Green Tea

Whether you drink it or apply it topically, green tea is great for your skin.  It’s packed with antioxidants, which protect against free radicals that cause signs of aging.  It’s also a natural anti-inflammatory, and studies have shown that green tea can also provide some sun protection.  Of course, you should always use sunscreen, but any additional sun protection can’t hurt!

Green tea is found in many topical anti aging skin care products today.  You can also use the tea bags to reduce eye puffiness and dark circles.  Soak two green tea bags in hot water.  After about a minute, remove the bags and let them cool.  Then place one over each eye for about 10 minutes.  You can also use the cooled tea in a spray bottle as a refreshing mist.

Drinking a mug of hot tea is also a great way to get in one of your doctor-recommended eight glasses of water each day.  Drinking plenty of water is great for your entire body.  It regulates your body, flushing out toxins, and keeps skin healthy and youthful.

Carrots

Carrots also help to prevent eye wrinkles by providing some sun protection.  They contain beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body.  Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps to repair skin cells.  Carrots also contain the antioxidant vitamin C, which improves collagen production, keeping the skin strong and resilient.

My favorite way to eat carrots is dipping baby carrots in ranch dressing.  It’s a great healthy snack, as long as you go easy on the ranch!

Remember, the best skin care is not just on the surface.  If you want to look and feel younger, you have to take care of your skin from the inside as well as on the outside.

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Now here are two items that I have no problem fitting into my diet:

Dark Chocolate

When it comes to chocolate, the dark the better.  This is because dark chocolate is rich in cocoa phenol, which helps to lower blood pressure, and antioxidants, which fight free radicals that cause signs of aging, heart disease and other illnesses.

As tasty as it is to pair dark chocolate with a tall glass of cold milk, it’s actually better to eat dark chocolate alone.  According to Italy’s National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research report on WebMD, “…milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate…and may therefore negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate.”

Red Wine

Let me preface by saying that if you currently don’t drink any alcohol, the American Heart Association does not recommend that you start drinking alcohol to prevent heart disease.  Studies have shown that red wine’s heart health benefits look promising, but there are many other ways to keep your heart healthy.

When consumed in moderation, wine’s alcohol content can thin the blood and raise “good” (HDL) cholesterol, decreasing your risk of heart disease and certain cancers.  What sets red wine apart is its non-alcoholic phytochemicals, flavanoid and resveratrol, which act as antioxidants and are found in high concentrations in red wine.  This is because red wine is fermented with the grapes’ skin, which contain high levels of reservatrol.  White wine, on the other hand, is fermented from the pressed juice of the grape without the skin, so it contains less resveratrol.  In addition, flavanoids and resveratrol have been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent blood clots in arteries, and studies have indicated that resveratrol may inhibit tumor development in some types of cancer and may help in the treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

In 2008, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that resveratrol in red wine has anti aging properties, because it activates sirtuins, proteins in the body that prolong cell life by protecting cells from damage.  Research is still being conducted on this topic.

Remember, both dark chocolate and red wine are only healthy in moderation.  To reap the most benefits, you should have no more than one 5-ounce glass of red wine a day and one 100-gram serving, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day.  Also, remember to balance out the calories.  A 100-gram serving of dark chocolate is around 480 calories, and a 5-ounce glass of wine is about 120 calories, so you’ll need to cut those calories out somewhere else.  If you consumer more than the recommended amount, your health benefits decrease and the risks increase.

Cheers to your health!

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Avocadoes

Avocados are packed with essential fatty acids and antioxidants, making them a great anti aging food.  Plus, avocados contain high levels of potassium, which helps to protect the heart.  Be sure to watch your portion size though, as only 2 tablespoons of avocado is equal to 50 calories and 4.5 grams of fat, which can add up fast if you love guacamole as much as I do!

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain high concentrations of lycopene, a phytochemical and type of carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red color.  Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of some cancers and neutralizes the free radicals that damage cells and cause aging.  Tomatoes also contain vitamin C, another essential antioxidant, and vitamin A, which helps to repair damaged skin cells.

According to a report on iVillage, processed tomato products actually contains more nutrients than raw tomatoes.  This is because cans of tomato sauce or paste contain higher concentrations of tomatoes, and heating a tomato allows its lycopene to be more easily absorbed into the body.  Plus, carotenoids, such as lycopene, are water soluble, so eating tomatoes with a little bit of oil also helps the body more easily absorb the nutrients.

So, for dinner tonight, enjoy a plate of whole wheat spaghetti with tomato sauce and a side salad with fresh chopped avocados and tomatoes drizzled in olive oil.  It’s not only good for your body, particularly your skin, but your taste buds will love it!  Bon appetite!

There are more anti aging foods to come this week, so stay tuned!

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Better nutrition not only helps you stay fit, but it also improves your overall complexion and boosts your energy level, helping you look and feel younger.  To mitigate the effects of skin damage, such as eye wrinkles and age spots, try increasing the levels of protective antioxidants in your system by adding the following foods to your regular diet:

Fish

The American Heart Association recommends eating two 8-ounce servings of fish each week.  This is because fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which benefit heart health and disease prevention, among many other health benefits.  In addition, fish is high in protein, vitamins and minerals, and it’s low in saturated fat.

The best fish to eat are those that are high in omega-3 fatty acids with low levels of mercury.  Some of the healthiest fish choices include canned light tuna (not albacore), shrimp, pollock, salmon, cod, catfish, clams, founder or sole, crabs and scallops.

Berries

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cranberries can protect against skin aging from the inside out, because they are high in vitamin C, a powerful free radical-fighting antioxidant, and folic acid, a type of B vitamin that stimulates cell growth.  According to WebMD, these berries also contain nutrients known as anthocyans, which repair cells and decrease the risk of several cancers.

My favorite way to eat berries is in smoothies.  Try blending a handful of strawberries and blueberries (fresh or frozen) with 1/2 cup of orange juice, 1/4 cup of plain, low-fat yogurt and a few ice cubes.  Delicious for breakfast!

Check back later this week for more anti aging super foods!

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