Best Anti-aging foods: Get Beautiful Skin Naturally

What you eat can significantly affect the health and aging of your skin, and it’s no coincidence that many of the best foods for healthy skin also promote good health overall. 

The top 5 best anti-aging foods that you should prioritise for beautiful skin naturally are:

1 Antioxidant-rich foods
The reason that anti-oxidants are heralded as such health superheroes is that they can prevent or slow the damage to cells, (a.k.a oxidation), that is caused by the body’s reaction to free-radicals and environmental toxins. Hence a diet of processed food will speed up your body’s internal and external aging process, but a diet rich in colour, diversity, and abundance will have a protective and preventive impact.  
Whilst you can’t go wrong with eating ANY antioxidant-rich food (and you may be happy to hear that both organic coffee and dark chocolate are high in antioxidants) there are some specific ones that are particularly important for skin health. 

Vitamin E 🥑
Getting enough vitamin E is essential for helping protect your skin against damage from free radicals, inflammation and oxidative damage. (Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body.)
Foods high in vitamin E:

• Fatty fish like sardines 
• Avocados 
• Nuts like peanuts and almonds 
• Seeds like sunflower seeds

Vitamin E is more effective when combined with vitamin C. 
Vitamin C 🍓
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps protect our skin from oxidative damage caused by the sun and the environment, which can lead to signs of aging.
This vitamin is necessary for creating the protein collagen, which keeps skin firm and strong.
The 5 foods highest in vitamin C are:

• Peppers 
• Watercress 
• Cabbage 
• Broccoli 
• Strawberries 

But all veggies + fruits contain some amount of vitamin C. 
Carotenoids (like beta carotene) 🥕
When consumed, this antioxidant is incorporated into your skin and helps protect your skin cells from sun exposure. 
This may help prevent sunburn, cell death, and dry, wrinkled skin.
Interestingly, high amounts of beta carotene (from carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, and spinach) may also add a warm, orange colour to your skin, contributing to an overall healthier appearance.
Consider pairing carotenoid-rich foods like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens with a source of fat, such as nuts, cheese or olive oil to increase absorption. 
Sulforaphane 🥦
Sulforaphane is a powerful protective agent against sun damage. It works in two ways: neutralizing harmful free radicals and switching on other protective systems in your body.
In laboratory tests, sulforaphane reduced the number of skin cells UV light killed by as much as 29%, with protection lasting up to 48 hours.Evidence suggests sulforaphane may also help maintain collagen levels in your skin.It may even have anti-cancer effects, including on some types of skin cancer.
Sulforaphane is found in: 

• Broccoli sprouts 
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Brussel sprouts 

Resveratrol 🍇
Resveratrol is credited with a wide range of health benefits, among them is reducing the effects of aging.Top foods to eat are: red grapes + berries. (Not red wine… sorry!). 

2 Healthy fats – if you want soft skin – make sure to eat your healthy fats.
Getting enough of these fats is essential to help keep skin flexible and moisturized. 
Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important to help keep skin thick, supple, and moisturized. An omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can cause dry skin, eczema, and dandruff.
Each cell membrane is composed partly of essential fats – and in turn, our skin is made of countless cells so the fatty acid content of our cell membranes is vital. Without enough fats in the cell membranes, they are not able to retain water, and they lose their plumpness.  For soft skin healthy fats are essential! 
The best food sources are: 

• Fish, like salmon 
• Seeds, especially flax and sunflower 
• You can supplement with a vegan omega complex if you’re veggie or vegan (see this blog). 
• Fish, like salmon 
• Seeds, especially flax and sunflower 
• If you’re vegetarian or vegan consider supplementing omegas, read this blog. 
• Try this delicious chia pudding recipe.

3 Protein High-quality protein is needed for maintaining the strength and integrity of your skin. Add a portion of high-quality (organic) protein to each meal.  Vegetarian or Vegan? You can grab my list of veggie proteins here. 

4 Fiber  
It’s necessary for skin health that we excrete toxins. Therefore making sure that we poop at least once a day is important. Eating plenty of fiber is important to prevent constipation. 
Fiber-rich foods: 

• Fruit 
• Vegetables 
• Oats (try this overnight oats recipe)
• Legumes 

5 Zinc 
Zinc is essential for your skin to function properly as a barrier.  
This mineral also helps:

• lower inflammation
• overall skin health
• the production of new skin cells

Zinc deficiency can lead to skin inflammation, lesions, and delayed wound healing
Foods high in zinc: 

• Pumpkin seeds 
• Hemp seeds 
• Chickpeas 
• Lentils

RADIANT SKIN CAMP 12-18th JULY IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION.

Our Radiant Skin Camp is a 7-day mini online programme that will guide you in how to use natural products and essential oils to give you glowing skin using products with side benefits, not side effects.
Over the 7-day Radiant Skin Camp, we’ll cover information such as: 

• The best way to cleanse your skin effectively
• Toning – what even is it?
• Moisturising – can you really use oil on oily skin??
• Exfoliating and some super easy DIY scrubs you can make
• How to use a jade roller and gua sha
• What to do for common complaints like stretch marks and varicose veins
• PLUS SOOO much additional information in your amazing e-book which you can use in your own time, at your own pace.

Starts on Monday 12th July and is totally self-paced.  Here’s what’s included: 

• Access to our private Facebook Group + the camp content, which will be fully interactive and we’ll be available to answer any questions you might have.
• Access to a daily email series
• Your own copy of our amazing Radiant Skin e-book filled with skin care recipes + tips 
• A follow up call with me, if you want to ask me ANY questions about skin health
• Access to purchase any doTERRA oils + supplements at wholesale price and become part of the Wellness Buddies Community, 

All for £28.80
E-MAIL ME MIRANDA@BREATHEEATMEDITATE.COM OR CONNECT WITH ME ON INSTA, AND I’LL SEND YOU THE DEETS.