Do they really exist? Foods that tighten loose skin? Or at least prevent further laxity of the skin?

Well, our choice of diet does matter when it comes to how firm and tight your skin can be. Even though you will have to incorporate more actions in your daily life, for best result.

This post will go through the certain foods that make you look younger. Provide a guide/diet plan for skin tightening. And sort out if there are any foods that can give you fast results or not.

This is what I’ll cover:

• Foods that make you look younger
  • The rainbow of fruits and veggies
  • The skin healthy fats
  • The protein that is needed
• Diet plan for skin tightening
• Are there any foods that firm skin fast?
• Summary – foods that tighten loose skin

Foods that make you look younger

Let’s talk about the foods that you need to eat on a daily basis. If you want to keep your skin as healthy, firm, and young as possible.

The rainbow of fruits and veggies

I have discussed the power of fruits and vegetables several times in this blog. And for good reasons.

In fruits and vegetables, you don’t just find plenty of vitamin C (which is crucial for collagen production). But you also find a sea of different so-called phytonutrients. Which work as powerful antioxidants to protect your skin from damage and aging.

One group of phytochemicals are the carotenoids. Which are a group of pigments where many are well-studied and shown to be extremely efficient in preserving the skin. To some degree, they can even help reverse signs of aging that you already have (such as fine lines, loss of elasticity, dry skin, etc).

Not just due to their antioxidant ability. But also since they have the ability to turn on your own production of collagen, skin lipids, and hyaluronic acid. And on top of that block out damaging UV-rays, and blue light.

See my post about the skin tightening carotenoids to learn more about them specifically.

The best way to ensure you get enough of these anti-aging micronutrients is to eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables. Some of the best sources are mango, broccoli, melons, kale, spinach, goji berries, oranges, papaya, persimmons, and carrots.

The skin healthy fats

There are certain fats that are extra important for your skin. If you want to look tighter and fight loose skin. These are the ones and where to find them.

Essential fatty acids (EFA)

In order to have healthy skin cells, you need to eat some essential fatty acids. Those are fats that your body cannot produce on its own. But that is crucial for healthy cell membranes. Including our skin cells.

The EFAs are called omega 3 and omega 6. And besides being essential for our cells, they are also anti-inflammatory (which helps preserve collagen and elastin) and can help with many kinds of inflammatory skin concerns.

Omega-3 is found in oily fish, algae-supplements, flax-seeds, walnuts, and leafy greens. While omega-6 is more easily found in most vegetable oils and most nuts and seeds.

Omega 3 has also been shown to specifically decrease skin aging if eaten from vegetable sources. This is interesting to know since some of you may have heard that dairy products (if the cow is grass-fed) can contain omega 3 fatty acids. But those fats still doesn’t seem to have the same beneficial effect on the skin.

Monounsaturated fatty acids

The monounsaturated fatty acids are another group of fats that you really need to get from your diet if you want firmer and healthier skin. These are found in great amounts in olive oil, avocados, and macadamia nuts.

The monounsaturated fatty acids are shown to reduce oxidative stress (fight free radicals) and lower inflammation. And seem to be highly effective in protecting the skin from aging.

The protein that is needed

In order to produce collagen (which is a protein that gives your skin firmness and structure), you need the right building blocks/amino acids. Your body produces its own amino acids, but only to a certain degree. And it still needs to be fed other amino acids to produce the ones needed in collagen.

In other words, if you get too little protein from your diet, your production of collagen may suffer.

Also, some amino acids besides those found in the collagen molecule itself, are important agents for boosting the production of collagen.

One example is L-lysine (which you can read about here). L-lysine is an essential amino acid and you need to get it daily from your diet since your body cannot even produce it.

Whit that said. What you need to worry about is to get enough protein every day. Not just to get all the amino acid blocks that are what makes up collagen. But also the amino acids that are needed in the process of producing it.

In the next section I will tell you exactly how much you need every day.

Diet plan for skin tightening

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Now that you have an overview of the kinds of foods you need to tighten loose skin and prevent aging. Here is what to do with that information more precisely.

This is the skin tightening diet I personally recommend and follow.

Getting the right amount of fruits and vegetables

A thumb rule is to eat the fruits and vegetables that are rich in those skin tightening carotenoids that are most studied and proven to help firm the skin. Those are (and where you find them):

• Beta-carotene (carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe melon, mango, spinach)
• Lycopene (tomatoes, watermelon, goji berries, guava, papaya)
• Lutein (leafy greens, broccoli, yellow bell peppers, kiwi, corn, squash, grapes)
• Zeaxanthin (mango, goji berries, honeydew melon, oranges (and other citrus fruits), orange bell peppers)

Aim to eat at least 2 portions of every group per day. But the more the better.

You can find even more examples in my chart in this post.

This will make sure you get enough of the skin firming phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables. And at the same time, you will get plenty of Vitamin C. Which will make your skin thrive even more.

Remember that frozen fruits and vegetables works just as good.

If you for some reason are short on fruits and vegetables on certain days. I definitely recommend a vitamin C supplement such as this one. And a supplement with astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a powerful carotenoid from sea plants that can be taken with or without the other carotenoids.

Also remember that carotenoids is best eaten with a piece of fat. Since the fat will increase the uptake. More about fat in the next section.

The fats that need to be included

As mentioned above, you’ll need to make sure you get the essential omega 3 and omega 6 in your diet. As well as the monounsaturated fats, if you want optimal skin.

Omega 6 is easily found in most vegetable oils and nuts. While omega 3 can be a little more tricky to get enough of. I personally take this algue supplement to ensure I get enough. But you can also eat oily fish a few times per week. Flaxseeds and walnuts are good sources too but may not give enough.

A tip is to eat a handful of nuts every day for omega 6. Plus either a supplement of algae omega daily or oily fish a few times per week for omega 3.

Be aware that both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids oxidize easily. So they need to be from fresh sources should be stored in the fridge.

On top of this, also make sure to include olive oil, olives, macadamia nuts, or avocados daily. In order to get the monounsaturated fats that will help to keep your skin cells even healthier.

I mentioned above that the uptake of carotenoids is better when a piece of fat is included in the meal. And that is especially true when it comes to the carotenoids in vegetables. So for that reason, try to eat your fats at the same time as you eat your veggies.

The right amount of protein for firmer skin

It’s important to get enough protein in your diet, in order to give your skin what it needs to build collagen properly. So how much is enough?

The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is just 0.8 g of protein per kg bodyweight. And that means the lowest daily intake that you need to meet your basic nutritional requirements. But that is not the same thing as the optimal intake for strong healthy tissues such as the skin.

Eating too much protein is of course not a good idea either for most people. And I have personally experienced getting acne if I eat more than 3 g proteins per kg bodyweight.  

My suggestion is to find the sweet spot somewhere around 1.7 – 2 g/kg bodyweight. That means you will give your body plenty of amino acids to play with and to maximize optimal tissue growht. But without risking any side effects from getting too much. This is also the amount of protein that is recommended for most athletes.

By eating that amount of protein you will also be quite insured to get the right amount of the essential amino acids. Even if you’re a vegan. Consult a dietician/nutritionist to be sure.

Tip: use this tool to convert lb to kg.

It’s always a good idea to spread out the intake of protein throughout the day. And remember that you find protein in a variety of foods. I personally don’t eat meat or dairy products. But I eat a lot of beans, lentils, nuts, and pea protein powder.

If you want to add a protein powder to supplement throughout the day. I recommend this one. And you can read my article about L-lysine and pea protein to learn more about why I prefer it.

Getting enough energy and nutrients overall

Besides following the diet plan above, you also need to have a healthy basic diet to start with. In order to have strong skin cells, collagen production, and strong tissues overall in the face (such as bones, muscles, and ligaments).

With a lack of energy or any nutrients for that matter, your skin will simply not function at its best. Which can lead to premature aging.

Not getting enough energy (calories) can also cause fat loss in the face, and over time even increased bone loss. Which will make you look older and cause sagging skin.

Avoid any strict dieting, unless you really need to. And seek help from a dietician or well-renowned nutritionist if you are uncertain about your nutrient intake.

Are there any foods that firm skin fast?

Increasing elasticity and firmness of the skin takes time and you should not expect a miracle overnight from eating certain foods. But for longer periods, the right foods does create magic for your skin. So be patient.

If you are looking for a quick fix. The fastest way to naturally firm your skin is to get your beauty sleep (you will notice a difference in just a few nights of good quality sleep). And by using microcurrent devices. You can read those separate blog posts to learn more.

Also, if you are experiencing loose skin due to a weight loss. Then I recommend my post about sagging skin and nasolabial folds to learn more about that concern.

Summary – foods that tighten loose skin

• You will need to plan your diet in order to have the best possible skin. The right foods will help protect your skin from premature aging. And to some degree help reverse signs of aging that you already have.

• Eat plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables daily to get high amounts of certain carotenoids and vitamin C (among other important micronutrients). Vitamin C is crucial for collagen production. And the carotenoids are proven to boost the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and even skin lipids. On top of that they all work as powerful antioxidants to protect the skin from damage.

• Make sure to get the essential omega 3 (fatty fish, algae supplements, flax seeds) and omgea 6 fatty acids (most nuts and vegetable oils) daily. As well as the monounsaturated fats found in olives, macadamia nuts, and avocados. These fats will help keep your skin cells healthy, and decrease inflammation.

• Aim to get about 1.7 -2 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily, and preferably spread throughout the day. That will make sure you get plenty enough of the protein that is needed for optimal collagen- and elastin production. While eating more than this is not recommended.

• Avoid any strict dieting (unless you really need to) and make sure you eat enough calories and nutrients. Any lack of energy, minerals, or vitamins, can all cause your skin and face to age prematurely.

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That’s it! Hope you enjoyed reading about these foods that can help you get tighter skin and prevent other signs of aging.

Just remember that you need to comply with other commitments too in order to successfully treat and prevent aging of your skin. Foods are just a piece of the puzzle.

My post about the fundamentals of how to prevent wrinkles will be a great place to start if you are new to my blog.

I also recommend you check out my post about microcurrent. Once you have the foods, the sunscreen, and the right lifestyle habits. Then microcurrent will take your skin to another level. It is also a great way to quickly get an amazing glow and lifting effect.

I also recommend my post about how exercise can make you look younger. To learn about how the right amount of physical activity can help prevent aging.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or anything you want to share. Would love to hear!

Until next time, love your skin!