Threats to your skin are everywhere:
Pollution… Excessive sun exposure… Stress from everyday life…
Environmental estrogens, plastics, heavy metals, and more…
While the above can be damaging to your skin, they pale in comparison to the double-edged sword that is your diet.
Without getting the nutrients your skin needs to protect and heal itself from the threats listed above, you can expect skin that’s…
- Dry, patchy, and tough…
- Marred with wrinkles, fine lines, and thinness…
- Uneven in tone, and looks sallow or ruddy…
All of which can make us feel self-conscious and look older than we are.
That’s the bad news.
But I also have good news:
You can fight back against these environmental threats and signs of aging with the help of some delicious, nutrient-rich berries that are chock full of essential antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Below you’ll find six tasty skin-healing berries that your skin will love:
Hailing from Brazil, Açai berries are high in antioxidants, including anthocyanins which give the berry its deep purple hue.
Anthocyanins possess anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-obesity effects, as well as a host of other possible benefits.1
If your skin is feeling tired, stressed, or overloaded, Açai Berries can help soothe inflammation, which provides your skin with a refreshing boost.
Açai berries are best enjoyed fresh (if you can find them), or frozen and blended into a smoothie (my personal favorite).
Scientifically labeled as “pepos,” watermelon falls into a specific category of berry—one with a tough rind, multiple flat seeds, and a pulpy flesh.
And they’re great for your skin too!
Watermelon’s superpower is lycopene, an antioxidant which gives the fruit its red pigment. Lycopene has been shown to protect skin from sun damage, and may even help reverse signs of aging.2
In addition to its skin-healing properties, watermelon is a great source of Vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as potassium.
As I’m sure you know, watermelon is best enjoyed in-season, freshly cut, and on warm, sunny days.
Also known as wolfberries, gojis have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to improve eyesight, energy levels, and sexual function.
But they’re not just good for your eyesight…
The key nutrient in goji berries is Vitamin A, which helps to keep your skin cells healthy and functioning properly.
Vitamin A is also known as the “healing” vitamin, and is a powerful aid when it comes to tissue repair and cell generation.
So if you want skin free of blemishes and scars, make sure you’re getting enough of this essential vitamin.
Goji berries are best consumed fresh (again, if you can find them), or (more commonly) dried and soaked in water overnight.
Elderberries are high in antioxidants and have been used for centuries to treat colds and flu.
But elderberries aren’t just good for your immune system—they’re also great for your skin.
Elderberries are high in Vitamin C, which is essential for the production of collagen. An easy way to remember the benefit of Vitamin C is the letter itself. “C” can stand for collagen, which is the main protein that helps to keep skin looking smooth, firm, and youthful.
Your body is made up of trillions of cells, and collagen is a glue that holds them all together. As we age, our collagen production decreases, leading to wrinkles, fine lines, and a loss of elasticity.
Elderberries are best enjoyed fresh or cooked into a jam or syrup.
On top of their high antioxidant content and delicious taste, blueberries are a great source of Vitamin C and manganese.
Manganese is an important mineral for healthy skin because it helps to create collagen and elastin.
Collagen we spoke about above—and elastin is an important protein that helps keep your skin soft, supple, and while fending off wrinkles.
Manganese plays many roles in your body, including the formation of new cartilage, healing wounds, and boosting your metabolism.
There’s only a handful of fruits in the world that contain this super skin mineral, and blueberries are one of them!
You can enjoy blueberries fresh, or frozen and blended into a smoothie.
If you’ve never heard of cloudberries before, it’s because they only grow in very cold parts of the world and can be tough to find…
But cloudberries are worth searching for because they’re a fantastic natural source of beta-carotene (an antioxidant), Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
Vitamins A, E, and beta-carotene work together to boost collagen production and protect your skin from environmental damage.
And there’s more…
Cloudberries are packed with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for healthy, soft, glowing skin that resists signs of aging.
Unlike the other berries on this list, cloudberries also contain a very special nutrient called ellagic acid.
Studies show that this compound is capable of supporting healthy inflammation levels in the skin, while also protecting collagen fibers from degradation. This is key when it comes to maintaining the skin’s smooth and youthful appearance.3
Okay, I think that’s enough berries for you to pick up at the store on your next shop.
As we’ve discussed, each of the berries mentioned have amazing healing, protective properties for your skin thanks to their high antioxidant, vitamin, and mineral content.
So if you’re looking for a way to improve your skin health, eating these delicious berries is a great, tasty place to start.
