Written By : with Nabeelah. The secret to looking good, feeling great and living longer may be as simple as eating a wide variety of plant foods. Research suggests that eating a wide variety of plant foods may be linked with a more youthful appearance (less wrinkles) and has the potential to add years to your life by protecting you against the most threatening diseases like heart disease and cancer.
The researchers have found that certain foods are associated with less wrinkling in sun-exposed sites of the skin.
The study looked at a large cross-section of elderly people all aged 70 years. Foods that were associated with less skin wrinkling included:
l Legumes especially lima beans and broad beans;
l Nuts
l Vegetables especially lettuce, spinach, eggplant, celery, onions and garlic
l Olives and olive oil
l Wholegrain breads and cereals (e.g. brown bread)
l Fruit and fruit products e.g. dates, mango, banana and jam
l Fish – especially sardines
Nuts and legumes are sources of vitamins, minerals and have also been linked to reducing the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and reducing cholesterol levels.
Nuts in particular, contain magnesium, copper, potassium and are a good source of vitamin E – an antioxidant that helps to keep your skin looking younger by healing sun damage.
Legumes and lentils are a source of dietary fibre and contain iron and calcium. Copper is also found in legumes and is needed to make elastin in the skin.