Written by Dr. Sanjana V.B Bhms,dbrm,cdn

Founder & medical director of siahmsr wellness.in

All rights reserved with siahmsr digital healthcare[siahmsr wellness]

Reviewed by SIAHMSR medical team.

Beauty enhancing foods [ Healthy ageing diet]

     Food plays a pivotal role in maintaining your health and beauty as they are the vital source of many nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants.

Other healthy aging supporting nutrients include healthy sources of proteins and healthy fats. Healthy proteins are plant proteins and organic fed poultry. Avoid red meat as a source of protein as it can cause many untoward effects later in your body. Healthy fats are essential fatty acids which are mono or polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

    Skin ageing results from the synergistic action of intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors of ageing. Genes are the main determinants of ageing as intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors include environmental stress, UV rays of sun induced damage, oxidative stress from free radicals etc. Antioxidants in your food play significant role in maintaining the health and beauty of skin and hair. Antioxidants also protect vital organs and prevent free radicals induced degenerative changes and diseases resulting from that.

  Foods that are rich in antioxidants help to protect your skin from oxidative stress and U V rays of sun induced skin damage. Many vitamins such as vitamin A, C and E can act as antioxidants in improving the beauty and health of your skin and hair. Proteins, omega fatty acids and minerals also play key roles in maintaining the beauty and health of your skin.

   Selenium is a mineral that helps certain antioxidants protect your skin from UV rays. Zinc may protect skin from UV damage and maintains stability & integrity of skin cells. These minerals along with iron and other nutrients play vital role in hair nutrition also.In addition to these minerals calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and all other trace elements help in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of body cells maintaining health.

 A few nutritious and antioxidant rich foods are given here:

·       Avocados

·       olive oil 

·       Nuts & seeds 

·       Broccoli   

·       Pomegranate 

·       green tea  

·       Green leafy vegetables

·       Tomatoes

·       Soy

Avocados

 Avocado pears are known for their body rejuvenating effects since ancient times. The fruit has amazingly nourishing nutrients which can block many age related degenerative changes. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins C and E and potent phytochemicals which can slow down the pace of degeneration or prevent it for a long time.

   Avocados are rich sources of folates, biotin , other vitamin B complex [B1, B2.B3& B6], fibers and unsaturated fats. The B complex vitamins in avocados help to keep the blood vessels and nervous system in a healthy state as the age advances.

Olive oil

 Olive oil has been in use as a beauty enhancing topical agent since ancient times. Consumption of olive oil through your food is also beneficial to health and beauty in multiple ways. Mediterranean diet is a healthy diet incorporating olive oil as its main ingredient and the diet is well known for preventing various lifestyle diseases.

 The polyphenols of olive oil can prevent or neutralize oxidative stress caused by free radicals in your body. They are effective free radical scavengers. Olive oil helps to prevent age related oxidative damage to your body & skin. Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to prevent skin inflammation as a topical agent.

Nuts & seeds

 Nuts play a great role in providing essential nutrients to the body. Many types of nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios and walnuts are commonly available and nutrient rich nuts. Almonds are rich source of vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, and fiber.

  Almonds are rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant against ageing as well as an immunity booster to improve the body's ability to fight against bacteria and viruses.

 Nuts are nutrient dense foods. In most of the nuts, the unhealthy saturated fatty acid (SFA) content is very low and nearly half of the total fat content is made up of unsaturated fat, monounsaturated fatty acids MUFA (oleic acid) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mostly linoleic acid. These unsaturated fatty acids MUFA &PUFA are very good for health.

 Brazil nuts contain a lot of PUFA than MUFA which are good for heart health. Pine nuts contain mostly PUFA, both linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid (ALA).

Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA). All these nuts and the essential fatty acids in them are good enough to protect your heart health.

Nuts are also rich sources of antioxidant vitamins (e.g., tocopherols) and phenolic compounds which are free radical scavengers, protecting the body from oxidative stress damage.

Seeds

Sunflower seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, an antioxidant and it is good for repairing sun induced skin damage. Vitamin B6 is also found in abundance in sunflower seeds. Sun flower seeds can offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, flavonoids, and other plant compounds that can reduce inflammation. They can make a tasty addition to salads or breakfast foods.

Sesame seeds are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The sesamin and sesamolin in sesame seeds have antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Sesame seeds can be eaten raw, or they can be baked or toasted. They are used as topping on bagels, burger buns, salads, etc.

Quinoa seeds are rich in antioxidants, particularly vitamin E. It is also a good source of proteins, fiber, iron, mg & folates. 

Chia seeds are great source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids.

In chia seeds protein content is good. It also has minerals calcium, phosphorus and zinc which are essential for immunity and bone health.

 You may include chia seeds in your food in different ways. Sprinkle a few teaspoons into breakfast cereal (hot or cold) salads, soups, or stews. Stir into salad dressings, sauces, marinades, or cake/muffin/bread batter. Use chia gel as a thickener added to smoothies, puddings, and soups. 

Pumpkin seeds contain Healthy fats and magnesium, zinc

Vitamin E and other antioxidants are free radical scavengers which help to fight against oxidative stress.

Pumpkin seeds may be added to salads, granola, and nut mixes. They contain a range of nutrients that are beneficial to health.

Broccoli

  Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C, providing over 81mg, or about 135% of your daily needs. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and immunity boosting nutrient which may protect you from infections and diseases consequent to oxidative stress. Broccoli and its vitamin C content helps in skin repair and prevention of skin wrinkles and sagging by boosting collagen formation.

Cruciferous vegetables contain a group of substances known as glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing chemicals.

 During food preparation, chewing, and digestion, the glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables are broken down to form biologically active compounds such as indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates. Broccoli, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, etc.—contain a compound, called sulforaphanes [isothiocyanates] that potently activate the NRF2 pathway in the body cells. When this pathway is activated, the body suppresses inflammation, activates detoxification, and promotes antioxidants to exert their effects.

 Sulforaphanes, therefore, allow us to cope with the stressors and harmful chemicals we get exposed to. Broccoli may be incorporated into your diet in different ways. It is a major ingredient in soups and salads. It is also used for making roles, pizza, Broccoli Quiche etc.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates provide lots of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid). Vitamin C is essential for good bone structure, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels. There is 16mg of vitamin C in a medium-sized pomegranate, which is about 18% of the recommended daily value.

Vitamin C is a great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent  which help the body fight against oxidative stress induced skin damage .

It helps to prevent age related degenerative changes to a great extent helping collagen formation and working as an antioxidant against oxidative stress induced damages to vital organs also.

   The antioxidant potential of pomegranate juice is more than that of red wine and green tea, which is induced through ellagitannins and hydrosable tannins.Two main type of ellagitannins that are found in both pomegranate juice and peel are punicalagin and punicalin. 

Green tea

Green tea is an important dietary source of plant polyphenols.There are three main types of polyphenols (flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans) Flavonoids are divided into 6 subclasses: flavonols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanones, anthocyanidins, and flavanols.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate [EGCG] is the most abundant and extensively studied polyphenol catechin with potent therapeutic effects on skin. Human and animal studies using both topical and oral preparations of  green tea polyphenols [GTPPs] have shown significant protective effects against UV-induced skin damage and immunosuppression.Topical application of green tea on skin provided significantly greater benefit against UVB irradiation-induced skin damage. 

UVB rays of sun causes depletion of antioxidant enzymes and signaling protein phosphorylation with in the cells. As per the study topical application of green is very effective against sun induced skin damage [4].

Green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Green leafy vegetable such as spinach ,kale etc. contain  fibers ,proteins , Vitamin A,C and K and minerals potassium, calcium , copper,iron,magnesium, manganese ,selenium and zinc. All of these nutrients are very essential for skin health and radiance.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are great source of vitamin C which is a very effective antioxidant. Lycopene is an abundant carotenoid in tomatoes. Carotenoids have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and are effective in improving skin barrier and reduce the expressions of aging. Carotenoids are effective in preventing the UV-induced skin erythema due to their antioxidant potential.

Tomatoes contain folates, which also helps cell growth and functions.Chlorogenic acid compounds in tomatoes may act as antioxidants. In a nut shell tomatoes with its abundant antioxidant content help protect your skin from sun induced oxidative stress and consequent fine lines and wrinkles. Tomatoes are also effective topical agents against sun damage to skin.

Soy

Soy is rich in protein and the quality of soy protein is superior to that of other plant proteins.

 In women  before their menopause  excessive soy intake  may not be good as it may  act like an anti-estrogen, but among postmenopausal women soy may act more like an estrogen and help to combat with the menopausal depletion in estrogen hormone and  difficulties arising from it.  Studies show that soybean isoflavone compounds significantly reduced the frequency and severity of hot flashes in post-menopausal women.

 Soy is a good source of omega-6 essential fatty acid, linoleic acid and the essential omega-3 fatty acid ,α-linolenic acid.Both are healthy fats for your skin and other parts of the body.

Soybeans are rich in iron and iron is important for skin and hair health as it is vital for oxygen transport.

Several trials suggest that isoflavones in soyabeans help to reduce wrinkles but all of these studies have limitations in research design.

Including all these foods in your diet may help you maintain the health and beauty of your skin and body to a great extent as you grow in age over the years. Anti-ageing is a misnomer as we cannot prevent ageing. However we can delay the changes on the skin and prevent some degenerations resulting from oxidative stress and other extrinsic factors of ageing. So we can say these foods promote healthy ageing improving the quality of life , reducing wrinkles, fine lines, bone degeneration, cognitive decline etc. These foods promote healthy ageing due to their phytonutrient content and antioxidant properties.

REFERENCES

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