NUTRITION SPECIAL ...FOODS THAT CAN HELP YOU LOOK YOUNGER

FOODS THAT CAN HELP YOU LOOK YOUNGER

Nutritionists recommend foods that you should include or avoid to boost your thinning hair, banish eye bags, have fewer wrinkles or even whiter teeth

From smoothing wrinkles to fighting grey hair, the right food choices can help slow down the signs of ageing according to recent research. In an exclusive extract from her new book, nutritionist Dr. Sarah Brewer explains the latest science and what you should — and shouldn’t be — eating to look younger for longer.

FOR FEWER WRINKLES

Women’s skin ages 25 per cent faster than men’s between the ages of forty and fifty, due the menopause . Falling levels of the hormone oestrogen slow the body’s production of collagen — the main supporting fibre in the skin — meaning skin loses its elasticity.

FOODS THAT CAN HELP 

Eat plenty of protein: Lean protein provides the building blocks to replenish collagen. Choose eggs, chicken, turkey, oily fish, beef, pulses, nuts and seeds.

Bump up vitamin C: It’s found in berries, grapefruit, pomegranate, mango, green leaves and other fruits and vegetables. Vital for collagen production, vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant, which can fight the free radicals that promote wrinkles.

Enjoy a cuppa: Tea, especially green tea, contains powerful antioxidants. Some studies have found people who drink a lot of tea have fewer wrinkles.

Foods to avoid Cut back on sugar and refined grains (white bread and rice): They’re thought to encourage premature ageing.

Avoid processed foods that have been ‘browned’ by heat - for example, toast, golden-brown chips and barbecued meat, as these all contain AGEs (advanced glycation end products) that research shows can damage cells, prevent cell renewal, trigger inflammation and hasten wrinkles.

FOR SOFTER, MORE SUPPLE SKIN

Dry skin is linked with a lack of essential fatty acids and vitamin A deficiency.

FOODS THAT CAN HELP

 Boost your Omega-3s: These healthy fats provide building blocks for the skin cell membranes needed to retain moisture. Eat oily fish like sardines, salmon, tuna or mackerel twice a week. Walnuts and pumpkin seeds are a must.

Feast on vitamin-C-rich fruit: Rating concentrated sources such as berries and mango will boost collagen production and moisture retention.

Foods to avoid White rice, flour breads and cakes: Sugar and refined grains raise insulin levels and promote inflammation which been linked to skin problems.

TO BOOST THINNING HAIR

After the age of 25 the diameter of individual hair naturally starts to decrease, and by 40, most people have finer hair with less body. Lack of vitamin D, iron, zinc or other micronutrients, along with an underactive thyroid and falling oestrogen levels around the menopause can also contribute.

FOODS THAT CAN HELP 

Lunch on lignans: Researchers have found that high intakes of these natural plant compounds (found in pumpkin seed oil, flaxseed oil and sweet potato) are associated with hair regeneration and less hair loss.

Get a shot of vitamin B12: Increasing your intake of the nutrient through fish, eggs, chicken and milk sources helps prevent hair loss.

Foods to avoid Cut the salt! Research shows that slashing salt intake can lessen hair loss by as much as 60 per cent.

WARD OFF GREY HAIRS

Premature greying has been linked to a lack of vitamins B5 and B12, folic acid and copper.

FOODS THAT CAN HELP 

The fab four:

Fighting premature grey is simply a matter of knowing which foods are rich in these four vital nutrients: B5 — Also known as pantothenic acid and found in foods including wholegrains, tomatoes, lentils, avocado and green vegetables such as broccoli B12 – Liver, kidney, oily fish, white fish, red meats, eggs and dairy products.

B9 (aka folic acid) – Found mainly in green leafy vegetables and wholegrains.

Copper – Seafood, nuts, beans, wholegrains, avocado, radishes, garlic, mushrooms and any green vegetables grown in copper-rich soil.

Foods to avoid Processed foods: They don’t contain enough of the nutrients needed for healthy hair.

FOR PLUMPER LIPS

Dry, chapped lips are linked with dehydration, a low-fat diet and a deficiency of iron, zinc or B group vitamins.

FOODS THAT CAN HELP 

Drink plenty of water: To keep lips hydrated from within.

Reach for orange and yellow: Fruit and veg with ‘carotenoid’ pigments — including mango, carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin — contain betacarotene, which converts into the skin healing vitamin A.

Boost your B2: This lip-plumping nutrient, also known as riboflavin, is found in wholegrains, eggs, dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables and beans.

Foods to avoid Overcooked veg: Vitamin B2 is readily lost in boiling water, you’ll be able to tell as the water will turn yellow.

FOR WHITER TEETH

Teeth become yellower with age. A natural process that’s worsened by stains caused by smoking and certain foods and drinks. Whiter teeth meanwhile, can have a dramatic anti-ageing effect.

FOODS THAT CAN HELP 

Wash your mouth out: Rinse your mouth with water after drinking coffee and wine or eating dark coloured berries.

Choose cheese: Holding a piece of cheese in your mouth for a few minutes, after eating fruit, helps to neutralize the acid and supplies a calcium boost.

Boost calcium intake: Spinach and curly kale are surprisingly good sources of this vital mineral for healthy teeth.

Foods to avoid Wine: It is one of the worst culprits for staining teeth. The acidity of fizzy colas damages teeth, and the brown pigments can become embedded in tooth enamel.

Avoid black tea: The brown staining that builds up inside teapots and mugs can affect your tooth enamel too.

— Daily Mirror