What to Eat to Delay Aging Skin: Top 15 Anti-Aging Foods by NUME-Lab Switzerland
Transforming skin with food? Is it possible?
Proper skin care is a combination of genetic, external, and internal factors. Our genes, skincare products, the food we eat, and the environment we live in all contribute to the way our skin ages. Knowing this, can we prevent aging skin with food?
Perhaps we can’t prevent it, but we can surely delay some common signs of skin aging merely by making some tweaks in our diet and incorporating some anti-aging foods.
We here at NUME-Lab Switzerland are all about natural and clean beauty skincare, and that includes caring for your skin from the inside out. So, we’ve prepared this guide to help you understand the relationship between what you eat and the way your skin ages.
So, let’s dive in and see what to eat to delay aging skin and the top fifteen anti-aging foods.
Table of Contents
What Nutrients Are Important for Skin Health?
According to a 2020 study on diet and skin aging, here are some of the most important nutrients your skin needs:
- Water – for skin hydration and normal functioning of your tissues
- Proteins – essential building blocks of your skin responsible for tissue repair
- Copper – for protein synthesis and aiding the extracellular matrix
- Zinc – wound healing and protein synthesis
- Iron – skin regeneration and wound healing
- Selenium – antioxidative and protective power
- Vitamin A – retinoids are one of the most efficient anti-aging ingredients topically, as well as orally, through food
- Vitamin C – antioxidative, boosts collagen production
- Vitamin D – to reduce skin DNA damage and inflammation
- Vitamin E – prevention of UV-related skin aging
Logically, a diet rich in these nutrients and vitamins is good for your skin.
“Research shows that eating ultra-processed foods can speed up the aging of your cells.
Much of this is due to ultra-processed foods often containing a high amount of hydrogenated oils, which are full of trans fats and can promote the chronic inflammation that hastens the breakdown (or aging) of your cells.” cit. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
But.. first.. What Your Skin Doesn’t Need
Now, let’s look at the flip side of the coin and see some of the worst things you can eat for your skin:
- High saturated fat – causes inflammation (essential fatty acids excluded)
- Tobacco – causes an unhealthy complexion, affects skin thickness, and restricts blood flow to the skin, speeding up the aging process
- Alcohol – affects the lipid structure of your skin and causes dehydration, often resulting in skin barrier damage
- High glycemic index foods (sugar, baked goods, processed foods) – autophagy, skin thickness, and inflammation
Generally speaking, the main culprits for premature skin aging seem to be a high-sugar/high-fat diet, UV damage, and, of course, bad lifestyle habits like alcohol and tobacco.
Of course, other external factors like a quality skincare routine also play a role, but the internal factors shouldn’t be diminished.
15 Best Anti-Aging Foods to transform your skin
Now, let’s take a look at the top fifteen anti-aging foods that will keep your skin youthful and healthy from within:
1. Extra virgin olive oil
According to studies, a diet rich in MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) delays or prevents skin aging due to its strong anti-inflammatory properties. And, extra virgin olive oil contains about 73% MUFAs.
So, the next time you go shopping for skincare, pay a visit to your local grocery store as well!
2. Blueberries
If you need help fighting acne, psoriasis, eczema, or premature skin aging – fill up your fridge with blueberries.
Most notably, blueberries are full of fiber, anthocyanins, vitamin C, and vitamin K, helping reduce skin inflammation and even promoting wound healing.
3. Avocado
Avocados are a great anti-aging food since they’re practically made of fatty acids that fight inflammation. Plus, they’re incredibly rich in vitamins A, E, C, and K – all of which are great for your skin.
If you don’t like the taste of avocados, try putting them in a smoothie. You can barely taste any difference, yet you’ll get all the skin benefits.
4. Green tea
The next ingredient on your grocery shopping list is green tea – a plant full of antioxidants that fight inflammation and preserve your skin health.
The greatest skin benefit of green tea comes from its polyphenols that can prevent external skin damage caused by UV rays, pollution, etc.
5. Fatty fish
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines are essential for healthy skin and healthy aging in general. They’re full of Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats crucial for fighting inflammation.
Plus, don’t forget how healthy Omega-3s are for your heart!
6. Nuts
All nuts are great for your skin. However, if we had to choose, we’d go with walnuts. Why? Because walnuts contain zinc, vitamin E, and selenium, on top of their beneficial Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio.
7. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and other orange and red vegetables contain beta carotene, which is great for skin health and healthy tanning.
Plus, sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A, giving them the power of boosting collagen production and diminishing fine lines and wrinkles.
8. Papaya
There are countless benefits of papaya for skin and hair health. For instance – wrinkle reduction, acne prevention, melasma treatment, etc.
Papaya is rich in lycopene, which reduces the visible signs of skin aging – the most desirable effect you could ask for. It also boosts skin elasticity and it’s rich in vitamin A. All in all, papaya is a skincare superfood.
9. Broccoli
Broccoli is another superfood, not just for your skin but for your overall health. These green flowers are packed with fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, zinc, and many anti-inflammatory and anti-aging nutrients.
10. Leafy greens
Load up on spinach and kale! These leafy greens offer a plethora of nutrients your skin needs to stay healthy and youthful.
These salad greens are typically rich in vitamin A and vitamin E, effectively protecting your skin from free radical damage and diminishing sebum production. Plus, the fiber in leafy greens will help your body flush out toxins.
11. Pomegranate
Pomegranate seeds (as well as raspberries) are rich in Ellagic Acid. According to research, Ellagic Acid can fight the formation of wrinkles and photoaging caused by UVA and UVB rays.
Due to this ability, it’s often recommended to treat UV-related skin aging conditions as both a supplement and as an ingredient in skincare products.
So, include more pomegranates and berries in your diet to get the skin benefits of Ellagic Acid.
12. Flaxseeds
Several studies have suggested that flaxseeds and flaxseed oil can improve and repair your skin barrier, resulting in a plumping, hydrating, and youthful appearance.
This skin barrier protecting property of flaxseeds comes from its rich Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) content, which is a type of Omega-3 necessary for skin health.
13. Probiotic foods
Probiotic foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, or yogurt are great additions to your skin health. They promote gut health and immune support, which in turn affects your whole body, including your largest organ – the skin.
On top of that, probiotics can alter your skin’s Ph and make it fight off free radicals in a much more efficient way.
14. Bone broth
Bone broth is rich in collagen, which is a skincare secret known for ages in Asian countries. To make bone broth, you can simply boil bones for longer until their inside releases collagen and it becomes a jelly-like substance.
Alternatively, you could buy collagen supplements or eat other collagen-rich foods such as fish, chicken, egg whites, berries, etc.
15. Protein-rich foods
Last but not least, as we age, we need to adjust our protein intake. We start losing muscle mass and skin structure, and skin is made of protein blocks. So, we need to consume enough protein to maintain skin health.
Some good protein sources are eggs, chicken, lentils, beans, etc.
Key Takeaways
To contrast and delay aging and wrinkles, eat a diet rich in:
- Vitamin C, A, E
- Collagen
- Proteins
- Antioxidants
- Omega-3 fatty acids
For the best anti-aging results, we recommend sticking to a whole-grain, plant-based diet, with the occasional fatty fish and for the best skin treatment add science-based skincare.
Fast Fact:
Yes, a good diet and a great skincare routine may help you to slow the skin aging down and help prevent age-related concerns.
Did you know that one of the best anti-aging ingredients comes from nature?
White Truffle Being super-charged with Vitamin C, B12, B3, B6, and essential fatty acids, white truffles are often called the best “skin superfood.”
White truffles are rare and expensive fungi explicitly found in the northern parts of Italy. The health benefits of white truffles are countless, with its most impressive one being an immunomodulator, for this reason in skincare, white truffle beauty products are used for their anti-inflammatory, skin brightening, and anti-aging properties.
Check out the Absolute Radiance Eye Serum with White Truffle
The Absolute Radiance Eye Serum with concentrated amounts of white truffle has been developed for the most sensitive skin and has a multipurpose effect on the eye area. The serum nourishes, provides deep moisturization, and reduces dark circles while illuminating to reveal extraordinary beauty. It is formulated to act as two in one – a serum and a moisturizer. It has the power of a moisturizer with the penetration rate of a serum.
- helps reduce dark circles and de-puff your under-eye bags.
- intensely targets chromatic disturbances by illuminating the skin
- helps restore firmness and skin elasticity by increasing the thickness
- smoothes and retextures the skin
- helps decrease wrinkles and fine lines
- helps cancel fatigue or dull complexion
Cleanical (clean and clinically tested) skincare rich cream backed by best Swiss Skincare Biotech.
Read more here: Absolute Radiance Eye Serum