Instead of just layering on your new anti-ageing cream, slow your
ageing process from the inside out. Eating the right foods will not
only give you better health, but can even help prevent premature
ageing
Don’t be lazy now, we promise this diet will work. Celebrities and
Dr Oz swear by the anti-ageing diet, saying it prevents premature
ageing and rids your body of free radicals — the very toxins
that can cause sagging skin and cancer. There are a variety of
foods that have anti-oxident properties, but we’ve compiled a list
of budget-friendly foods easily found in Singapore.
CARROTS
Carrots are famous for improving vision, but they also loaded with
Vitamin A — a fabulous nutrient essential for healthy, shiny
hair. This rabbit food comes in an assortment of colours, but the
orange variety will work the best for this purpose. As a rule of
thumb, pick the carrot with the strongest orange hue, as it is sign
of it having a high amount of beta-carotene — another form of
Vitamin A.
CHOCOLATE
Didn’t we tell you this diet would be easy? Chocolate has been
credited with preventing heart disease. A 2008 study published in
the Journal of Nutrition showed that consuming dark chocolate on a
daily basis significantly reduces the risk of heart disease. The
reason? Cocoa contains flavonoids, which is the strongest form of
anti-oxidents. Flavonoids help your body repair cell damage, while
boosting its anti-oxident properties. So eating a chocolate bar
will help you repair skin cells that have been damaged, and rid
your body of nasty toxins — giving
you a healthier glow. As with most things, not all chocolate is
made equal. Choose a chocolate with less processing, such as dark
chocolate or unprocessed cocoa powder. This ensures that the vital
flavonoids are still very much intact.
EGGS
Surprised? Having two eggs a day may stave off those wrinkles. The
versatile food is filled with iron and biotin. According to the
University of Maryland Medical Centre, Biotin, also known as a B
vitamin, is an essential vitamin for healthy skin and hair. A
deficiency in it will cause dry and itchy skin, which will lead to
wrinkles! Combined with iron — which is also found in eggs
— the powerpack duo will work towards maintaining healthy skin
cells. So the next time you have breakfast, opt for sunny side
up.
TOMATOES
Missed your sunscreen? You won’t have to worry as much if tomatoes
are part of your diet. Have a dose or two or these juicy delicacies
and your body will be on its way to it’s own UV protection says Dr
Oz. Filled with lycopene, tomatoes protect your body from free
radicals and hyper pigmentation. The best part? Lycopene doesn’t
disintegrate after being cooked. So if you aren’t a fan of the raw
vegetable, you can always have a bolognese and still get
anti-ageing benefits.
GUAVA
The pink and green fruit is such a staple in Asian diets that it is
paired with a special dip. The next time you decide to buy fruits
in the market, pick guava. Not only is it bursting with vitamin C,
Dr Oz credits this “exotic” fruit as helping boost collagen
production, giving you super smooth skin. Pink Guava also contains
lycopene, so you get smooth skin and sun protection all in one
fruit!
For more information on anti-ageing superfoods, please visit
the Univesrity of Maryland Medical
Center, www.webmd.com, and www.doctoroz.com.
