People are Eating Sardines as Skincare...are they Actually onto Something?

Red light masks, microneedling, HydraFacials...sardines?

There are so many new recommendations when it comes to skincare and it's impossible to keep up with all the product and procedure recommendations. But there's one thing I'm seeing as a skincare hack that is neither a product nor a procedure: It's a food. And not a super common (or universally loved) food at that.

Across the internet, wellness girlies are praising sardines for their ability to give them glowing skin.

Let's face it: Tinned fish is expensive, but not nearly as expensive as all the products, facials, injectables, and tools we're told we "need" to have if we want the best skin of our life. Could this be the (relatively) affordable skin hack that will benefit more than just your skin, but your overall health as well?

I reached out to Anna Bohnengel, a registered dietician, to fact-check the claims that sardines are edible skincare.

Turns out, there might be something to do this...but there's also some misinformation out there.

"Sardines are one of the richest sources of EPA and DHA, the omega-3s that can help calm the chronic inflammation to prevent the collagen breakdown that contributes to skin aging," says Bohnengel, who adds that there's evidence to support the idea that fish oil can protect against UV-related collagen damage and improve skin hydration.

But if you don't love sardines? Well...you'd have to really lock in to get these benefits.

"Note that to achieve this benefit, that would mean eating 13-15 oz of sardines a day, every single day, for months (not just an occasional serving)," she adds. "There is a physiological plausibility that eating sardines provides skin-health benefits, but to see meaningful impact, they would have to be a daily routine... and not replacement for prevention in the form SPF."

TL;DR? If you enjoy sardines, eat up! Incorporating them as a daily lunch or snack (I've seen people make sardines on toast, for example), could be a great way to protect your skin as you age.

But if you're not a fan? No need to force yourself to eat 'em.

One thing to add, per Bohnengel: "Astaxanthin is often cited as part of the 'fish = skincare' story, but sardines aren't actually a meaningful source of it," she says.