, edible skincare simply isn’t given enough credit! Eating fruits for glowing skin may just be the solution you are looking for.
Why eat fruits for glowing skin?
To get a lit from within look, it only makes sense to first focus on an internal skin-care approach and a topical one second. Simply put, the food we eat may have the biggest impact on the appearance of the skin (1).
There are plenty of good fruits for skin glow. However, here we will rank the best fruits for skin glow into 3 science-backed buckets.
Soon, you’ll be a pro at picking out the best fruits for a glowing skin care routine!
Bonus: At the end, you’ll find a free grocery-store guide snapshot for the next time you go shopping for the best fruits for a healthy skin glow!
Best fruits for a skin glow
Citrus Fruits
- Lemons
- Limes
- Oranges
- Grapefruit
- Guavas
Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C. The research supporting the relationship between vitamin C and skin health is very robust. As a result, studies continue to solidify the claim that vitamin C can help fight dull and aging skin.
Vitamin C is a vital nutrient for collagen production (1). The literature also tells us that vitamin C is considered an essential nutrient for maintaining the body’s normal skin processes like collagen synthesis, wound healing, and creating an elastic skin barrier (1).
To be clear, guava is not a citrus fruit. But it’s included in this section as an honorable mention because guavas may be the most underrated, yet best fruit for a heathy skin glow.
To the surprise of many, guava’s vitamin C content is incredibly high. Guavas boast 377mg of vitamin C per cup. That’s 419% of the % Daily Value (DV)!
Dull skin can often be a result of environment-related damage, particularly for those living in busy cities. In fact, one study found that guava leaf extract can protect the skin from UV-induced damage (1).
Guava is perfect for those with oily skin who are looking to strike the balance between a healthful glow without an overly oily T-zone. For instance, a recent study found that using a guava infused toner can help people experience less oiliness of the T-zone and less skin irritation (1).
Pro Tip: Eat the whole fruit when you can and avoid juicing regularly. Consequently, the juicing process can let important skin-supporting nutrients go to waste. Then, tooth erosion can result from frequently sipping on citrus juices (1,2).
Antioxidant-Rich Fruits
- Strawberries
- Red grapes
- Apricots
- Mangos
- Blueberries
Antioxidants are beneficial compounds that can help protect your body (and skin) from harmful compounds known as free radicals.
Free radicals can hurt the skin through a process known as oxidative stress. This type of stress can cause early skin aging, topical UV damage, and overall dullness—all of which are detrimental to achieving a skin glow (1, 2).
Fortunately, our skin is equipped with a protective network of low molecular antioxidants like vitamin C—which we raved about earlier, vitamin E, glutathione (GSH), and uric acid (1). These antioxidants work to fight against oxidative stress that often results from sun exposure, air pollution exposure, and exposure to harmful chemicals.
Many high-antioxidant fruits are also rich in polyphenols, another beneficial compound that plays a key role in skin aging. In fact, studies elevate strawberries, a polyphenol-rich fruit, for its ability to fight age progression and increase antioxidant activity (1).
Pro Tip: Make your water more tasty by infusing antioxidant rich fruit.
Watery Fruits
- Cucumber (96% water)
- Tomatoes (95% water)
- Cantaloupe (90% water)
- Watermelon (92% water)
- Peaches (89% water)
- Apples (85% water)
It is no secret that hydration and glowing skin go hand in hand. While the best way to stay properly hydrated is through drinking good old-fashioned water, it is important to remember that the foods we eat can also play a role in our hydration levels.
Cutaneous water content is a fancy word used to describe the hydration level of the skin’s epidermis and dermis layers (i.e., the outer and inner layers.) Hydration levels play a critical role in the skin’s ability to carry out healthy physiological processes needed to give the skin a healthy glow, such as, protecting the skin’s barrier against the environment.
Naturally, dehydration can have negative effects on the skin and can result in skin dysfunctions, according to researchers (1, 2, 3). To support proper hydration, we recommend incorporating fruits that contain 80% or more water and drinking several cups of water per day.
Pro tip: Because of the high-water content, many of these fruits make great ingredients for water-based face masks.
Bonus Content
FREE fruits for skin glow shopping list
Gaby Vaca-Flores is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based in Santa Monica, CA. In merging her passions for nutrition and skin, Gaby created Glow+Greens to provide her readers with science-backed education + digestible wellness tips.
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