Are There Any Foods That Help Prevent Wrinkles?

You may be happy to know that there are more foods that help prevent wrinkles than ones that cause them. Here's a look at what to eat and what not to eat, based on the latest scientific studies.

Certain kinds of food cause a spike in blood sugar levels, which begins a chain reaction that ends with the production of Advanced Glycation End-products, AGEs for short. AGEs are one of the causes of cellular aging. They play a role in many diseases. Some of which are life threatening and recent reports say that they cause skin wrinkling, too.

The problem starts when food is digested too quickly. That means the problem starts with simple carbohydrates. White flour, polished rice, white potatoes and white sugar are the main culprits. If you think of junk food, most of it contains some of those ingredients.

Not only is it good to avoid simple carbohydrates in order to improve your appearance, it is a good idea, because those foods are bad for your health. They cause weight problems and increase the risk of type II diabetes, among other things.

The foods that help prevent wrinkles are mostly complex carbohydrates; fruits, vegetables, grains like oatmeal, soy, spices and teas. They contain antioxidants, which address one of the other causes of cellular aging; free radical damage.

Free radical damage has been considered the primary cause of wrinkling for several years. Other causes, such as decreased production of new cells and fibers, low levels of hyaluronic acid, habitual facial expressions and chronic inflammation, take a back seat to free radicals.

When we talk about the sun contributing to the signs of age, it is because of the free radicals that are produced when we are exposed to UV rays of sunlight. Some of the foods that help prevent wrinkles have been shown to inhibit the damaging effects of UV radiation. Most of the evidence comes from animal studies, but there's plenty of it.

Green tea, white tea, soy, grapes, tomatoes, cocoa, pink salmon and many others antioxidant-rich foods have been used in the studies. But, the best results have been seen when antioxidants are applied directly to the skin.

No, you can't go and crush up your multi-vitamin and make a lotion out of it. You might get some benefit from a mask containing some of the foods that help prevent wrinkles, like avocado and kelp, but you will see the most benefit if you let the experts do it for you.

One of the most effective antioxidants, according to clinical trials is coenzyme Q10, but it must be processed correctly or it won't penetrate the skin's outer layers. If it is processed correctly, it will reduce wrinkling and help reverse sun damage, in a matter of weeks.

Coenzyme Q10 is only one of the ingredients to look for. There are many others.

Now that you know a little more about the foods that help prevent wrinkles and those that cause them, it should make planning your meals a little easier. Hopefully, you'll use some good skincare products, too.