An effective skin care regime is essential if you want to look younger than your years, but the benefits of a healthy diet cannot be overlooked.
A celebrity nutrition and fitness expert plus lifestyle content creator for women over 40 weighed in on the anti-ageing foods that can guarantee a youthful complexion.
JJ Virgin said on YouTube: “The secret to staying young can be found right in your kitchen.
“These are the nine anti-ageing foods you’ll want to make sure you’re eating every day to support your skin health and retain that youthful glow – and these are foods you’re going to actually like.”
Antioxidant-rich wild salmon is the expert’s fish of choice
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The expert recommended skin enthusiasts to up their fish consumption. JJ Virgin said: “Omega-3 fatty acids are so key for glowing skin and healthy fats are essential for this.
“Good fats are going to support your healthy cell membranes, they’re going to help skin dryness, they’re going to nourish your skin and so much more than that.”
The food guru referenced a study published in the Frontiers of Immunology that found that omega-3 fatty acids provide anti-inflammatory and support various anti-inflammatory conditions, including psoriasis.
She also referred to a study published in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery that found that omega-3 fatty acids have skin-boosting benefits.
Indeed, one excerpt read: “Given its high safety profile, low cost and ease of supplementation, [supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids] is a reasonable supplement that may benefit patients wishing to improve inflammatory skin conditions through diet.”
A third study – this one in molecular psychology – found that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids lower inflammation, lower cortisol levels and support longer telomeres, “all of which slow ageing”.
JJ explained that telomeres are found at the end of chromosomes to “cap and protect” them. Telomeres tend to shorten as we get older, which can impact the ageing process.
Top anti-ageing foods
- Proteins
- Fish
- Olive oil
- Blueberries
- Brocolli
- Green tea
- Turmeric
- Coffee
- Dark chocolate
- Bone broth
The expert said: “Researchers have found that protecting and maintaining telomeres is a key anti-ageing strategy.”
As for JJ’s fish dish of choice, wild salmon is her favourite due to its astaxanthin (the red pigment which gives it its unique colour).
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‘Omega-3 fatty acids are so key for glowing skin and healthy fats are essential for this’
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She said: “Astaxanthin is this powerful antioxidant that fights ageing, improves the texture and appearance of your skin, and has higher antioxidant production when compared with other antioxidants.
“Plus, it promotes healthy inflammatory responses that can support skin health – so eat clean, wild fish, and especially eat salmon for the astaxanthin.”
For those who are not consuming enough fish, the expert recommended stocking up on fish oils.
She said: “If you’re eating five or more servings of clean, wild fish per week, you probably don’t need to supplement. But I find that most of us don’t.”
Another way women can look younger is by eating their way to healthier hair. According to a beauty enthusiast, women in their 50s can improve their hair by consuming more of one food group.
