We often worry about premature signs of aging appearing on our skin even at such a young age. Although there are several factors that can contribute to sagging skin and wrinkles, poor collagen production can be a likely culprit too. Seeing wrinkles forming around the eyes and mouth may be a cause for concern for some but getting injections to make your skin plump up is not the only solution available. As a matter of fact, you can actually improve collagen production by choosing the right kinds of foods such as the ones listed below.
Dark green vegetables
Dark green vegetables are one of the best foods to take if you want to improve your collagen production. Cabbage, spinach, and kale are just a few examples of these leafy greens that are worth adding to your diet because they are nutritious and contains essential nutrients that can increase your skin’s hydration and improve elasticity. Load up on these greens daily and you will see a huge improvement on your skin’s condition in no time.
Green tea
Green tea is often associated with weight loss but did you know that it is also helpful when it comes to tightening your skin? The antioxidants present in green tea can help get rid of the free radicals that are damaging your skin cells while at the same time, increase collagen production to keep your skin taut. Drinking three to five cups of green tea per day is recommended but make sure that you are not sensitive to caffeine otherwise you might end up having difficulty in sleeping if you drink too much.
Red fruits and vegetables
Red colored fruits and vegetables should be present in your diet if you want to fight off sagging skin. The red skin contains lycopene which is a type of antioxidant that can increase collagen. Think beets, red peppers, and tomatoes and try adding them to stews, salads, and the like. If you want extra protection for your skin, have some sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and even carrots as these are also good sources of antioxidants that promote better collagen production.
Walnuts
As we age, our hormone production can be reduced too which can also affect the elasticity of our skin as well as collagen production. The good news is that phytoestrogens can help replace the loss in estrogen in your system so that your body’s ability to produce collagen will remain intact. There are several sources of phytoestrogens that you can choose from and one of them is walnuts. Have some for snack if you like to receive your much needed phytoestrogen so you will be able to preserve your skin’s overall health.
Prunes
Free radicals can also be blamed for the appearance of lines and wrinkles on our skin as they tend to attack our skin cells causing our tissues to deteriorate. This is why you need to increase your intake of foods containing antioxidants because they will be able get rid of these free radicals that are harming your skin. With that being said, prunes contain high amounts of antioxidants with blueberries running second. You can have five to six prunes or at least a basket of blueberries to get the right amount of antioxidants in your system.
These are just a few examples of foods that can aid your body in producing more collagen to prevent signs of aging from appearing. There are more out there to choose from, but these ones are definitely worth adding to your diet if you want to sustain that youthful glow to your skin even as you age.
