It’s easy to not think much about what you’re putting into your body in terms of how it can impact your skin, particularly your aging.
So many of us focus on sun exposure and simply getting older to blame for aging—and both play a role. But a sneaky contributing factor to early signs of aging may lie in something you do multiple times every day: eating.
New studies are showing that what you put in your body can significantly affect your outer appearance when it comes to aging.
Healthy Foods Play a Vital Role in Key Anti-Aging Skin Rejuvenation
Everything from collagen production to oxidative stress reduction to DNA repair is impacted by what you eat. Which means consuming classic “junk” and foods low in nutritional value will take away from these preventative internal functions, leaving you with lackluster skin that’s lost volume, smoothness, and youthful radiance.
It’s recommended to consume foods high in Vitamin C, vegetables, fish, and other foods high in olive oil, linoleic acid, and carotenoids to ensure your skin gets what it needs to remain youthful.
In a study published in the American Academy of Dermatology in 2019, the association between diet and facial wrinkles specifically were investigated within an elderly population.
It was discovered that diets high in animal meats and fats, as well as high in carbohydrates, had more wrinkles than those who adhered to the Dutch Guidelines for a Healthy Diet, which included a daily intake of 200g vegetables, 200g of fruit, 90g of brown bread or other wholemeal products, and another 15g of unsalted nuts. It was also recommended to have one serving of fish with little or no dairy intake, alcohol, sugars, and more.
Ultimately, a diet high in nutrient-dense foods allowed women to maintain their youthful skin longer, with fewer wrinkles.
What Foods Keep Your Skin From Aging
It’s easy to point at the data and show you the results, but how do you bring these foods into your diet long-term? Since consuming these foods in order to maintain youthful skin isn’t a quick-fix but a habit you must keep up with, we’ve put together some foods you can incorporate into your daily diet to help you get there.
Here are foods high in each category recommended by recent studies to confirm a reduction in visible facial wrinkles.
Foods high in vitamin C:
- Guavas
- Kiwi
- Bell peppers
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Papayas
- Kale
- Tomatoes
- Snow peas
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Chilli peppers
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Brussel sprouts
- Lemons
- Pineapple
- Mango
Foods high in linoleic acid:
- Walnuts
- Tofu
- Hemp seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Avocado oil
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Popcorn
- Chicken
- White cheeses
Food high in Carotenoids:
- Asparagus
- Beef liver
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Apricots
- Kale
- Mangos
- Peaches
- Pink grapefruit
- Collard greens
- Nectarines
- Sweet potatoes
- Squash
- Tangerines
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
- Pumpkin
- Guava
- Corn
- Carrots
- Cantaloupe
- Bell peppers
- Oranges
Ultimately, a vast diet filled with vegetables, fruit, and white meats, including fish, can help your skin stay wrinkle-free and supple for longer.
The best way to incorporate these foods into your diet is to start slowly if you’re someone who currently doesn’t eat any of this. Create a goal to start with a vegetable on these lists in each meal, then add fruit to each meal, and slowly replace the highly processed carbohydrates that contribute to skin conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, and more.
If you want something in addition to these healthy foods to help keep your skin youthful, book an appointment with us for a full skin consultation so we can formulate a regimen that works best with your unique skin!
