Top 10 Anti-Aging Foods for Muscle: Your skin is the biggest organ in your body, and eating foods that are high in antioxidants, healthy fats, and important nutrients can help keep it healthy.
The face is often the first sign that something is wrong inside, and lotions, creams, masks, and serums can only do so much before we need to look more closely at what we’re eating.
Wrinkles and other signs of age can’t be fixed by food. But some foods are good for your skin and can help protect you from oxidative stress, which is one of the main reasons why skin ages. Other people can also have an effect on your mental and physical health.
Top 10 Anti-Aging Foods for Muscle
1. Broccoli
Broccoli is an anti-inflammatory, aging-support powerhouse packed with:
- vitamins C and K
- a variety of antioxidants
- fiber
- folate
- lutein
- calcium
Your body needs vitamin C for the production of collagen, the main protein in skin that gives it strength and elasticity.
This vegetable is also packed full of the nutrient lutein, which is linked to improved memory and brain function. Broccoli contains vitamin K and calcium, which are essential for bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis, so eating this veggie may help your bones as you get older.
2. Red bell pepper
Red bell peppers are loaded with antioxidants which reign supreme when it comes to aging well. In addition to their high content of vitamin C — which is good for collagen production — red bell peppers contain powerful antioxidants called carotenoids.
Carotenoids are plant pigments responsible for the bright red, yellow, and orange colors you see in many fruits and vegetables. They have a variety of anti-inflammatory properties, which can benefit your health overall and your skin health in particular.
3. Spinach
Spinach is super hydrating and packed with antioxidants, and it’s considered a superfood that has a whole host of health benefits that include oxidative stress, eye health, and even cancer prevention.
It’s also rich in:
- vitamins A, C, E, and K
- magnesium
- iron
- lutein
This versatile leafy green’s high vitamin C content supports collagen production to keep skin firm and smooth. But that’s not all. The vitamin A it provides may play a role in hair health, while vitamin K has been shown to have health benefits.
4. Sweet potatoes
The orange color of the sweet potato comes from an antioxidant called beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A, which may help restore skin elasticity and promote skin cell turnover.
Though it’s considered a starchy vegetable, this delicious root vegetable is also a source of vitamins C and E — both of which may protect our skin.
5. Watercress
This delicious green may also help support the immune system and aid digestion, along with other health benefits such as eye and heart health that may become more important as you get older.
This nutrient-dense hydrating leafy green is a source of:
- calcium
- potassium
- manganese
- phosphorus
- vitamins A, C, K, B1, and B2
6. Avocado
Avocados are high in inflammation-fighting fatty acids that are good for your health.
They also contain a variety of essential nutrients that may help your health overall and can be beneficial as you get older, including:
- vitamins K, C, E, and A
- B vitamins
- potassium
7. Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in vitamins A and C, and other nutrients.
Blueberries may help protect skin from sun damage by lowering inflammation and reducing collagen loss. But more research is needed.
8. Papaya
This delicious superfood is rich in a variety of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can benefit your overall health, and heart function as you age — it may even help prevent certain diseases and conditions.
While the papaya pulp is the only part consumed, both the peel and seeds contain phytochemical value that can support your immune system, help your eyes and heart, and even provide anti-tumor effects that researchers in this 2022 study dub as “noteworthy.”
In general, the nutrients in papaya include:
- vitamins A, C, K, and E
- calcium
- potassium
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- B vitamins
The wide range of antioxidants in fermented papaya, in particular, helps reduce age-related effects on your body that you might experience as you get older. Papaya also contains an enzyme called papain, which provides additional benefits like improving digestion.
9. Nuts
Many nuts (especially almonds) are a good source of vitamin E, which has numerous health benefits such as helping repair skin tissue, retain skin moisture, and protect skin from damaging UV rays.
You can find different health benefits for all kinds of nuts. Just one of those is pistachios, which research shows may not only help your skin but also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Walnuts offer benefits such as helping to reduce your risk for heart disease. They contain anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to your health and can help your skin’s cell membranes.
10. Pomegranate seeds
Pomegranates have been used for centuries as a healing medicinal fruit. They’re a good Source of vitamin C and have a variety of potent antioxidants. Research shows pomegranates may protect our body from free radical damage and reduce levels of inflammation in our system.
The extracts and peels of these healthy fruits also contain a compound called punicalagin, which has anti-inflammatory benefits and may help your skin.
Research has also shown that a compound called urolithin — produced when pomegranates interact with gut bacteria — may promote mitochondrial health.
In a nonhuman study, it showed a possible reversal in muscle function related to aging. Yet, that research didn’t look at humans, and more research would be needed to confirm those findings in people.
