Top 21 Anti-Aging Foods To Make You Feel and Look Younger

Aging is a natural phenomenon and it is a fact of life. However, there are numerous anti-aging possibilities. To age fast or age slow; it’s you who can decide. If you want to look and feel younger, then there are various ways for it, and amongst all those are anti-aging foods. In this article, we will take a look at the top 21 anti-aging foods.

Foods like those that are rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, water, and essential nutrients can help us look younger and age slowly. Researchers have found that consuming lots of vegetables and fruits is the healthiest and safest mode to combat dull complexions and fine lines.⁽¹⁾ However healthy and young-looking skin along with a healthy and younger body is what we all need. Below are some anti-aging foods that can help in nourishing our body and give a natural glow to our body as a whole.

Watercress is a leafy green vegetable that is loaded with nutrients and water and is a great source of calcium, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, and vitamins like vitamin A, B-1, B-2, C, and vitamin K. Watercress works great for the skin and increases the blood circulation and delivery of minerals to all cells of the body and this result in enhanced oxygenation of the skin.⁽²⁾ This green leafy vegetable is loaded with vitamin A and C, which are the antioxidants that might neutralize harmful free radicals, and, this aid in preventing you from wrinkles and fine lines as you age.⁽³⁾

Apart from this, watercress has other youthful benefits like; it might also enhance your immunity, help in digesting, and also provide support to the thyroid because of its rich iodine content.^(4,5) You can add this to your salad every day and get the gift of glowing skin and improved health.

Red bell pepper is packed with antioxidants which makes it a great anti-aging food.⁽⁶⁾ Apart from the antioxidants called carotenoids, red bell peppers are packed with a high amount of Vitamin C, which works great in the production of collagen. The Carotenoids pigments have a lot of anti-inflammatory properties and might assist you in protecting the skin from sun damage and environmental toxins.^(7,8) These carotenoid pigments are the same plant pigments, which are responsible for the yellow, bright red and orange colors in fruits and vegetables. Red bell peppers can be used in salads or can be cooked in a stir-fry.

Chocolate has got some fair anti-aging properties and eating them in moderate amounts can gift you wonderful benefits. Research has shown that eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate also gets you some heart health benefits. The antioxidants found in dark chocolate helps in protecting the heart against damage, aging, and heart disease.

Papaya is a delicious super food packed with different antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that might be beneficial in improving the elasticity of your skin and also help in minimizing the occurrence of wrinkles and fine lines.⁽⁹⁾ Vitamins like Vitamin A, B, C, E, and K, minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, etc. are present in it.

Due to the presence of these wide ranges of antioxidants in papaya, it assists in fighting against free radical damage and might also delay the signs of aging.⁽¹⁰⁾ There is also the presence of papain enzyme in papaya, which offers additional anti-aging benefits. This enzyme has great anti-inflammatory properties. This is also present in several exfoliating products.

So, consuming papaya or using products with the enzyme called papain might help you in getting vibrant, glowing, and youthful skin. You can eat a plateful of papaya along with lime juice in your breakfast every day or can prepare a face mask of papaya and use it.

This is a hydrated food and is packed with antioxidants that oxygenate the entire body. Spinach is also packed with vitamins like vitamin A, C, E, and K, minerals like magnesium, plant-based heme iron, and lutein. The rich content of vitamin C in spinach enhances the production of collagen and keeps your skin smooth and firm. Moreover, the vitamin A that is found in this leafy green vegetable might promote shiny and strong hair, and vitamin K helps in reducing inflammation in cells.⁽¹¹⁾ Spinach can be taken in salad, smoothie, or sauté.

This green vegetable is anti-inflammatory and is packed with anti-aging vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamin C, vitamin K, a lot of antioxidants, folate, fiber, calcium, and lutein. Our body requires vitamin C to produce collagen which is the primary protein found in the skin and that provides the skin its elasticity and strength.

Lutein found in broccoli is associated with the preservation of the memory function of the brain. Apart from it, the vitamin K and calcium found in it have great bone health benefits and prevent osteoporosis as we age.⁽¹²⁾ You can consume broccoli raw in salads or can gently steam it and eat.

These berries are packed with vitamin A and vitamin C, along with an anti-aging, antioxidant known as Anthocyanin. The blue color of blueberries is due to anthocyanin. These potential antioxidants might be beneficial in protecting the skin from damage caused due to stress, sun, and pollution, by preventing collagen loss.^(13,14) You can use blueberries in your morning smoothie or a fruit bowl and see the wonder by yourself.

Known for longevity and good health is Green tea, which is an ancient drink. It has tremendous antioxidant benefits when consumed regularly. You can see great wonders for your life expectancy when you take a little drink of this tea twice a day.

When we are talking about anti-aging foods, how can we exclude beans? Beans have some real heart health benefits and excellent anti-aging properties. Beans are anti-aging foods that provide a huge supply of antioxidants. And these antioxidants prevent free radical damage and helps in slowing down the process of aging. You can try adding beans to your healthy diet list and receive the most exciting anti-aging benefits.

Manuka honey helps in reducing inflammation, which ultimately helps in anti-aging as the formation of inflammatory cytokines can be reduced. So, you should add this to the list of anti-aging foods. Moreover, the hydrating properties of Manuka honey are also beneficial for your skin and give a younger look.

You can add 1-2 teaspoons of Manuka honey to your cold coffee along with vanilla, or can add the honey to your peanut butter and honey sandwich, and enjoy the taste and anti-aging benefits.

Mushroom is also one of the best anti-aging foods as it contains a high amount of vitamin D, which is highly essential in the formation and also maintenance of bones and also plays a crucial part in supporting the immune system, which is essential for us to stay young physically without aging much.

Lemon is a citrus fruit that is loaded with vitamin C, which is important for our skin health. As per a study, it was explained that women who consumed more vitamin C, had a lower chance of appearance of wrinkles, and skin dryness; thus making lemon one of the best anti-aging foods.⁽¹⁵⁾ So, start your day with a glass of warm lemon water, and enjoy the youthful skin

All sorts of legumes, including chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, split peas, or navy beans; are filled with excellent nutrients that support our mental health. Some of these nutrients are calcium, folate, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Folate is known to protect against memory-destroying compounds known as homocysteine. There are also antioxidants phytonutrients present in all legumes, and they are saponins and phytosteroids. These phytonutrients might aid in protecting against wrinkles and can also reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. So, try adding legumes to your daily diet.

Olive oil is packed with heart-healthy monosaturated fatty acids known to improve heart health. Using this in your daily diet can prevent the risk of getting heart problems associated with aging. Apart from this, you can also get extra skin moisturizing benefits when applied topically. Olive oil is linked to helping in preventing skin cancer.⁽¹⁶⁾

Turmeric is one of the best spices that is known for its anti-aging benefits. It contains several compounds that work as natural antioxidants. It should be noted that oxidant damage can not only negatively affect the appearance of the skin but also impact the ability of our body to produce energy. Moreover, this spice also lowers inflammation and might even assist in treating several skin conditions, ultimately making it an important anti-aging food.

Salmon is another anti-aging food. It is rich in omega-3 and the type of omega-3 found in salmon is DHA, which is of great importance to protecting the heart, brain, and eyes from aging. So, you can use this food in the list of the top anti-aging foods.

How to skip nuts, when we are talking about anti-aging foods? A lot of nuts are an excellent source of Vitamin E. This vitamin helps in repairing skin tissue, retaining the moisture of the skin, and also protecting the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays.

Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and help in protecting against sun damage, strengthening cell membranes of the skin cells, and providing a great glow to your skin.⁽¹⁷⁾

Nuts, especially almonds also help in reducing cognitive decline as we age. Nuts like walnuts and pistachios are known to reduce risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes respectively.

Keep in minds that while you are eating nuts; do not remove their skin. Studies show that more than 50% of the antioxidants present in nuts are lost without their skin.⁽¹⁸⁾

Avocados are rich in fatty acids that can fight against inflammation and promote smooth skin. Several other nutrients present in avocados might help in preventing the negative effects of aging. Some of these nutrients are vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, E, and vitamin K, along with potassium.⁽¹⁹⁾

Sweet potatoes are packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which is converted to vitamin A, that offers a wide range of anti-aging skin health benefits. Vitamin A might help in restoring skin elasticity and contribute to youthful and soft-feeling skin.⁽²⁰⁾ You can add this to your healthy breakfast list. Simply boil and eat.

Melons are a wonderful source of several vitamins and other nutrients. These are the most inexpensive and easy-to-find anti-aging foods. So, add melons to your health-boosting, anti-aging diet. You can eat a different kind of melon every week.

One more anti-aging food is the pomegranate. This fruit contains a high amount of vitamin C along with lots of potential antioxidants. This helps in protecting our body from damage by free radicals and also reduces inflammation levels in the body.⁽²¹⁾ Punicalagins are also present in pomegranates, which might aid in preserving collagen in our skin, thus reducing the signs of aging. Research has also found that Urolithin, a compound that is known to be produced when pomegranate seeds interact with our gut bacteria, might rejuvenate mitochondria.⁽²²⁾

So, here we know about the top 21 anti-aging foods which, when added to your diet quite often can help you in feeling and looking at your best. So, try adding these foods to your diet chart and slow down the signs of aging. You will see the difference in your skin and overall wellbeing once you start consuming these foods regularly.

References: