The 10 foods you should eat to improve your skin

While many of us lather our skin with creams and lotions for staying youthful, what many of us don't realise is that what we eat is just as important as what we use.

Now, Australian nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume has put together a shopping list of what foods to look out for to make your skin glow.

From salmon to tomatoes to guilty pleasures like dark chocolate, Alleaume tells you what you need on your plate for perfect skin.

Salmon

Fatty fish is good for your health, and what better for your skin and your taste buds than salmon, which is rich in Omega 3.

Alleaume says it also allows water to better penetrate the epidermis, or top layer of the skin, leaving it well hydrated.

Experts recommend eating two servings of Omega 3 fatty fish each week. If the thought of salmon doesn't make you salivate, you can swap it out with tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines and lake trout.

Other alternatives include walnuts, flaxseeds, tofu and pumpkin seeds.

Blueberries

For many nutritionists, blueberries are a super fruit with so many health benefits that it's easy to get overwhelmed.

As well as being rich in Vitamin C, they're also full of potassium, which helps to fight puffiness, and provide a good source of salts and minerals which help fight the ageing process.

"Blueberries are the highest-ranking food source of skin-loving antioxidants, which target DNA-damaging free radicals, reducing skin cell damage and premature ageing," Alleaume said.

For those who love to sneak in a snack or two between meals, blueberries are a great option.

Dark chocolate

While many think they should stay away from the temptation of chocolate for perfect skin, experts argue to the contrary.

Alleaume said: "Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that helps to equip the skin with a stronger defence against wrinkle-causing UV rays."

Not only is chocolate a good defence against wrinkles, it also makes you happy thanks to the release of endorphins.

Carrots

Carrots aren't just for force-feeding to children and helping you see better in the dark - the vegetable you can find in any supermarket also helps with cell growth and repair.

"They are chock-full of beta-carotene [converted to vitamin A in the body], which is essential for proper cell growth and repair, that means fewer dead cells," she said.

Simply eat them raw as a snack with your favourite dips, grate them into salads or toss them into a stir-fry for dinner.

Almonds

According to the nutritionist, almonds are full of Vitamin E which is a "powerful antioxidant that helps to protect skin cells from UV light".

Almonds can also help to lower cholesterol.

Yoghurt

While natural, Greek or coconut-based yoghurt is good for you as it's chock-full of live probiotics, the sugary, fruity variety is said to aggravate inflammation.

Yoghurt is great for a balanced diet and helps your body to absorb all of the nutrients your skin needs.

Just have yoghurt sparingly at breakfast, use it in place of mayonnaise at lunch or have it as a light snack. Your skin will thank you.

Tomatoes

"Tomatoes," says Alleaume, "are rich in age-defying ingredient, lycopene.

"This natural pigment makes tomatoes red and can help to protect against sunburn and skin ageing caused by sunlight exposure."

Fight the dreaded sunburn with tomato soup or try tinned tomatoes for a natural summer glow.

Citrus fruits

"The citrus family is brimming in Vitamin C, which not only is good for warding off the sniffles, but also a prime skincare ingredient which smoothes out wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen," says the nutritionist.

However, aim for only one piece of citrus fruit a day, whether it's an orange while you're on the go or some lemon juice for cooking at night.

Brown rice

Simple to make, delicious to eat and packed full of goodness, brown rice is a skincare saviour.

"Eating wholegrain doesn't cause rapid spikes in blood sugar,' Alleaume says of the superfood.

Other wholegrains you can try include rye, corn, oats and barley.

Water

Alleaume says: "Water hydrates skin cells, allowing efficient absorption of nutrients and removal of toxins."

Keep some water at your desk throughout the day to stay fresh and hydrated. You can also mix things up with your choice of herbal teas.

- Daily Mail