In the fight for younger looking skin, consuming an antioxidant-rich diet is essential.
Antioxidants help induce collagen production, flush out toxins and reduce the appearance of blemishes among other benefits.
This post will list the best anti-ageing antioxidants, explaining how they work to renew damaged skin cells and nourish your skin.
FREE RADICALS
In order to understand why antioxidants are so important, it’s necessary to know a little about the process of oxidation and free radicals.
Our skin is regularly exposed to damaging external factors such as UV radiation and air pollution. This exposure can cause oxidative stress and induce the production of free radicals – unstable molecules that are missing an electron.
These free radicals begin to attack other healthy atoms in order to take the electron they are missing. Therefore, more and more cells become damaged, contributing to the appearance of sagging skin, fine lines and wrinkles.
Free radicals also activate enzymes that break down collagen, further contributing to the ageing process and causing wrinkles to appear.
Antioxidants work by neutralising these free radicals, preventing and repairing any damages to cell tissue. Therefore, consuming an antioxidant-rich diet can help to keep your skin looking youthful and radiant.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means it travels through your bloodstream and is stored within fatty tissue in your body. This positively impacts your skin, as Vitamin E will plump your cells and boost collagen production, reducing the signs of ageing skin.
As Dr. Stafford R.Broumand explains: Vitamin E “works to block free radicals from the body, which play a large part in the ageing process.” Therefore, through fighting these free radicals off, we can achieve younger-looking skin.
For optimum impact, incorporate creams and serums with Vitamin E ingredients into your skincare routine. These will help to remove dead skill cells and leave your skin with a brighter, youthful complexion.
Foods rich in Vitamin E:
- Sunflower seeds
- Spinach
- Nuts
- Fish
- Avocados
How much Vitamin E should you consume?
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that on average, adult males and females should consume 15 mg per day.
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant for your skin. It’s an electron donor, meaning that it sacrifices its electrons to rebuild an unstable free radical molecule.
By doing this, the antioxidant neutralises the damaging free radical and prevents it from causing any further damage to skin cell tissues.
This powerful antioxidant also promotes collagen growth within the cells, which in turn results in youthful, firmer-looking skin.
What’s more, it helps to improve uneven skin tone whilst hydrating your skin. The more Vitamin C you consume, the more radiant your skin will look!
Foods rich in Vitamin C:
- Oranges
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Kiwi Fruit
How much Vitamin C should you consume?
The Food and Nutrition board recommends adults should be consuming around 60mg per day for adequate nutrition.
RETINOL
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A. Consuming foods rich in this antioxidant can effectively tackle a number of common skin problems. These include: uneven skin tone, wrinkles, age spots, enlarged pores and more.
Retinol kills off your damaged skin cells, making way for new, healthy cells to grow in their place and ultimately, improving the appearance of your skin.
It also helps to stop the breakdown of collagen which enables your skin to maintain its elasticity.
Foods rich in retinol:
- Beef
- Whole-fat dairy including milk, butter and cheese.
- Fish
- Eggs
How much retinol should you consume?
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends the average intake for adult males and females is 700 mg per day.
RESVERATROL
A powerful antioxidant you may not be familiar with, consuming resveratrol-rich foods can have many benefits for your skin.
Exposure to ultraviolet (UVB) radiation can lead to oxidative stress. This is one of the main accelerators of premature skin ageing. Resveratrol helps to slow this process, by reducing the production of skin-ageing free radicals.
Consuming resveratrol can also help to brighten your complexion and reduce signs of redness on the skin.
Foods rich in resveratrol:
- Grapes
- Red wine (in small amounts)
- Blueberries
- Peanuts
How much resveratrol should you consume?
There is no clear optimal dose for resveratrol, but it is recommended that a healthy adult should aim to consume around 20mg per day.
CATECHINS
Catechins are polyphenolic antioxidants. They can be found in the leaves of numerous plants, though, most commonly within tea leaves. They have a variety of health benefits and can help to make skin healthier.
Catechins effectively target free radicals and help to build up the skin’s defense barrier. Therefore, they actively reduce signs of ageing such as fine lines and wrinkles.
Foods rich in catechins:
- Green tea
- Dark chocolate
- Beans
- Apricot
- Blackberries
How many catechins should you be consuming?
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that a daily dose of 270 mg is most beneficial.
Incorporating the above antioxidants into your diet will hydrate and nourish your skin, whilst reducing any signs of ageing. Not only this, but they’ll improve your overall health. So, what are you waiting for?
SOURCE: Bio Effect
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