The average woman spends in excess of £18,000 on her face throughout her lifetime according to an article published by the Daily Mail last year.

From moisturisers to foundations, facials to Botox we’re always on the lookout for the latest quick fix promising us more radiant and beautiful skin.  Although all of these products and treatments may improve the health and the appearance of our skin in varying measures, many of us forget the simplest and most effective way of looking after our skin – eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and we are, after all, what we eat.  So it makes sense that a healthy diet will keep your skin looking and feeling great.

We’ve compiled a list of five nourishing foods that you should make sure that you incorporate into your diet for a clear and radiant complexion.

Fish and Seafood – Bursting with omega 3, healthy fatty acids and zinc, fish and seafood are great for keeping your skin looking plump, healthy and moisturised. Zinc can help to reduce outbreaks whilst omega 3 reduces inflammation and dryness.

Whole grains – Whole grains are full of the B-vitamin biotin which helps to keep your skin moisturised, and antioxidants which combat skin damage.  Make small changes in your diet to introduce more whole grains like swapping white bread, rice and pasta for brown.

Berries – The antioxidants that can be found in berries are extremely beneficial to your skin.  Not only do antioxidants combat skin damage, they’re also great for keeping your skin’s pores nice and clear.  Make berries like strawberries, blueberries and blackberries your go-to healthy snack to graze on throughout the day, or add them into your cereal at breakfast each morning for a nourishing start to the day.

Red and green vegetables – Leafy green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are a great source of vitamin A.  Vitamin A helps to keep your skin looking younger for longer and prevents cell damage.  Red vegetables like red peppers are packed with nutrients and antioxidants to help to fight inflammation.

Green tea – If you’re only going to make one change to your diet that you’ll stick to make it green tea! Green tea is packed full of numerous healthy nutrients including vitamins C,D and K, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron.  It is also rich in antioxidants and contains polyphenols which are said to eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.  Green tea isn’t just hugely beneficial to your skin but to the rest of your body too.