You know the age-old saying: you are what you eat -- and if we're talking about complexion, the path to youthful looking skin might be through your stomach. Scientists are uncovering a number of nutrients found in certain foods that can help lessen the signs of aging skin, including wrinkles and dryness.
Cocoa. Embracing your inner
Green Tea. Sipping this ancient beverage might be the answer to a youthful glow. An investigation by German scientists discovered that polyphenols in green tea may serve your skin well by offering up protection against UV radiation, as well as improving measures of skin quality such as elasticity and dryness. This skin-boosting power is likely owing to the ability of green tea polyphenols to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the skin. Aim to drink two or more cups of green tea daily.
Sweet Potato. If you enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, make sure to eat plenty of beta-carotene rich foods, like sweet potatoes, carrots and dark leafy greens, such as kale and collards. The nutrient has been shown to confer some natural protection against sunburn, which, in turn, may lower signs of photo-aging, as well as skin cancer risk. What's more, a 2016 study in the
Flax. Reach for that bag of ground flaxseed more often. A report in the
Kiwi. Just one of these fuzzy fruits has more than a day's worth of vitamin C, making it a skin-loving edible. British researchers showed that people who took in the most vitamin C had the lowest risk of a wrinkled appearance and skin dryness. Vitamin C plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen, a structural protein responsible for holding the connective tissue in your skin together. As an antioxidant, vitamin C can also help mop up the free radicals that wreak havoc on healthy skin cells and accelerate skin aging. You can also get more skin-friendly vitamin C through oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli and kale.