Eating a proper and complete diet could help you stay young, according to experts.
We all know that eating a healthy and balanced diet is important for our overall health, but few have realized how significant an impact certain foods can have on our skin.
According to a skin care expert, certain foods contain collagen, which our skin needs to improve its texture and even reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
The role of collagen
Collagen is full of wound-healing and skin – strengthening properties and is also known to help with muscle recovery. There have even been studies showing that collagen promotes skin health by improving elasticity and hydration.
Dr Dave Reilly, Senior Scientist at Absolute Collagen, has shared the five foods we should be eating to increase our collagen intake and improve our skin health, reports Wales Online.
He said: “It’s no secret that the food we eat has a direct impact on our health and well-being. Pursuing a balanced diet and being more aware of the nutrients in your foods will not only benefit your overall well-being, but can specifically help collagen production as well. As you age and collagen production depletes, making small changes to include more collagen-boosting ingredients in your meals will have a real benefit to your skin’s appearance and strength. »
Dr Dave Reilly
Chicken
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ll know that chicken is one of the meat products that nutritionists encourage us to eat.
But did you know that it is also necessary for collagen production? Chicken contains amino acids and minerals that help the collagen in our body work more efficiently, giving it a natural boost just by eating our dinner.
Additionally, studies have shown that chicken bone collagen peptides can be a good anti-aging dietary ingredient, while other research has found that bone broth is a good source of collagen.
There are also high amounts of collagen in chicken feet, as they are mainly made up of cartilage.
Egg whites
Another common source of protein among exercisers, egg whites can also help boost collagen production. While fitness fanatics use egg whites to improve and repair muscle, they are especially rich in an amino acid called proline, which is a key component of collagen and will help keep our skin glowing. The delicious food also contains glycine, which together with proline is an essential building block for collagen.
Berries
Berries are not only delicious fruits that make perfect snacks as we enter the summer months, but they can also benefit our skin. Berries are packed with vitamin C, which helps promote collagen production within the body. Many fruits contain this vitamin, but studies have shown that just one cup of strawberries contributes more than 100% of the recommended daily intake.
Garlic
Despite its peculiar smell, garlic could help improve the appearance of our skin. The flavor-enhancing vegetable is packed with sulfur compounds, which are essential for the formation of collagen fibers and maintaining the integrity of skin tissues. It has also been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can cause an anti-wrinkle effect on the body, according to a study. We don’t need to start eating garlic by the pound – just add a few cloves to our next spaghetti bolognese.
Vegetables
For those who don’t eat chicken or egg whites, legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas are great alternatives when it comes to collagen support.
Legumes are rich in protein and essential amino acids, which makes them ideal for boosting collagen production.
Plus, they’re often an economical way to add more protein to dishes and can easily be incorporated into soups, stews and sauces.
