With age, an individual’s appearance changes, fitness weakens, and the risk of disease increases. But the foods we consume can affect our quality of life and overall health. There is no doubt in saying that foods can actually support healthy aging.
An individual’s body relies on different nutrients to perform various functions. Similarly, many foods contain nutrients that support the natural aging process. These nutrients promote healthy skin and help slow signs of aging.
However, eating certain foods cannot make you look younger all of a sudden. Getting complete nutrition is just one aspect of healthy aging. Other factors such as lifestyle, sleep quality, mental strength, and physical fitness also support healthy aging.
Eating a nutrient-dense diet helps you look young but also makes you feel energetic as you grow old. So, you must consider including healthy proteins, fats, and antioxidant-rich foods in your daily diet.
Let’s talk about the top 5 superfoods that support healthy aging.
- Vegetables: Most vegetables are low in calories and rich in nutrients. Vegetables contain antioxidants that prevent heart diseases, cataracts, and certain types of cancers. Many vegetables contain carotenoids like beta-carotene and lycopene. Diets rich in carotenoids give protection to the skin against UV rays that are responsible for premature aging. Carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are rich sources of beta-carotene. Veggies like leafy greens, bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli are rich in vitamin C, a vital antioxidant. Vitamin C is also responsible for collagen production necessary for skin health. Collagen is the building block of the skin but its production slows down after the age of 25. Different colored vegetables represent the different types of antioxidants present in them. That is why we should consider adding different vegetables to the meals to get the maximum benefit from all of them. Antioxidants present in vegetables promote overall health and glowing skin.
- Fruits: Fruits like pomegranates and avocados are full of nutrients. Pomegranate is high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin K, which promote healthy heart and skin aging. They are also rich in antioxidants such as flavonols, tannins, phenolic acids, and lignans. Antioxidants not only protect the existing collagen in the skin but also promotes new collagen production.
Similarly, avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that promote healthy skin by supporting healthy skin membranes. They also have high antioxidant content that fights free radicals that cause premature aging. You should add avocados to your regular diet to get all the nutrition you need for healthy skin.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is one of the best oils found on earth. This oil contains healthy fats and antioxidants that reduce inflammation and oxidative damage. Oxidative damage is caused due to imbalance of free radicals in the human body. A diet rich in olive oil lowers the risk of various chronic illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and certain types of cancer. It is important to note here that olive oil contains about 73% of monounsaturated fats(MUFAs). Many studies have revealed that diets rich in MUFAs prevent skin aging due to the anti-inflammatory properties of these healthy fats. Extra virgin olive oil also contains antioxidants tocopherols, beta carotene, and phenolic compounds that prevent inflammation. You can use cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil in salads, dips, and cooking food.
- Green Tea: Green tea is rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules formed as a byproduct of normal cell functioning in the body. Higher levels of free radicals can cause damage to your cells. Antioxidants stabilize free radicals so that they do not cause any skin damage. Green tea is a rich source of antioxidants called polyphenols. It also contains high amounts of epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG), catechins, and gallic acid. These antioxidants reduce the risk of heart disease, neurological disorders, premature aging, and chronic illnesses. The polyphenols present in green tea can prevent external skin damage caused due to environmental factors such as UV rays and pollution. You may also find skin care products containing green tea extracts that are effective for antiaging. Consuming green tea is beneficial in providing your body with antioxidants.
- Dark Chocolate or Cocoa: Dark chocolate is a good source of polyphenols that act as antioxidants in the body. Dark chocolate contains flavanol that reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline. A diet rich in flavanols and antioxidants protects the skin against sun damage and slows skin aging. Still, more research is needed to find the exact benefits of green tea on the appearance and aging of the skin. Higher cocoa content contains high levels of flavanol. So when choosing dark chocolate, go for at least 70% of cocoa solids with less sugar.
Final Thoughts
The foods that you consume directly impact the health of your skin. So you must choose your meals carefully and enrich your diet with nutritious foods to promote healthy skin aging. Along with a healthy diet, you should also apply sunscreen before going out. Sunscreen protects the skin from sun damage and prevents tanning.
You can choose from a wide range of GULA cosmetics to keep your skin looking healthy and young. Try the GULA Youth Creme and see the difference.