With the weather getting colder and colder, and the rain appearing to be never ending, it’s easy to settle indoors with a huge, hearty meal and a cup of hot chocolate. Although these treats make us feel comforted in the short term, there is the possibility of waking up with blotchy and uneven skin – the last thing you need in these miserable months!

There are plenty of natural, delicious foods to enjoy (as well as avoid, sadly), to ensure that your skin is young, radiant and glowing this winter.

So long, sugar

According to Max Tomlinson, a naturopath, nutritionist, homeopath and medical herbalist, sugar is one of the main causes of skin damage and premature ageing.

He calls sugar a "big no-no" and instead advises that we look for sweet alternatives to make a long-term positive impact on our diet and skin.

"I think a way of replacing the lovely treats, getting them out of our diets and maintaining wellbeing long-term is to say: 'I am now going to be responsible for my wellbeing. I am going to look at replacing some of the more obvious sugary products with some really good-looking fruit and veg'."

Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins

Max Tomlinson also highlighted the importance of foods rich in vitamins, such as blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries and sweet potatoes.

These foods help to produce collagen, which helps keep our skin wrinkle-free, supple and soft. They are also a great alternative to sweets and chocolate bars, as they give us our sugar fix, but this way it’s natural.

Green tea 

There’s nothing more comforting in these dark months than a big warm cup of tea, and, hurrah, green tea does just the calming trick for our skin as well! It’s chocka-block with antioxidants, which help our bodies fight the ageing process from the inside out.

Posted by Sam Wallace