The Dermatology Diet: 10 Hyaluronic Acid-Rich Foods to Boost Skin Health
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most hyped skincare ingredients out there. It’s the go-to solution for dry, dehydrated, aging skin.
Your skincare routine is only one part of caring for your skin. What you eat matters for normal skin health, too.
Some animal tissues naturally contain hyaluronic acid, while plant foods offer nutrients that support your body in other ways. Eating those foods is not the same as applying an HA serum.
Try these 10 foods to add variety and useful nutrients to your plate.
Why Is Hyaluronic Acid Important?
As a humectant, hyaluronic acid performs a vital role in your skin’s health: keeping it hydrated.
When skin feels dry or tight, hyaluronic acid can be a useful moisturizing ingredient.
Hyaluronic acid binds water, helping skin hold onto moisture. The effect of a skincare product depends on its overall formula.
- Replenishes dehydrated skin so it feels softer and more supple.
- Helps plump skin and soften the appearance of fine lines.
- Supports the moisture barrier with a hydrating blend of hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5.
Where Does Food Fit In?
Your body naturally produces its own hyaluronic acid, and there’s usually plenty of it to go around in your early years.
Your skin changes with age, and its ability to hold moisture can change too. Hyaluronic acid is one part of that picture; dryness has several possible causes.
A hyaluronic acid product works where you apply it. A varied diet supports your body more broadly, but it doesn’t replace a moisturizer or sunscreen.
For the foods below, think nourishment rather than a guaranteed boost in skin HA levels. There’s no proven serving of kale or nuts that will refill your skin’s supply.
10 Foods to Give Your Skin Some Nutritional Love
Kale and Other Dark, Leafy Greens
We’ve been told to eat more greens since we were children, and for good reason.
Dark, leafy greens are packed with fiber and plant protein, smoothing out our digestion and supplying us with our day-to-day energy.
Leafy greens also bring vitamins and minerals to the table. They don’t naturally contain hyaluronic acid, but they can still earn a regular spot on your menu.
Spinach, romaine lettuce, and kale are the most common dark, leafy greens, but you can also try microgreens, arugula, collard greens, and bok choy. Enjoy them in a salad, a smoothie, or a sandwich, and see how your skin responds!
Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Root vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes are staples of the modern diet.
They’re an easy way to add variety to your meals, without needing to promise a special boost in hyaluronic acid.
Potatoes and sweet potatoes offer useful nutrients, though their amounts vary. Enjoy them as part of a balanced meal rather than a targeted HA treatment.
Carrots
Carrots bring color and crunch to meals, along with beta-carotene, which your body can convert to vitamin A.
That supports normal skin function, but eating carrots won’t deliver an extra dose of hyaluronic acid to your face.
Flax Seed
The flax plant is the source of linen cloth, but its uses don’t stop at textiles.
Flax seed is becoming well-known as a superfood for its versatility and numerous health benefits. And it’s on its way to becoming a staple in the skincare world, too.
Flax seed provides fiber and a plant omega-3 fat. Those are good reasons to enjoy it without promising that it will increase your skin’s hyaluronic acid.
And it’s easy to incorporate flax seed into your diet. Ground it up and blend it into your morning smoothie, sprinkle it on cereal, add it to condiments like mustard or even use it as an egg replacer in baked goods.
Walnuts and Other Tree Nuts
Walnuts, almonds and other tree nuts are a fantastic way to get more protein and healthy fats.
Nuts bring useful nutrients to your plate, even though they don’t naturally contain hyaluronic acid. Enjoy them as part of a varied diet that supports healthy skin.
Different nuts offer different nutrients. A small handful can add variety to a meal or snack, without needing to act as an anti-aging treatment.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is all the rage in the health food world right now. And it’s about to be all the rage in the skincare world as well.
The nutrients in bone broth vary with the ingredients and preparation. It isn’t a standardized source of hyaluronic acid or a proven skin-hydration treatment.
If you enjoy broth, use it as a base for soup or other meals. You don’t need to drink it for the sake of your skin.
Oranges and Other Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruit adds a bright, refreshing note to meals and snacks.
It also provides vitamin C, which your body needs to build and stabilize collagen.
Research into citrus compounds does not establish that eating citrus will preserve your skin’s hyaluronic acid supply.
Green and Black Olives
Put them on your pizza, add some to your sub or just pop them as a snack — however you eat olives, your skin will thank you.
Olives offer fats and other nutrients, though the amounts vary by type and preparation. Enjoy their flavor without expecting them to boost your skin’s HA production.
Soy-Based Foods
Tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk give you plenty of ways to add soy to meals.
Soy foods can contribute protein and other nutrients. They don’t come with a guarantee of increased skin hyaluronic acid or visibly fuller skin.
Red Meats
Meat can contribute protein and other nutrients to your diet, if you choose to eat it.
Animals naturally contain hyaluronic acid in certain tissues. That doesn’t make an ordinary serving of meat a measured HA supplement.
There’s no need to seek out unusual cuts for your complexion. A varied diet and a comfortable skincare routine are more practical everyday goals.
- Gives dry skin lasting hydration without a sticky, greasy finish.
- Helps maintain the moisture barrier that keeps skin feeling comfortable.
- Softens dry patches on your face, hands and body with one rich cream.
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