Skin is the body’s largest organ, covering around 2 square metres (about 20 square feet) in an adult. It’s an instant telltale sign of your lifestyle. Here’s what the science says about why some people look older and some look younger.
The goodies
- A colourful diet: plenty of oily fish, brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, lycopene-rich foods, and bitter-tasting vegetables such as broccoli, rocket and kale, which contain protective compounds called glucosinolates.
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, used every day. In Australia, use sun protection whenever the UV index is 3 or above.
- Skincare with proven actives, such as vitamin A (retinoids), vitamin C and vitamin E.
The baddies
1. Too much sugar. A diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can age your skin. In a study of around 600 people in the Netherlands, those with higher blood sugar levels were judged by others to look older than people of the same age with lower levels, and people with diabetes looked oldest of all. Why? Sugar can attach to collagen in a process called glycation, making it stiff, brittle and more likely to break, so here’s another reason to cut back.
2. The sun’s harmful rays. UV light damages the collagen in the skin, and when collagen is damaged, skin wrinkles and sags. It’s so strong that many people who drive a lot have more wrinkles on the side of the face closest to the car window.
3. Oxidative stress. Most of the oxygen we breathe is used to turn food into energy, but a small amount forms free radicals that can damage DNA and other parts of our cells. Over time, if our defences can’t keep up, the damage builds. This affects fibroblasts, the collagen-making cells that give skin its strength, smoothness and elasticity, and they work less well as we age.
A healthy skin diet
- Warm water with lemon in the morning, or a green smoothie with leafy greens.
- Plenty of water through the day (about 2 litres for most women; more in hot weather or when exercising).
- Around half a kilo of vegetables a day, in a variety of bright colours and bitter flavours.
- Fruits such as pomegranates, blueberries and raspberries.
- Lycopene-rich foods such as tomato paste, cooked tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava.
- Protein and probiotics, such as lean meats, legumes and yoghurt.
- Healthy omega fats from oily fish, nuts, nut oils and olives.
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
