Smiling Caucasian woman eating a fresh fruit salad. (iStock)
You may be closer than you think to the secret behind ageless beauty. In fact, the solution likely already lies within your cabinets, fridge, or in your fruit bowl.
“When it comes to keeping your skin healthy, the statement, ‘You are what you eat’ comes to mind,” Molly Morgan, R.D., owner of Vesal, New York-based Creative Nutrition Solutions, told Fox News. “The nutrients in foods can nourish your skin from the inside-out and help to keep your skin looking its best.”
Here are Morgan’s picks for simple foods that can help fight wrinkles naturally — plus, some tips for how to incorporate them into your diet:
1. Strawberries
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Each cup of strawberries provides about 90 milligrams of vitamin C, which is key for keeping skin healthy. Specifically, vitamin C plays a role in stabilizing the structure of the protein collagen.
How to enjoy: Add sliced strawberries to your cereal or breakfast parfait.
2. Carrots
Food street market. Bundles of orange carrots on sale on a stand of fruit and vegetables. Organic farm. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
For skin that glows, look to orange-hued foods, like carrots. Beta-carotene is a highly effective antioxidant and is present in the skin. “This vitamin A derivative is delivered by oranges and carrots, as well as mangoes and sweet potatoes,” Morgan said.
How to enjoy: Nosh carrots and hummus as part of your snack, or have a sweet potato with dinner.
3. Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes on wood background (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Studies have linked lycopene to helping prevent sun-induced skin aging. A 2011 study in the British Journal of Dermatology suggests lycopene-rich tomato paste may help protect against ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage, leading to redness in the skin.
How to enjoy: Add tomato slices and ketchup to burgers, mix tomato paste into veggie soups, or top pasta with marinara.
4. Green tea
Green tea in a glass teacup on a rustic wooden table (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The polyphenols found in green tea have also been linked to having a protective effect against sun damage. One polyphenol in green tea that seems to be particularly beneficial is EGCG. One researcher has referred to it as the fountain of youth for skin cells, which could help play a role in energizing skin cells, Morgan noted.
How to enjoy: Sip on green tea for an afternoon pick-me-up, and try flavor combos like jasmine or lemon green tea.
5. Grapes
Red grape fruits on wooden (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
These juicy globes deliver resveratrol, which has been linked to keeping skin healthy by having a protective action against cell death.
How to enjoy: Have a cup of grapes as an evening snack.
6. Lean beef
closeup of steak on a grill (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
It may sound surprising that mom’s meatloaf could help you look younger, but beef provides zinc, which linked to being a key player in skin integrity and structure. A serving of lean beef provides about 12.3 milligrams of zinc, which fits the bill for adults’ recommended dietary allowances of the nutrient.
How to enjoy: Whip up a hearty steak dinner for your family, and consider featuring some of the other items on this list on the side.
7. Eggs
Fried eggs and toasted breads (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
This breakfast food favorite contains biotin, part of the B complex groups of vitamins that play a role in forming the basis of skin, hair and nail cells.
How to enjoy: Prepare plain eggs in a pan for a protein-rich breakfast, or, if you like omelets, whip one up and incorporate wrinkle-fighting ingredients like tomatoes.