Add These 5 Retinol-Rich Foods to Your Plate for Healthier, Firmer Skin

While topical skincare plays a role, lasting radiance originates from within. One powerful player in your beauty and radiance toolkit? Retinol.

Yes, the same powerhouse ingredient found in your favourite anti-ageing serums also exists naturally in the foods you eat, and it might just be the most overlooked way to boost collagen and promote healthier, more elastic skin from the inside out.

Retinol helps trigger the synthesis of collagen, enhancing skin elasticity and reducing fine lines. While it is amazing to see results when you apply creams, nourishing your skin from the inside out is a way to make progress towards achieving your glow dreams. 

There are two main types:

• Preformed retinol (from animal sources like eggs and dairy)

• Provitamin A carotenoids (like beta-carotene from plant foods), which your body converts to vitamin A

In this article, we’ll explore 5 retinol-rich foods that help stimulate collagen naturally, why your skin loves them, and how to easily incorporate them into your diet.

What Is Retinol, and Why Does Your Skin Need It?

Retinol is an oil-soluble form of vitamin A that promotes healthy skin cell turnover. It reduces wrinkles, unclogs pores and acne, and, most importantly, triggers collagen production, which gives your skin firmness and elasticity.

Preformed retinol is found in animal products (like liver, eggs, and milk), while provitamin A carotenoids (like beta-carotene) are found in highly coloured plant foods and are converted to vitamin A in your body.

So if you’re a vegan, vegetarian, or amala-and-ewedu lover, there’s a retinol source for you.

Sweet potatoes are one food that you can readily find in Nigerian stores, and are also high in retinol. 

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is a plant precursor to vitamin A (retinol). A medium-sized sweet potato will give you more than 100% of your recommended daily dosage of vitamin A. This helps maintain your skin’s collagen structure and protects it from damage caused by free radicals from sun and pollution.

How to Eat It:

• Roast as wedges or chips

• Mash with a drizzle of honey and cinnamon for a healthy snack

• Pair with grilled chicken or eggs for a nutrient-packed meal

• Combine with ginger and carrots to create a tasty orange smoothie

Price: ₦1,400. Where to Buy: Shop Supermart

Carrots aren’t just great for your eyes; they’re great for your skin too. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which your body converts to retinol. They’re also packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants that heal skin. Regular consumption can lead to tighter skin and that "lit-from-within” glow.

How to Eat It:

• Grate into salads for crunch

• Juice with ginger, apple, and lemon for a morning boost

• Stir-fry with green peas and bell peppers

• Munch on carrot sticks with hummus or groundnut butter

Price: ₦2,400. Where to Buy: Shop Supermart.

Nigerian greens like ugu, spinach, and bitter leaf may not look as vibrant as carrots, but they’re surprisingly high in beta-carotene.

Dark green leafy vegetables contain retinol-boosting nutrients — beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin K. These nutrients not only help produce collagen but also protect existing collagen from breaking down.

How to Eat It:

• Add ugu into egusi, ogbono, or okra soups

• Steam and serve alongside yam or rice

• Blend with green smoothies and banana or pineapple

• Create a simple vegetable sauce using palm oil and crayfish (use the oil sparingly!).

Price: ₦3,500. Where to Buy Spinach: Shop Supermart

Eggs are the most bioavailable animal form of preformed retinol, which means your body can immediately utilise it without needing to convert.

The yolk is where the magic happens; it’s loaded with retinol, biotin, and choline, all of which benefit skin rebirth and collagen support. Eggs are a source of protein, a key building block for collagen.

How to Eat It:

• Boiled, scrambled, or poached

• Whisk into vegetable stir-fries

• Create a protein-packed breakfast sandwich with wheat bread

• Include boiled eggs in salads or yam porridge

Price: ₦8,810. Where to Buy: Shop Supermart

Your rainy season favourite fruit isn’t just delicious, it's also brimming with skin-rejuvenating beta-carotene.

Mangoes have a high concentration of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and vitamin C, which together form a collagen-producing powerhouse. Both vitamins work in harmony to regenerate skin tissue, reduce wrinkles, and improve texture. Mangoes also contain enzymes that may help exfoliate dead skin cells when consumed regularly.

How to Eat It:

• Slice and serve as a snack or dessert

• Blend with smoothies, Greek yoghurt or coconut water

• Chop and combine with cucumber and lettuce salad

• Blend into homemade ice cream or sorbet

Price: ₦4,000. Where to Buy: Shop The Fruit Shopper

Why Vitamin C Matters Too

Vitamin C makes your body twice as effective at absorbing and converting beta-carotene into retinol. That is, if you’re eating carrots, mangoes, or greens, adding foods rich in vitamin C, like oranges, pineapples, bell peppers, or tomatoes, will double the benefit.

The next time you’re blending a smoothie, soup, or meal, think about combining beta-carotene + vitamin C; it’s collagen magic.

Skincare isn’t just what you apply to your face; it’s also what you take into your body. Adding these retinol-rich foods to your diet is a natural way to stimulate collagen production, build skin elasticity, and prevent visible signs of ageing.

Sweet potato or mango, your skin will appreciate each retinol-boosting bite.