12 Breakfast Recipes for Healthy, Radiant Skin | Livestrong.com (2024)

The best breakfast recipes for the skin are high in nutrients that promote elasticity and hydration.

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People invest a lot of time — and money — on products and procedures to gain glowing skin. But what you put ​in​ your body is just as important for radiant, supple skin.

Eating certain nutrients can take your complexion to the next level. These 12 nutrient-dense, skin-supporting breakfast recipes will help keep you healthy on the inside ​and​ looking radiant on the outside.

Your average avocado toast gets a major upgrade thanks to smoked salmon. Not only does this fantastic fish provide a hefty serving of protein, but salmon is also stacked with omega-3 fatty acids.

You don't need dairy to dish up a dreamy morning smoothie. This vegan smoothie leans on rich hemp milk for its creamy consistency. Hemp milk also has some skin-supporting omega-3s and filling plant-based protein.

But the real star ingredients are the blood oranges. "Citrus fruits help provide vitamin C, which promotes collagen formation and curtails the effects of free radicals, helping to maintain firm skin," Taub-Dix says.

Throw last night's leftover quinoa into this morning's parfait. Dairy-free almond yogurt serves as a beautiful base for this plant-based breakfast. Almonds and almond milk are excellent sources of vitamin E, which plays a role in skin elasticity, Taub-Dix says.

Lastly, top your parfait with a sprinkle of chia seeds, which are ranked second on the list of top 10 omega-3 rich foods, per the USDA.

Talk about an easy, breezy breakfast. This simple breakfast bowl only requires two ingredients: sweet kiwis and tart Greek yogurt.

The complementary flavors create an exquisite experience for your tastebuds. What's even sweeter, kiwis contain an ample amount of vitamin C for your skin.

If you crave comforting carbs first thing, look no further than this big bowl of steel-cut oats, which will offer you long-lasting energy.

Sliced strawberries, a drizzle of honey and a square of chocolate lend a natural sweetness and an abundance of antioxidants, which are linked to protecting skin from free radicals and sun damage, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Dark chocolate is particularly plentiful in polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant that is linked to reducing skin roughness and improving smoothness, per the Cleveland Clinic. For these skin-softening benefits, choose a chocolate variety with 60 to 70 percent cocoa.

This garden omelet offers a plentiful portion of veggies and plant-based protein while it supplies a solid serving of sunflower seeds (a rich source of vitamin E). Eggs also contain the amino acids your body needs to produce collagen.

The most abundant protein in your body, "collagen gives skin its structure and helps it to feel strong, yet supple," Taub-Dix says.

This green tea smoothie will give you something to smile about when the sun comes up. Stuffed with leafy greens like baby spinach (2 cups full) and juicy mango chunks, you'll be well on your way to reaching your daily fruit and veggie target before noon.

"Tea also contains polyphenols, believed to have anti-inflammatory properties to help protect the skin," Taub-Dix says. "Green tea, in particular, is linked to reducing the effects of sun damage," she adds.

What's not to love about trail mix in the morning? It's sweet, crunchy and satisfying. Unfortunately, many store-bought brands are brimming with added salt and sugar. This homemade trail mix parfait nixes the extra sweeteners and sodium in favor of dried apricots and raw almonds.

With both almonds and almond yogurt, you get twice the vitamin E power to promote healthy skin.

This tomato-basil frittata is fantastic for your skin. Not only does it call for collagen-promoting eggs, but it also touts tomatoes, which are lush in lycopene, an antioxidant that is linked to smooth, wrinkle-free skin, Taub-Dix says.

What's more, the olive oil in this recipe allows your body to absorb lycopene more easily, she adds.

This frozen frappuccino is the ultimate twofer: a hearty breakfast smoothie plus your morning caffeine fix all in one protein-rich package.

A morning shot of espresso will give you a jolt of energy and a hefty hit of free radical-fighting antioxidants. Yep, a cup of coffee is loaded with polyphenols.

These hash browns swap traditional spuds for sweet potatoes, so you get way more fiber (8 grams per serving) to keep your tummy fuller for longer. But that's not the only nutrient you gain from this simple switch: sweet potatoes also provide a healthy source of beta-carotene, Taub-Dix says.

Beta-carotene — which gives these terrific tubers their bright orange color — is also a precursor to vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin, she adds.

This sweet take on bruschetta will brighten up your breakfast and your skin. Red and green grapes provide plenty of powerful polyphenols, per the Cleveland Clinic. Plus, these juicy fruits are full of water.

"Don't underestimate the power of water," Taub-Dix says. "Water hydrates the skin and may help prevent wrinkling."

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