Worried about wrinkles? Lost your youthful glow? Antioxidant rich foods not only prevent heart disease and cancer they slow the effects of aging and correct skin damage! Sneak these healthy, yummy foods into your diet and you can feed your skin from the inside out!
1. Sweet Potatoes. A great source of beta carotene, your body converts sweet potatoes to vitamin A, a nutrient that helps continually generate new, healthy skin cells.
2. Pecans. This nut is rich in Vitamin E, a nutrient that’s vital to skin health. Pecans can help prevent harmful free radicals from penetrating the skin and helps form a protective barrier in the cell membranes of your skin to keep skin firm and elastic.
3. Berries. Berries contain high amounts of fiber, minerals and vitamins, and loaded with skin healing antioxidants. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are rich in proanthocyanidins, antioxidants that can prevent cancer and heart disease.
4. Broccoli. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts can not only help prevent cancer and ward off heart disease, but can make you look younger too! Like sweet potatoes, broccoli contains a high amount of beta carotene, an antioxidant that protects your skin.
5. Tomatoes. Tomatoes can ward off certain kinds of cancer, prevent macular degeneration and cataracts, and help maintain mental function as we age. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is also found in pink grapefruit and twice as powerful as beta-carotene. Tomatoes contain large amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C that help the regeneration of skin cells.
5. Red Grapes. Red grapes contain a substance called resveratrol and quercetin, which are potent antioxidants that boost heart health by reducing platelet aggregation and helping blood vessels remain open and flexible. Red grapes can also known to soothe irritated and inflamed skin.
6. Garlic. Garlic is packed with antioxidants that can help fend off cancer, heart disease and the effects of aging. The sulfur compounds that give garlic its pungent odor are thought to be responsible for its healing benefits. Studies have shown that garlic keeps the heart healthy by lowering cholesterol levels, reducing blood pressure, fighting free radicals and keeping blood from clotting.
7. Spinach. Spinach delivers a triple of dose of wrinkle fighting antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene. All three work together to protect your skin from the sun’s ultra violet rays so it stays vibrant and healthy. Another antioxidant found in spinach is lutein and it can help protect your vision. Lutein shields the retina from sun damage and fighting the free radicals that can harm the eyes.
8. Tea. Antioxidants found in tea helps prevent a number of degenerative diseases. Tea has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Recent studies suggest that both green and black tea have equal benefits including calming irritated and inflamed skin.
9. Carrots. Carrots are loaded with a potent beta carotene, a member of the healing family of carotenoids. Beta carotene provides protection against cancer, heart disease, and the progression of arthritis. In addition to its health benefits, the beta carotene found in carrots serve a pivotal role in skin cell renewal, absorbing damaging free radicals that accelerate skin aging.
10. Soy. This wonder food can help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, ward off osteoporosis and lessen the effects of menopause. Soy’s powerful, protective antioxidants can now be found topically in anti aging products.
SOURCE: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/joybauernutrition/28913/4-foods-to-help-you-look-years-younger/
SOURCE: http://www.crumcreek.com/library/antioxidant.html