What Are The Best Sources of Protein For Skin? Skincare Nutrition

Proteins contribute to skin structure, function, tone and texture and play a key role in achieving and maintaining healthy skin. Proteins are essential for skin structure and function. Proteins are the main components of collagen and elastin, two proteins that give skin its strength, elasticity and resilience. Collagen makes up about 75-80% of skin’s dry weight and is responsible for keeping skin firm and supple. This means that if you don’t get enough protein, your skin may struggle to produce and maintain levels of collagen and elastin. Proteins are also important for maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Here’s what you need to know:

How much protein is needed for beautiful skin?

General dietary guidelines recommend consuming 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. However, to simplify this, you might aim for 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. To give you an example of this, one egg contains 13 grams of protein. However, not all proteins are equally nutritious.

What are the best sources of healthy protein for skin?

fish: Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines are a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep skin hydrated and reduce inflammation.

Red meat: Chicken, turkey and lean beef contain high-quality protein along with zinc, which is important for collagen synthesis and skin repair.

egg: Eggs are rich in protein and biotin, which may help support healthy skin and improve skin’s ability to retain moisture.

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds provide protein along with healthy fats and vitamin E, which protect the skin from oxidative stress.

beans: Beans, lentils and chickpeas are great vegetarian sources of protein that also provide fiber and a variety of nutrients that are beneficial for the skin.

Soy products: Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are rich in protein and isoflavones, which may help improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles.

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Protein for skin: recipe ideas

Buckwheat flatbread with sardines

Sardines are one of the most skin-friendly fish out there, and this recipe, featured in my book, Eat Beautiful, is perfect for a quick and fresh summer or fall lunch or dinner.

Serves 4
280 calories per serving

4 tablespoons buckwheat flour, plus more for dusting
Raw coconut oil for frying
4 fresh sardines, gutted and cleaned (ask your fishmonger for this)
Finely chop a handful of fresh parsley and add extra for garnishing.
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Serve
1 watermelon radish (or handful of red radish), thinly sliced
Lemon slices

1. Combine the flour and 2 tablespoons of water in a bowl and knead to form a dough (buckwheat is very sticky so you may need to add more flour).
2. Roll the dough into a tube and cut into 4 pieces. Lightly flour a work surface and roll each piece into a flatbread, approximately 3mm thick.
3. Heat a little coconut oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, add the flatbreads and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate and cook the remaining flatbreads in the same way.
4. Meanwhile, cook the sardines: melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a frying pan and add the sardines, parsley and lemon juice. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
5. To assemble, place a radish slice on top of each flatbread, top with sardines, sprinkle with more parsley, and serve with lemon slices.

Gentle, protein-rich recipes: Spicy Fish | Chicken Satay | Pearl barley and quinoa

© Wendy Rowe. All rights reserved.