By Jamie Costello, a nutritional sciences student

As we enter the winter months, the weather becomes harsh and our skin begins to crack. Strong, cold winds and thrashing snow across your face can really take a toll on the skin that we did so well to maintain during the summer. Don’t worry though, as there are plenty of nutritional foods that you can consume to help fight back and keep your skin looking healthier than ever this season.

Carrots
Packed with vitamin C, it’s an essential ingredient for producing collagen in your body and increasing protein levels that will help maintain the elasticity of your skin. Another bonus to having carrots is it’s also a source of vitamin A, which can help prevent wrinkles and keep your skin looking beautifully young. Carrots are great to have on their own or you can easily blend it to make carrot soup or grate it in a salad.

Broccoli
Another vegetable on the list, broccoli is a natural source for glucoraphanin, which is known for its skin rejuvenation qualities. It also contains vitamin C, which produces the collagen levels required to keep skin looking young. Other vitamins include vitamin E which helps protect the skin from cellular damage, as well as vitamin B which can provide your skin with the glow you require.

Spinach
Spinach is known as a superfood for the various health benefits that it can have on the body. It’s also known to help prevent certain diseases due to the richness of antioxidants and iron qualities that it holds. Folate is also found in spinach which is a B vitamin that helps promote cell repairs and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

Dark Chocolate
Steering away from the vegetables, a little treat that you can have to promote healthier looking skin is dark chocolate. Cacao, which is a processed powder found in chocolate beans, is a source of skin-nourishing antioxidants. Consuming cacao has found to improve elasticity and prevent the formation of wrinkles. This can easily be had after a meal or a snack to fill the hunger void.

Salmon
Salmon includes omega-3 fatty acids which help to moisturise your skin and prevent it from drying out. It can have your complexion looking silky smooth and keep it glowing for longer. Another ingredient it includes is selenium, which is important in preventing the overproduction of free radicals in the body, whist also improving elasticity and reducing inflammation. This is especially beneficial to those who suffer from acne.

Simple adjustments to your diet means you can enjoy the outdoors this winter whilst keeping your skin glowing.

About Jamie Costello
Jamie Costello is a nutritional sciences student based in Manchester. He’s currently in the process of writing a portfolio as part of his studies, which he creates using the knowledge he’s learnt so far on the course but also from resources that are backed by scientific research. For this particular article, he’s referred back to his experience working alongside experts at KLNIK, a medical spa and wellness clinic in Wilmslow, Cheshire, which connects nutrition and the long-term effects it has on the skin.