8 Foods That Fight Wrinkles for Women Over 50

You’ve heard it a million times before: You are what you eat. In regards to your skin, that old adage is especially true. To fight wrinkles relies on an adequate supply of essential nutrients. Some studies indicate that it is indeed possible to delay aging and get an improvement in skin condition by improving your diet.

And improving your diet is as easy as adding certain key foods—foods that can help with everything from wrinkles to dark spots to sagging skin. Did we mention that they’re also delicious? You won’t believe how good fighting aging can taste.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are so much more than a pretty salad topping. They’re packed with vitamin C, which helps build collagen and, in turn, makes your skin look firmer and plumper. They also have lycopene, which protects your skin from UV damage and improves your vascular system. According to Pace, after six weeks of eating tomatoes regularly, all that extra circulation will give you a noticeable glow.

Berries

Blueberries and raspberries are LivingBetter50’s top picks. They contain flavonoids, polyphenols, vitamins, probiotics, and tons of antioxidants. Berries are free-radical scavengers! If you’re concerned with the effect your environment — anything from pollution to elements in your water — is having on your skin, add more berries to your diet. They even promote cell regeneration for new skin growth.

Green Tea

In order to keep your skin looking as young as possible for as long as possible, your cells need to regenerate correctly. Cells that mutate can lead to everything from uneven pigmentation to cancer. Green tea has lots of antioxidant power, as well as a chemical call EGCG. In multiple studies, EGCG was shown to help cells grow properly and maintain a healthy life cycle.

Yogurt and Kefir

To fight redness and irritation of your skin, try introducing foods with more probiotics, like yogurt, into your diet. Skin-friendly bacteria in these foods condition your skin both inside and out. Look for unprocessed products to get the highest concentration of living probiotics. Kefir is a cultured milk product that’s similar to yogurt but has up to three times more probiotics than yogurt. You’ll find it in the dairy case where it’s often sold as a drink thanks to its thinner consistency. While medical researchers are still trying to figure out the link between gut bacteria and your skin, studies have shown that probiotics reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Problems like acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and rosacea may all improve.

Fish

If your skin is chronically dry, add foods that contain healthy fats to your diet — they’ll help moisturize your skin from the inside out. Wild salmon is phenomenal for your skin with its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Other omega-rich fish include sardines and Atlantic Mackerel.

Nuts

Nuts are another fantastic source of good fat. It’s the omegas in the nuts that are so good for your skin. Some nuts, like almonds, also have vitamin E. They have anti-inflammatory properties that can help with conditions like acne, psoriasis, and eczema. While walnuts contain the most omega-3s, all nuts, including almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, and pistachios, are good for your health when eaten in moderation. Instead of a handful of chips when you feel hungry, swap in a handful of mixed nuts to see the skin-smoothing benefits.

Avocados

Like nuts and fish, avocados have a lot of good-for-you (and your skin) fats, but it doesn’t stop there — avocados are also high in glutathione. Glutathione is incredibly anti-aging. It is often recommended for detoxing because it flushes toxins from your system. Glutathione helps with acne and wrinkles, and it’s even been shown to slow the development of certain cancers.

Honey

If you’re craving something sweet, swap in honey for other types of sugar. Honey is anti-viral, and it’s an antioxidant. Although it’s technically sugar, it doesn’t cause inflammation in your body and skin the way regular sugar does. It’s so good for your skin, in fact, that you can even use it as a face mask.

Nicolette Pace founded NutriSource Inc. in 2002 to provide high-quality education, counseling, and nutrition services for a diverse community population. Prior to founding NutriSource Inc, she served as Director of Clinical Nutrition at the NYHQ/Silvercrest Center where she provided both administrative and direct care for sub-acute and chronically ill patients. Nicolette was a key member of performance improvement projects and as Chair of the Nutrition Committee; significant positive changes were made in the standard of care.

LivingBetter50 is a magazine for women over 50, offering an over 50 magazine free download for women with spirit!