Apart from anti-ageing creams and beauty treatments, there are everyday foods you can eat more of to help reduce and prevent wrinkles on your skin. Here, dietitian and nutritionist Gabrielle Maston shares top skin-loving foods you should incorporate in your meals. Good news is, they are all delicious and easy to get here, so start loading up on these for smoother skin!
Text: The Australian Women’s Weekly / Additional Reporting: Sean Tan
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Adding this tasty red fruit to your salads and pasta sauces could be doing your skin a world of good. Tomatoes are packed full of lycopene, a powerful phytochemical which can protect your skin from UV damage, a major cause of early ageing of the skin. They are also rich in vitamin C, a nutrient you’d expect to find in oranges and other citrus fruits. “Vitamin C is great for the skin, not only because it’s an antioxidant but it’s also used to build collagen. Your skin is made up of collagen, which is responsible for the strength and elasticity of your skin,” says Gabrielle.
Apart from being a fabulous mid-morning energy booster, green tea is notoriously high in antioxidants. While this is great for flushing out toxins from the body, it can also assist in regenerating new cells, important for keeping skin young, plump and free of uneven pigmentation. Gabrielle recommends enjoying green tea regularly as a way to keep the skin hydrated, preventing dryness and flaking which can lead to wrinkles.
Your morning bowl of yoghurt will give you a serving of protein, calcium and probiotics, which are extremely beneficial for a healthy gut, resulting in overall well-being and a higher immunity. “Good bacteria can aid your gut to improve digestion and improve the gut signalling pathways,” says Maston. Consuming probiotics with a prebiotic can also help reduce redness and irritation in the skin. For maximum benefits, opt for natural, unprocessed products to get the highest concentration of probiotics. Tip: Try adding Greek yoghurt to your salads instead of mayonnaise for some skin-loving probiotics.
Nuts are a brilliant healthy snack option, whether they’re eaten whole or blended up into a spread. With every serving, you’ll also get a big dose of omega-3 unsaturated fats, wonderful for boosting plump and glowing skin. Nuts like almonds are high in vitamin E which can reduce inflammation and redness.
Nuts also also high in zinc, a trace mineral that is often low in some diets. “Zinc is great for wound healing, which can aid the repair of any cuts, scratches and scares on your skin. Zinc is also used for the treatment of ache, so getting enough zinc in your diet may help you reduce pimples and spots,” says Gabrielle.
This creamy, versatile fruit not only makes a mean toast-topper, but it’s loaded with skin-loving omega 3 fatty acids that can help with reducing dryness and preventing wrinkles. Avocados are also rich in glutathione, an antioxidant which can counter the effects of skin-damaging molecules caused by UV exposure or processed foods.
“One quarter of an avocado contains 25 per cent of our recommended daily intake of vitamin C and 10 per cent of our recommended daily intake of vitamin E,” says Gabrielle. Vitamin E, in particular, cannot be produced by the body so you must consume it through your food.
Whole soy beans contain all the essential amino acids for protein building. Protein is needed to build and repair collagen, a vital element for maintaining plump and healthy skin. They also contain isoflavones – antioxidants which protect against inflammation in the skin. Where possible, opt for soy products that are as close to their natural state as possible; products like tofu, soy milk and miso can sometimes be heavily processed and lose their skin-boosting nutritional value.
Another antioxidant powerhouse, blueberries provide the protection your skin needs in order to combat free radicals and cellular damage caused by external aggressors, which contribute to the formation of wrinkles on skin. The good thing about blueberries is that you don’t have to prep them like some other fruits; simply wash and pack them in a Ziploc bag for convenient snacking anytime of the day, or toss them into your salad for an extra antioxidant boost.
It has anti-bacterial properties and also loaded with antioxidants. Honey is especially known to nourish the skin, hair and nails, not only when consumed but it can also be added to some home remedy beauty regimes. Because it is a natural humectant, it will help skin retain moisture in its deeper layers, so that it can achieve a smooth, wrinkle-free condition. Tip: Swap out all your sugar in your tea for a teaspoon of sugar instead, it sweetens your drink naturally while giving your skin some anti-ageing nutrients.
One of the best ways to amp up the moisture in your skin is by adding more healthy omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. This will also help with reducing water retention in the body, reducing the puffy appearance in your face. One of the richest forms of healthy fats is oily fish, like wild salmon and mackerel. You’ll also get a big serving of protein with your seafood, an essential building block to regenerating new skin cells.
During ancient times, women used olive oil on their bodies as it’s believed to bring beauty and radiance to the skin, and it’s also known for its anti-ageing benefits. Now, we have a slew of advanced body oils and creams which can do the same, but olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, is consumed more often as it’s known to enhance the flavour of foods. Plus, it’s packed with nutrients and antioxidants like vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols, so harness these to help you fight off the onset of wrinkles!