Beauty and lifestyle blogger Sophia Smith has shared an informative article detailing the use of healthy food to help prevent ageing.

“The pursuit and preservation of youth is and has always been something innate, something deeply rooted in human nature. As we grow older we remember the times when we were younger with great fondness and a touch of nostalgia. While we can’t turn back the clock and stop the Earth from orbiting the Sun, making us one year older with each completed circle, there are certain things that we can do to feel and even look younger. After all, the saying that age is just a number is true, granted that you take very good care of yourself, make good lifestyle and dietary choices, exercise and apply all the right topical solutions.

While all of these things play a certain role in maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance, what almost any physician will tell you is that everything starts with good nutrition. Even the ancient Ayurvedic medicine has always claimed that there is a strong connection between the gut and the skin, so aside from your topical skincare arsenal, let’s discover what your pantry and fridge must-haves are if you want to fully commit to keeping that youthful glow.

The most super of them all

The craze around superfoods is definitely real, as foods that belong in this group are truly beneficial in many ways. Some superfoods are great for weight loss, others for energy boosts, and then there are those who are multitaskers, but whose main benefits are the ones regarding the skin. These are usually foods that are rich in an entire complex of vitamins, antioxidants, as well as selenium, super-beneficial flavonoids, and of course, minerals.

The very first one that made the list are blueberries. Generally, all berries are considered bearers of youth, but blueberries reign supreme. The reason for this is that they contain the aforementioned flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol), as well as vitamin C, which has for a long time been a vital ingredient of numerous anti-aging skincare products.

People’s choice

It seems that we simply can’t get enough of avocado, but most of us simply love the taste and texture without knowing what it does for our skin. Avocado is packed with vitamins A, C, K and E as well as powerful antioxidants – the most powerful tool in the skin-aging prevention battle.

Aside from that, it’s worth noting that it’s become a vital dietary tool for anyone who is trying to successfully reverse insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can affect almost anyone, and aside from premature aging, more severe conditions can develop as a result of it such as type 2 diabetes, so as mentioned, foods like avocado and other healthy and fresh foods will not only save your skin but your overall health as well.

The mother of greens

You may or may not love broccoli, but there is no denying its benefits. There is a reason mothers do their best to get their kids to eat their veggies, and we adults might want to listen to our own advice. Thanks to the abundance of vitamin C, broccoli is a natural collagen production booster, not to mention that it’s loaded with folic acid and potassium. You may not have loved it so far, but just try the hemp, broccoli and silverbeet soup  once, and you’ll never look at broccoli the same way again.

More greens coming our way

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you couldn’t have missed the buzz that has been circling the mighty matcha tea. Essentially, this is green tea, but with a much greater nutritional content and a staggering 137 times more antioxidants than a regular green tea. The health benefits alone are worth making this tea an integral part of your diet, but as already said, nothing fights free radicals and hence skin-aging like antioxidants, and this tea is one of the ‘foods’ that contain the highest amount of them. In even better news, since it comes in a powder it can also be applied topically – you can make your very own homemade matcha face mask, which isn’t as powerful as ingesting it, but still has a great effect.

Hydration, hydration

We’re constantly reminded of how important water is for the proper functioning of our bodily organs – skin being the largest. However, what many fail to mention is that proper hydration doesn’t only have to involve a pure water intake. Fruits that are mostly water count as hydration as well, and one of the water-richest foods of all is watermelon. Aside from water, it also contains large amounts of vitamins C, E, and K, and selenium, calcium, manganese, and potassium, all vital for a skin that’s plum, healthy and voluminous, so when you’re tired of plain water, reach for a vitamin-filled tasty alternative.

Seal the deal with red

Strawberries are probably the number one favorite fruit for millions of people. Little do they know that this delicious and succulent fruit helps them keep their youthful radiance with every single bite. You see, strawberries contain invaluable phenolic compounds – in other words, compounds that have both anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties. Hence, they have the power to boost the cellular metabolism and cell revival, and when new cell production is happening, aging is out of the picture.

There are tons more foods which contain these priceless micronutrients. Now you know where to start, so follow the vitamin and mineral road and you will discover an entire world of anti-aging foods. The list is so long it could literally make for a book, but we’ve handpicked the most powerful for you for now, and we trust you can take it from here.” Sophia Smith.