Stay Young With These 25 Foods
No one likes getting older but it is a simple natural process that we all have to go through. Luckily, there are foods that will provide a wide range of anti-aging benefits for the mind and the body and that will make you feel and look better, as well as live longer.
Go through our list, find those that you like, and make sure you include more of them in your diet. Before you know it, you will be reaping the benefits and you will turn back the clock at least a bit.
1. Avocado
Avocado is a fruit that hails from Central America. Its first recorded use was in the Puebla area in Mexico and the evidence dates it back to 10,000 BC. The two types of avocado that are used today are the Florida and the Hass avocado. Hass avocado got its name from Rudolph Hass who actually managed to obtain a patent for the type of avocado he grew.
The reason why avocados are a great anti-aging food is that they contain plenty of oleic acid which is a very potent antioxidant that can help prevent cancer and improve the overall state of the organism. In addition to this, avocados contain plenty of potassium, fibers and healthy fats that can only be good for you.
The easiest way to increase avocado use in your diet is by eating more guacamole and by including it in salads and other foods which will all act as amazing anti-aging meals.
2. Pecans
Pecans are not just among the most delicious of all the nuts that you can introduce to your diet, but also among the healthiest. They are bursting with antioxidants which will provide you with tons of anti-aging benefits. Pecans have been found to be extremely good for the cardiovascular system, mostly due to their ability to lower the levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Pecans also have high content of minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals which have been found to produce a number of beneficial effects in the human body. In addition to this, some studies have shown that certain compounds in pecans even have the ability to suppress certain genes which have been identified as triggers for breast cancer.
Perhaps the easiest way to increase your consumption of pecans is through snacks and trail mixes that you will modify so as to contain more of these nuts.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is one of those foods that many people do not enjoy, especially if they went through a period in their childhood when their parents insisted on the vegetable. Trying to get children to eat broccoli can often turn into an outright domestic war. However, there are plenty of reasons why you will want your family to eat broccoli and why you will want to make it a staple in your diet.
For instance, broccoli contains compounds called lignans. These have been found to fight cancer and prevent heart diseases of different kinds. In addition to this, lignans can boost the immune system as well as contribute to the health of your brain.
Glucosinolates are another type of compounds found in broccoli and they have been found to slow down the decline CNS acetylcholine levels, which are neurotransmitters necessary for the proper functioning of the brain.
4. Cucumbers
Cucumbers are among the healthiest foods around, both when ingested as part of the diet and even when they are used on skin, which is why so many beauty products contain cucumber. One of the main reasons cucumbers are so healthy is their high water content. They are a perfect food to eat in order to remain hydrated which is one of the easiest ways to remain energetic and young.
Cucumbers also pack a high silica content, which makes them the perfect ally in maintaining health of your bones, joints and connective tissue. Furthermore, the low calorie count in cucumbers makes them a perfect food if you are looking to control your weight. Due to their high electrolyte and phytonutrient count, cucumbers are also great for energizing.
Numerous studies have shown that cucumbers are amazing for your kidneys, liver and skin, as are other members of their family like squashes and melons.
5. Berries
This may seem like a bit of an umbrella solution, but the truth is that all kinds of berries are great for you. Of course, we are not including poisonous berries here. Most berries that are commonly used, such as blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, all pack a whole range of various anti-aging compounds and chemicals that can truly turn back the clock for your body.
The main reason why berries are such great anti-aging foods are the antioxidants that these fruits are just bursting with. These antioxidants slow down or actually halt the damage that is done by free radicals and this is the main mechanism through which berries produce their anti-aging effects.
The compounds that give berries their color are anthocyanins which have been shown to hold many beneficial properties for the human body.
On top of it all, berries are delicious and they should become irreplaceable part of your juices and smoothies.
6. Apples
There is a very good reason why there is a saying that an apple a day can keep the doctor away. Apples are really extremely healthy and they will provide your body with a whole range of nutrients and compounds that will act as anti-aging agents, among other things.
For instance, you will find high levels of vitamin C in apples, boosting your immune system and enabling your body to fend of disease and infections. In addition to this, vitamin C will keep your skin healthy, as well as your nails and hair. Other vitamins that you will find in apples include B9 and B5, both fighting acne and any skin irritation.
Furthermore, apples are very rich in fibers, meaning that your digestive system will be more efficient and healthy. A healthy and properly functioning digestive system is crucial for staying young and energetic.
7. Beans
To a layman’s eye, it may seem that beans are nothing special and that they are not exactly among the healthiest of foods out there. In reality, things are much different and beans can actually be extremely good for you.
For one, beans are an extraordinary source of protein, with a single cup of soybeans packing as much proteins as a four-ounce serving of steak or chicken. This is why beans are an irreplaceable food group for people who do not eat meat. However, even if you are a meat-eater, you should consider introducing beans as a replacement for a few meat dishes every week as the protein from beans comes without the baggage of fat, cholesterol and calories.
Furthermore, beans also pack quite a high antioxidant count, meaning that you will be preventing free radical cell damage and avoiding a number of negative effects that aging can have on the body.
8. Eggs
Eggs have garnered a ton of bad press over the years, mostly due to their high cholesterol content. However, in reality, things are much more complicated as one or two eggs a day will not pack so much cholesterol while on the other hand they might actually provide your body with various beneficial nutrients. Most experts agree that this trade-off works out in your benefit.
The main reason why eggs are actually good for your health are the unsaturated fats that they pack plenty of and which are actually good for your health, especially in preventing heart disease and diabetes. For instance, one raw egg contains around three grams of these monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats while also containing two grams of saturated fats that are not so great for you.
Simple math actually makes eggs a healthy food and with reasonable and smart consumption, they can be a great ally to your health.
9. Oats
Oatmeal is definitely one of the best breakfasts that you and your family can enjoy and there are quite a few reasons why this is the case. Namely, among other things, oats have been found to dramatically lower the levels of cholesterol in the blood. So much so that the American Heart Association wholeheartedly recommends them.
In addition to this, oats provide your body with much-needed nutrients and energy that you will need for an active lifestyle which is always recommended. Furthermore, oats have been found to aid in production of lean muscle mass.
Oats also come with a high manganese content, with one cup providing you with almost 70 percent of your daily needs. In addition, oats contain a ton of selenium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, as well as plenty of other nutrients that are crucial for keeping your skin young and flexible. Oats are truly a superfood of the highest order.
10. Red Wine
You might be surprised to find an alcoholic beverage on this list, but there is no denying that red wine is a smart thing to include in your daily or at least semi-daily diet. The main reason for this is a compound called resveratrol which is found in large quantities in red wine. Resveratrol has been talked about as one of the most powerful antioxidants known to science and its effects on the cardiovascular system have been described and studied in detail.
The reason why it is better to go with wine than grape juice is that the wine production process uses skin and seeds of the grape, which is not the case when making grape juice. Resveratrol and other polyphenol antioxidants are mostly found in the skin and the seeds, thus making wine a great anti-aging ally for everyone.
Of course, you will want to limit yourself to a glass of wine a day.
11. Pomegranates
For the peoples of Middle East and Central Asia, pomegranate holds an almost mythical status and is lauded in poetry, music, literature and even film. This has been going on for more than 4 millennia and modern science constantly finds reasons why they have been right all these years.
Namely, there are so many beneficial effects that pomegranate can produce that it may seem like some sort of a wonder fruit. For instance, it has been discovered that pomegranate can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It can also reduce stress and they have even found proof that it can be beneficial to your sex life.
The most recent studies have shown that certain compounds found in pomegranate can even help slow down the aging process on DNA level, although more studies are still required to fully understand this.
In short, start eating pomegranate and drinking its juice.
12. Oranges
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and tangerines are generally considered one of the best sources of vitamin C and oranges lead the pack here, boosting an exorbitant vitamin C content that makes them one of the best anti-aging foods in the world. This vitamin enables your body to fend off infections and illness and it also has innumerable beneficial effects on your skin, nails and hair, making you not only feel but also look younger.
Furthermore, oranges are rich in fibers, making them a boon for your digestive system, ensuring that everything works like it should and that toxins are properly expunged from the body, which provides further anti-aging benefits for the entire system. Finally, oranges provide you with an energy boost that will keep you going through the day.
One of the best things you can do for your health is to make oranges part of your daily diet, including them in your breakfast or snacks.
13. Pumpkin
Pumpkins are another one of those foods that may not seem anything special and that you would never think have any particular beneficial properties that will boost your health and help you slow the aging process. In reality, pumpkins are great sources of anti-oxidants, as well as other nutrients like minerals and healthy fats.
Pumpkin meat is healthy on its own, but it is the seeds that pack the highest antioxidant content. Phytosterols are the antioxidants we are talking about, reducing bad cholesterol in the blood. In addition, they contain tryptophan which is an amino acid that has been found to be part of the serotonin production. In short, pumpkin seeds will make you feel good.
If you haven’t done this already, you should start including more pumpkin in your diet, including the seeds which can be eaten as snack or which you can include in salads and trail mixes.
14. Green Tea
Green tea is something of an institution in the Far East where it has been used for centuries in order to provide that much-needed energy boost, but also because of its incredibly anti-aging properties. These properties are best observed on the skin.
The mechanism which allows green tea to keep the skin young and healthy involves antioxidants called oligomeric proanthocyanidins, also known as OPCs for short. OPCs have been found to interfere with the functioning of free radicals which have negative effects on collagen, the protein that is essential for healthy skin.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this is that the OPCs that are so beneficial for your skin will work perfectly well if they are ingested orally. They do not need to be applied directly to the skin.
So there you have it, a cup or two of green tea a day keeps the Botox injections away.
15. Watermelon
There is nothing quite as refreshing as a nice, giant slice of watermelon in the summer. It is so refreshing and so delicious that you start thinking it is bad for you. Nothing that tastes so well can be good for you, right? Well, that line of thinking is wrong in this case. Watermelon is a fantastic source of pure health and for a number of different reasons.
The first of these is the oxidant called citrulline which can be found in huge amounts in watermelons. This particular antioxidant is an exquisite detoxifier which can also boost your immune system, enhance your metabolism and also provide an acidic balance in your system which is essential for a healthy body.
In addition to this, citrulline also holds certain anti-inflammatory properties, meaning that it can help prevent and reduce inflammation. In addition to this, it can reduce muscle fatigue and help keep your blood pressure in check by relaxing the blood vessels.
16. Tomatoes
When it comes to tomatoes, there is a simple reason why they are so healthy for you – lycopene. Lycopene is considered to be one of the most powerful and beneficial antioxidants available in nature and it is also the compound that gives tomatoes their red color.
Lycopene has been found to be one of the best allies for the cardiovascular system, keeping everything running like clockwork and protecting your heart from all kinds of conditions and diseases that might affect it. Furthermore, lycopene has been described as one of the best cancer-preventing antioxidants in existence.
The interesting thing is that processed tomatoes contain higher levels of lycopene than fresh tomatoes. For instance, if you cook tomato sauce or if you include tomato paste, juice or even ketchup in your diet, you will be introducing huge amounts of this antioxidant to your body. So, go for it!
17. Brussels Sprouts
We have already covered broccoli on our list and we mentioned how difficult it can be for people to start eating them in case they are not big fans of the vegetable. The same is true for Brussels sprouts and it probably has to do with the fact that they belong to the same family of vegetables. However, once again, we have to say that it pays off to get to like them, even if it takes you some time.
Namely, Brussels sprouts are extremely rich in vitamin C and a single serving of sprouts can be enough to provide you with the daily vitamin C requirements. We have already covered the amazing anti-aging benefits of vitamin C. Brussels sprouts are also rich in fibers which help keep your digestive system running like clockwork.
Finally, these sprouts contain plenty of phytochemicals which have cancer fighting properties.
18. Honey
The glucose oxidase found in honey has been shown to help clear out harmful bacteria, bump up your immune system, and make you cleaner inside in general. Be sure to use raw honey rather than the processed kind most widely available.
Honey is a great natural anti-aging skin care product. Throughout the centuries, legendary beauties like Cleopatra and Poppea, wife of Roman Emperor Nero, have used raw honey as part of their skin and hair care treatments to keep them looking youthful and beautiful. This natural healing agent contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase, that when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, which is a mild antiseptic. In addition to the glucose oxidase enzyme, honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents.
Honey is also a great natural moisturizer for dry and parched skin.
19. Bananas
In many parts of Asia, bananas are traditionally eaten after meals in order to help the digestive process. As modern science will tell, this has to do with the high content of fibers in bananas, making them one of the best digestive aids in the world. However, this is not the only reason why bananas made our list.
For instance, bananas are very rich in potassium which your body needs for proper functioning. They are also packed full of magnesium and other minerals, as well as vitamins such as vitamin B-6 and vitamin C. The anti-aging properties of vitamin C are well-known and among other things, it can help your skin stay young even if it is exposed to a lot of direct sunshine.
When you put it all together, it becomes obvious that bananas are an exquisite fruit and that they should become a regular in your diet.
20. Spinach
While the whole Popeye-heavy spinach propaganda was instigated by a typo that made it out to be much healthier than it actually is; this does not mean that spinach is still not a very healthy food that can provide your body with nutrients and antioxidants that will slow down the aging process.
Spinach is actually among the most antioxidant-rich vegetables in the world, making it the perfect protection against the negative effects that free radicals have on the cells throughout the body.
In addition to antioxidants, spinach also contains a lot of vitamin K, a vitamin that can do wonders for the skin and which helps keep the bones dense and strong. One cup of spinach is enough to take care of your daily needs for vitamin K, which has also been found to be beneficial for the vision.
In short, do as Popeye does!
21. Almonds
Almonds are delicious and because of the various beneficial compounds that they pack in high levels, they are also one of the best snacks that you can enjoy. They contain plenty of unsaturated fats which your body needs and which will keep your cardiovascular system as healthy as it can be.
However, the main reason why you will want to include almonds in your daily diet is the vitamin E which is found in large quantities in these nuts. Thanks to the elevated levels of this vitamin that you will get by eating almonds, your skin and your hair will look much younger. A mere handful of these nuts will provide you with half of your daily vitamin E requirements.
If you wish to get the most out of your almonds, you should eat them raw instead of salted or roasted. Make them a part of your trail mix or daily snacks.
22. Salmon, tuna, sardines
It is no secret that fish is good for you. Many of the nations that consume large quantities of fish as part of their diet have some of the best health statistics and highest life-expectancy numbers. Salmon, tuna and sardines are among the healthiest of fish types and they should definitely become staples of your diet.
One of the main reasons for this are the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish and that act as powerful natural anti-inflammatory agents. These acids can also do wonders for your cardiovascular health and they have been found to benefit the mental processes and even your mood.
These types of fish also contain significant levels of protein which your body requires to function properly and while delivering protein, they do not come with added fat and cholesterol that meat comes with.
23. Oysters
Oysters are most famous as part of a romantic dinner thanks to their reputation of being an aphrodisiac. And while this has been disproved by modern science, there is still plenty to these clams that makes them a highly recommended food for anyone looking to improve their health.
For example, oysters have high levels of selenium in them, a basic element that has been found to prevent certain types of cancer and whose deficiency in the organism can lead to certain diseases. Of course, it goes without saying that it’s much better to get it from oysters and other natural sources than from supplements.
Furthermore, oysters pack quite a zinc punch as well, which will be very beneficial for your skin, making it look more youthful. It helps skin retain its balance and even correct damage that wear and tear of time can cause to your skin.
24. Garlic and Onions and all members of the onion family
Different foods from the onion family, most notably onions and garlic are one of the most idiosyncratic food types and one of their characteristics is that they hold many anti-aging properties. Flavonoids are their secret, together with allium helping to prevent cancer. In addition to this, this food group is great at reducing levels of bad cholesterol in the body.
Furthermore, onions and garlic have been found to reduce the risks of various gastric conditions, as well as bronchial infections. They are also very beneficial for the heart and the cardiovascular system; among other things, preventing formation of blood clots. Quercetin is an antioxidant that is found in great quantities in the onion family; an antioxidant that helps reduce number and severity of wrinkles.
When using onions and garlic, you need to remember that overcooking them will ruin most of their beneficial properties.
25. Kiwi
Kiwi is a very peculiar fruit with a very unique taste and look. The good news is that it is also packed with so much healthy goodness that it almost makes it the healthiest fruit around. For instance, kiwi contains more vitamin C than oranges and as much potassium as bananas. Besides vitamin C, kiwis are rich in vitamins A and E as well. The combination makes kiwis extremely healthy for the cardiovascular system, as well as great allies in battle against obesity and even cancer.
Furthermore, these fuzzy fruits are packed with Alfa-linoleic acid which is contained in the black seeds found in the fruit. This is essentially an omega-3 fatty acid which holds many beneficial properties. Kiwi has also been found to be very beneficial for the skin.
If you know what’s good for you, you will start eating kiwi on regular basis.
