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Gone are the days when aging was considered uncontrollable. It is now possible to combat premature aging to a great extent by following a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to accessing a good nutritional profile, breakfast plays a major role. Being the ‘most important meal of the day,’ it can keep your body and mind well while slowing down the aging process. Hence, choosing proper nutrient-rich breakfast foods is necessary to feel energized and strong throughout the day and look dewy and youthful as long as possible. This article will discuss the benefits of having certain anti-aging foods for breakfast.
Is Aging Reversible?
Well, modern science is yet to find the perfect way to reverse this natural biological process. But a deeper understanding may give us better insight into it. When the cells in our body get damaged, they start breaking down. The dead tissues are replaced with replicated cells, which use a certain substance called ‘telomere.’ If there is a lack of telomeres in the body due to continuous cellular damage, the cells cannot replicate, and we succumb to aging gradually. Studies have revealed that telomeres can be preserved and regenerated in the body by preventing cellular damage. While this does not ensure a complete reverse of the aging process, an antioxidant-rich diet plan and a healthy lifestyle can at least make it possible to delay the onset of aging.
As we age, our body produces less amount of collagen, which affects the elasticity of the skin (1). Besides, frequent and prolonged exposure to the UV rays of the sun also makes the skin look aged.
How Do Anti-Aging Foods Work?
Anti-aging foods slow or reverse the signs of aging by reducing inflammation in the body caused by free radicals. Let us elaborate on it. Free radicals cause oxidative stress by working on the cells and impacting their integrity negatively. This breaks down the cells and leads to inflammation, thereby speeding up the process of aging. However, anti-aging foods contain antioxidants, which lower the levels of free radicals in the body and prevent cellular destruction. As a result, the appearance of signs of aging gets reduced.
Antioxidants in anti-aging foods can make your skin look healthy, glowing, and youthful over time naturally. They can also help your skin heal from several skin conditions including acne, rosacea, psoriasis, etc.
What is an Anti-Aging Breakfast?
Consuming nutrient-rich foods early in the day is essential to kickstart the day in the right manner. A good breakfast makes the body and mind feel alert and energized, improves memory levels, and increases longevity. It is even better to incorporate more and more antioxidants in the breakfast to ensure that it offers excellent anti-aging effects. An anti-aging breakfast mostly contains whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, fresh fruits, and vegetables, etc. (2) It helps keep the skin and the body healthy and youthful in the long run.
Also Read – 10 low-calorie Indian breakfasts to try
11 Great Anti-Aging Foods to Eat in Breakfast
Eating antioxidant-packed foods for breakfast can keep you young and healthy by nourishing the body from the inside. So, let us look at the most amazing anti-aging foods that you must add to your everyday breakfast plate:
1. Oatmeal
Being filled with soluble fibers, oatmeal eliminates ‘bad’ cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) from the body successfully. Hence, it is very good for cholesterol reduction (3). Apart from that, oatmeal comes loaded with antioxidants that help in fighting against cell damage. This reduces wrinkles and plumps up the skin eventually.
2. Blueberries
Tiny but delicious blueberries are packed with fibers and vitamins, making them an ideal choice for breakfast. In addition, they are rich in polyphenols, which help increase motor skills and combat issues like diabetes, heart attack, and cancer (4). Polyphenols also act as a sunscreen, thereby protecting the skin from photodamage (5). Other powerful antioxidants in blueberries like vitamin A, vitamin C, and anthocyanin also regulate the body’s inflammatory response and prevent collagen loss (6).
3. Green Tea
As we all know, Green tea is a great source of antioxidants and hence, can be considered an anti-aging breakfast essential. The antioxidant EGCG (a type of catechin) present in green tea has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, which help rejuvenate the skin cells and prevent the appearance of wrinkles (7). The high levels of caffeine in green tea may also regulate blood sugar, protect against cancer, and decrease inflammation resulting from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Also Read – 10 Homemade Anti Aging Face Masks for Wrinkles
4. Grapefruit
When it comes to keeping the body weight in check, grapefruit helps a lot by making us feel full for a longer time after a meal. In addition, it lowers the insulin levels in the body, thereby averting the formation of large fat storage. Grapefruit is also quite effective in lowering bad cholesterol and boosting good cholesterol in the bloodstream (8). You can even steer clear of heart diseases by choosing the deep red variety of grapefruit (9). All these contribute towards a healthy and youthful life.
5. Egg
The egg has long been considered bad for health due to its high cholesterol levels. Studies have, however, proved it wrong (10). Consuming eggs every day at breakfast can render your good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) and limit the intake of bad fats (saturated fats) at the same time. The egg yolk is high in calcium and iron, while the white is filled with protein. Lutein and zeaxanthin proteins in eggs are known to protect us against vision loss (11). Moreover, eggs contain essential B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, folic acid, choline), which nourish the body from inside and give a younger-looking skin. Egg also prevents UVB damage caused by sunlight with plenty of vitamins A, D, and E.
6. Flaxseeds
Whether cereals, eggs, oatmeal, or fruit smoothies, flaxseeds can be sprinkled over or mixed with anything for easy consumption. They are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help regulate cholesterol levels, improve digestion, and lower the risk of insulin resistance. Flaxseeds also contain more lignans compared to any other plant-based anti-aging foods. These are fiber-based polyphenols with awesome anti-aging benefits. (12) They shield blood vessels from damage caused by inflammation. Besides, flaxseeds contain other polyphenols that help in maintaining hormonal balance as well as cellular health.
Also Read – Anti Aging Makeup Tips to Help you Look Younger
7. Pomegranate Juice
Being full of potent antioxidants, including vitamin C, pomegranate has long been used as a healing medicinal fruit. It keeps aging at bay by reducing oxidative damage and treating inflammation (13). The juice of the fruit can slow down the natural oxidation of DNA with a compound called punicalagins, which preserves collagen in the skin and prevents the onset of signs of aging (14). The healthy fruit also produces another compound named urolithin in interaction with gut bacteria, known to rejuvenate cells (15). Pomegranate juice also helps in relieving stress and preventing heart disease.
8. Almond Butter
Almond butter is considered a wonderful anti-aging food, especially for its high protein and healthy fat (monounsaturated fat) contents. In addition, it contains copper that helps boost the melanin in the skin cells, thereby protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Calcium in the food is good for muscle and skeletal activities, while magnesium gives energy and maintains bone health. Almond butter also has as much as 4 mg. of vitamin E (almost 27% of recommended daily value), which helps in promoting healthy cell function and preventing heart diseases (16).
9. Red Bell Pepper
When it comes to anti-aging, red bell pepper works like magic. Enriched with powerful antioxidants like vitamin C and carotenoids, the vegetable stimulates collagen production in the body dramatically (17). It also holds various anti-inflammatory properties that protect the skin from damages caused by sunlight, pollution, and other toxins (18). As a result, the skin remains healthy, glowing, and youthful.
10. Avocado
Avocado is an incredibly good source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which reduce the body’s inflammatory responses by lowering the effects of oxidative stress and insulin resistance. This delays premature aging and makes the skin smooth and supple (19). The creamy green fruit also has phenomenal moisturizing properties due to the presence of lots of essential nutrients, such as vitamin A, B-complex, C, E, K, potassium, etc. (20). These help keep fine lines and wrinkles away while averting photodamage as well as skin cancer.
11. Sweet Potato
The antioxidant precursor beta-carotene, which is responsible for the unique color of sweet potato, gets converted into vitamin A (retinol) and promotes the turnover of skin cells (21). It also has photoprotective qualities that shield the skin from damaging sunlight. In addition, sweet potato is also packed with vitamin C and vitamin E, which help restore and retain the skin’s elasticity through collagen synthesis and skin rejuvenation. All these contribute to soft, radiant, and younger-looking skin.
Anti-aging foods consumed for breakfast should ideally be rich in vitamins and other essential nutrients. It should be packed with energy and should be a complete meal. If you need to use oil in cooking breakfast, make sure that you use olive oil only.
Other Ways to Fight Against Aging
The right food is effective but not enough for looking and feeling young forever. Check out some more ways that can complement your anti-aging breakfast habits in the best possible ways:
- Stay active and young by doing light, low-impact exercises like brisk walking, swimming, yoga, tai chi, etc., every day.
- Let your overworked body repair and heal itself by getting enough sleep.
- Make good lifestyle choices by quitting smoking and excessive drinking.
- Take good care of your skin with natural and organic products.
Summary:
Anti-aging foods slow or reverse the signs of aging by reducing inflammation in the body caused by free radicals. They contain antioxidants, which lower the levels of free radicals in the body and prevent cellular destruction. This delays the onset of aging to a great extent. Incorporating more and more antioxidants in the breakfast is essential to kickstart the day in the right manner. It makes the body and the mind feel alert and energized while improving memory levels and increasing longevity. It also helps keep the skin as well as the body healthy and youthful in the long run. You should also complement your anti-aging breakfast habits in the best possible ways by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, making good lifestyle choices, and taking great care of your skin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What Should I Avoid to Look Younger?
Avoid processed, fried, and sugary foods, which are usually high in carbohydrates, saturated fats, and nitrates. Too much alcohol should also be avoided.
What Vitamin Makes You Look Younger?
Vitamin A, C, and E are antioxidant vitamins that keep the skin youthful and radiant. Besides, vitamin D and K also take great care by preventing photodamage and providing intense hydration.
Which Hormones Make You Look Younger?
Being rich in hyaluronic acid, the hormone estrogen is known to make us look youthful.
What Destroys Your Collagen?
Too much sugar and refined carbohydrates can interfere with the self-repairing ability of collagen. Excessive smoking and too much exposure to sunlight also have negative impacts on collagen production.
References:
- “Why Does Skin Wrinkle with Age? What is the Best Way to Slow or Prevent this Process?”, ScientificAmerican.com
- “Anti-Aging Mediterranean Diet”, VeryWellHealth.com
- “Oatmeal’s Health Claims Reaffirmed, Study Suggests”, ScienceDaily.com
- “Five Amazing Superfoods That Will Change Your Life”, HuffingtonPost.co.uk
- “Skin Photoprotection by Natural Polyphenols: Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and DNA Repair Mechanisms”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Blueberry Consumption Prevents Loss of Collagen in Bone Matrix and Inhibits Senescence Pathways in Osteoblastic Cells”, PubMed.NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Green Tea Linked to Skin Cell Rejuvenation”, ScienceDaily.com
- “4 Powerful Reasons to Eat Grapefruit”, HuffPost.com
- “Red Grapefruit Appears to Lower Cholesterol, Fight Heart Disease”, ScienceDaily.com
- “A Prospective Study of Egg Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Men and Women”, JAMANetwork.com
- “Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Eyes, Serum, and Diet of Human Subjects”, ScienceDirect.com
- “Flaxseed—A Potential Functional Food Source”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Antioxidant Activity of Pomegranate Juice and Its Relationship with Phenolic Composition and Processing”, PubMed.NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Drinking Pomegranate Juice Slows the Ageing Process, Says Study”, HuffingtonPost.co.uk
- “Safety Assessment of Urolithin A, A Metabolite Produced by the Human Gut Microbiota upon Dietary Intake of Plant-Derived Ellagitannins and Ellagic Acid”, PubMed.NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “26 Best Anti-Aging Foods”, EatThis.com
- “Antioxidant Potential of Bell Pepper (Capsicum annum L.)-A Review”, SemanticScholar.org
- “β-Carotene and Other Carotenoids in Protection from Sunlight”, PubMed.NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Intake and Risk of Skin Photoaging”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Hass Avocado Composition and Potential Health Effects”, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
- “Dietary Nutrient Intakes and Skin-Aging Appearance Among Middle-Aged American Women”, Academic.OUP.com
