Question:
I’m starting to notice the inevitable signs of ageing. What foods are best to help maintain healthy skin?
Answer:
New Zealand’s UV (ultraviolet) levels are much higher than those in the UK, the ancestral home of most sunburnt Kiwis. Those with paler skin are at greater risk of sun damage in the form of sunspots, wrinkles and sunburn, thanks to our harsh sun, but many other ethnicities are also at risk.
Our skin, hair and nails are part of a sophisticated organ system known as the integumentary system. Unlike internal organ systems, our skin is regularly exposed to environmental hazards such as ultraviolet rays from the sun, microbes, pollutants and even trauma. Fortunately, it has a complex array of features that enable it to protect the body from these assaults.
However, problems can occur when there is a dietary imbalance. For instance, extreme dietary habits can disturb the body’s repair and renewal processes. Severely restricting food intake on weight-loss diets, for example, is known to increase hair loss. And emerging evidence suggests Western-style diets may contribute to skin ageing.
Australian researchers made excellent use of their nation’s diverse population groups to analyse the impact of diet on skin wrinkling in a 2001 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
They compared Greek-born Australians and Anglo-Celtic Australians with Greek adults living in rural Greece and Swedish adults in Sweden to identify an association between dietary patterns and variations in skin wrinkling after sun exposure.
Western-style diets were associated with more significant wrinkling. Diets associated with less wrinkling were higher in vegetables, olive oil, fish and legumes and lower in butter, margarine, full-fat milk products and sugar products.
More recently, French researchers reported that monounsaturated fatty acid intake from plant oils was associated with reduced skin ageing, particularly in men. Olive oil was singled out as having a more protective effect.
These findings align with other studies that have linked olive oil and monounsaturated fats to less skin ageing.
Notably, monounsaturated fats sourced from animal and dairy products did not produce the same protective effect. It may be that the specific ratios of fatty acids found in olive oil are particularly beneficial.
More research is needed to understand the mechanics of the relationship between olive oil and skin ageing. However, now is the best time to switch to using a good-quality olive oil if you haven’t already. Not only will it benefit your heart health, but also it may help your skin.
Add to that a diverse array of plant-derived foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain bread and cereals, and some low-fat dairy products, lean meats and fish.
Eating a minimum of five servings of fruit and vegetables a day and using olive oil may increase your chances of growing older gracefully, with healthy skin and hair.
Flesh foods:
Vitamin A is an antioxidant and is used to form and maintain healthy skin, hair and mucous membranes. Dairy products and oily fish are good sources, so include low-fat milk and cheese, as well as sardines, tuna or salmon, in your diet. Also, the carotenoids in coloured fruits and vegetables are converted by the body into vitamin A, which studies have found produces a healthy glow to skin. Try carrots, corn, tomatoes, capsicums, green leafy vegetables and oranges.
Vitamin C plays an essential role in the production of collagen, a major structural protein that gives skin strength and durability and helps it look smooth and plump. Our bodies can’t store this vitamin, so daily consumption of vitamin C-rich foods is required to ensure collagen production isn’t disrupted. Good sources include broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, citrus and kiwifruit.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects our cells from damage and is vital for healthy hair and skin, notes the American Dietetic Association. Foods naturally rich in vitamin E are nuts, vegetable oils, seeds, wheat germ and dark-green leafy vegetables such as spinach.
This story was originally published in the NZ Listener’s February 27 – March 5, 2021, edition.
