Top 5 Fruits for Healthy Skin

There is no doubt that using a great skincare regimen is a wonderful way to ensure that your skin remains, healthy, vibrant and youthful. What we do need to keep in mind, however, is that cleansers, toners, and lotions are not the only way to maintain healthy skin. Nourishing our skin from the inside out is essential for keeping it looking its best at all times.

Drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding dehydration is one of the most well known ways of nourishing our skin from the inside out, but another fantastic skin treat is eating fruit and lots of it. While all fruit is healthy for us in general, there are specific ones that have unparalleled benefits for our epidermis. The top five fruit for beautiful skin are oranges, papaya, pomegranate, berries and avocados.

Oranges are a wonderfruit for your skin because they are packed with Vitamin C and extremely hydrating. Vitamin C is essential for skin health because it protects cells from free radical damage as well as boosts collagen production. Oranges also aid in your body's overall detoxification process due to the fact that they are high in fiber and also rich in antioxidants which helps move oxygen around your body. Recent scientific studies have also shown that oranges contain a naturally occurring cancer fighting nutrient which can aid in giving your skin an anti-cancer boost. Oranges also have a high liquid content which makes for an excellent source of hydration for thirsty skin.

Along with oranges, adding papaya to your daily diet is a fantastic way to ensure your skin stays at its best. Like oranges, papaya has a very high Vitamin C content. It also happens to have one of the highest Vitamin A and carotene levels in the fruit family. Papaya is also rich in papain which is thought to help in the renewal of skin cells and aids in digestion. Vitamins C and A combat free radicals which can lead to premature aging, while the carotene and papain help aid in new skin cell production while also decreasing your skin's chances of developing rashes or inflammation. Papaya is a superfood packed full of nutrients for super skin.

Like papayas, pomegranates are becoming more and more popular with all of the new research being done on how beneficial they are to our health. Pomegranates are not only healthy for our cardiovascular and digestive systems, but they are also an incredible fruit for healthy, vibrant skin. This shiny, red fruit with the bevy of jewel-like juicy seeds happens to contain ellagic acid which has been proven to inhibit the growth of skin cancer. The high levels of antioxidants contained in the fruit are also said to aid in cell renewal in the two most important layers of your skin, the epidermis and the dermis. As if that weren't enough, pomegranates also contain anthocyanins which act to strengthen the walls of the tiny blood vessels that supply nutrients to the skin therefore inhibiting the development of spider veins below your skin's surface. This is a must eat fruit for healthy skin.

While berries are already a favorite fruit for many of us, they are also a favorite of our skin. Berries of all kinds, including raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are high in Vitamins C and E which are both important for protecting your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals. Vitamins A and C are also known to aid in the production of collagen which makes skin look smooth, supple and more youthful. It is said that eating a handful of dark berries every day can make you look several years younger without the use of a plastic surgeon's services.

It may be easy to grab a handful of berries and toss it in a bowl of yogurt or cereal, but another fruit that we should eat on a regular basis for healthier skin is avocado. Avocados are chock full of nutritional benefits for our skin. This fleshy, creamy, green fruit is also high in Vitamins C and E as well as monounsaturated fats that help to keep our skin moist and nourished from the inside out. Avocados are especially beneficial if you are prone to dry skin or suffer through the drying effects of cold weather.

With these five delicious fruits added to your daily dietary intake, you are not only giving your body a boost, but you are also ensuring that your skin gets all of the nutrients and natural protection that it needs to stay looking healthy, supple and young. The old adage states that "We are what we eat" and one of the first places that starts to show how we feel inside is our skin. If we eat unhealthily, that will manifest on our faces. Eating oranges, papaya, berries, pomegranates and avocados is a mouthwatering way to ensure that your skin always looks healthy and it's far cheaper and painless than Botox or facelifts. Go ahead! Enjoy a fruit salad and know that your skin is thanking you for it!