Anti-aging products are popular among people who want to have younger, healthier skin. But did you know that making dietary changes can also help you keep your skin looking young and fresh? In fact, experts recommend eating various superfoods that are rich in collagen to get smoother, younger-looking skin.

Collagen: Nature’s anti-aging protein

Aside from helping you save money on beauty products that may not always work, eating collagen-rich foods is also good for your overall well-being. But why is collagen important for skin health?

You can find collagen in your skin, muscles, bones and even the connective tissues in your body. It is a natural anti-aging protein that plays a major role in joint health. It also helps keep your skin supple and elastic.

But besides boosting your skin health, collagen also offers other benefits, such as:

Helping relieve joint pain

Collagen helps maintain the integrity of your cartilage, or the rubber-like tissue that protects your joints. But because the amount of collagen in your body decreases as you age, your risk of developing degenerative joint disorders like osteoarthritis also increases.

Studies show that increasing your dietary intake of collagen can help reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis, including joint pain. In a study involving 73 athletes, researchers found that participants who consumed 10 grams of collagen daily for 24 weeks experienced a significant decrease in joint pain while walking and while at rest.

Preventing bone loss

Bones are made mostly of collagen, and this protein gives them structure as well as helps keep them strong.

As you age, your bone mass deteriorates along with the collagen in your body. This can cause health problems like osteoporosis, a condition characterized by low bone density. Osteoporosis is also linked to a higher risk of bone fractures.

In one study, scientists observed 66 women who took five grams of collagen daily for 12 months. Results showed that they had up to a seven percent increase in their bone mineral density (BMD) compared to the women who didn’t consume collagen.

BMD measures the density of minerals like calcium in your bones. Low BMD is linked to weak bones and the development of osteoporosis, warn health experts.

Superfoods rich in collagen

While collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, you produce less collagen as you grow older. The rate at which a person ages is different for everyone, and how quickly you lose collagen depends on various factors, such as environment and genetics. But doesn’t that mean you can just take collagen supplements?

The answer is: You can. But experts recommend boosting your intake of this protein by eating collagen-rich superfoods. For example, bone broth contains a bioavailable form of collagen that your body can use right away, confirming that eating foods that contain collagen is better than taking supplements.

According to a 2012 review on nutrition and aging, fruits and veggies are the “safest and healthiest” foods to eat if you want healthier skin.

Consuming these foods, which help boost collagen production, can also help create amino acids, or the “building blocks” that you need for better skin. Note that you need three important amino acids for collagen synthesis: proline, lysine and glycine.

Below are 12 amazing superfoods that you can eat for healthier hair, skin and nails.

Beef

Beef is rich in zinc, an ingredient that’s essential for collagen production. Consuming high-quality, grass-fed beef also helps boosts your intake of the amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline!

Additionally, beef contains “good” fats like omega-3 fatty acids that protect the membranes around your skin. Omega-3s from beef also help promote and boost collagen production.

Berries

What do blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries have in common? They are all rich in vitamin C, which is good for your skin.

Berries also contain ellagic acid that helps protect your skin from UV damage.

Bone broth

Bone broth is one of the most popular dietary sources of collagen. But not all kinds of bone broth are created equal. If you have the time, make bone broth at home instead of buying pre-made products to avoid any harmful chemicals.

To make bone broth, you need to cook beef, chicken or other animal bones until you draw out all the nutrients. The process may take several hours or days, but it’s worth it if you want healthier skin.

Use spices to ensure that the bone broth you make is full of flavor.

Bone broth contains the following nutrients:

• Amino acids
• Calcium
• Chondroitin
• Collagen
• Glucosamine
• Magnesium
• Phosphorous

To ensure that the final product is rich in collagen, buy bones from a trusted local butcher.

Chicken

Chicken contains all of the amino acids required to make collagen. Have you ever noticed that chicken has a lot of connective tissue? These tissues make chicken a rich source of dietary collagen.

Some studies also suggest that chicken neck and cartilage are good sources of collagen that can help with arthritis.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits contain vitamin C, an essential nutrient that helps link amino acids during collagen production. A medium-sized orange contains 70 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, which is a considerable amount since the recommended daily value for an adult woman is 75 mg.

Dark leafy greens

Leafy green veggies like collard greens, kale, rainbow chard and spinach are nutritious. Like citrus fruits, dark leafy greens are rich in vitamin C!

The nutrient that makes these vegetables green also boosts your skin health. Chlorophyll helps increase the amount of procollagen, the precursor to collagen.

Eggs

Egg yolks contain collagen that helps keep your hair healthy and lustrous. Egg whites also contain amino acids that are needed to make collagen.

Additionally, eggs contain vitamin A and sulfur, two nutrients that boost collagen production. Both egg whites and yolks contain antioxidants that boost skin health!

Fish

Like beef, salmon contains zinc that’s essential for collagen production. It also contains amino acids that your body can use to produce collagen.

When cooking fish, leave the skin on because it’s rich in Type I collagen, which makes up the majority of collagen in your skin.

Legumes

Legumes are full of various minerals and proteins that can help make your skin healthier.

Chickpeas are especially great for collagen synthesis because they’re chock-full of vitamin C and zinc.

Oysters

Oysters are superfoods that are rich in copper and zinc, two minerals that help your body produce more collagen.

Red bell peppers

Red bell peppers also contain vitamin C, one of the primary nutrients needed for collagen synthesis.

But what’s the difference between red, green and yellow bell peppers? Red peppers are ripe green peppers while yellow peppers are somewhere in the middle.

All kinds of bell peppers contain vitamin C, but the older peppers get, the more vitamin C they contain. For healthier skin, use red bell peppers when cooking or making salads or sandwiches.

As a bonus, vitamin C-rich bell peppers also contain capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory compound that can help fight signs of aging.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes, particularly sun-dried tomatoes, are rich in vitamin C. Juicy tomatoes also contain the antioxidant lycopene that helps protect skin from sun damage and collagen breakdown.

Add tomatoes to salads or use fresh tomatoes when making pasta for a sweet and tangy main dish. You can also snack on a handful of grape tomatoes if you’re feeling peckish.

Keep your skin healthy and young-looking by eating collagen-rich superfoods like fruits and leafy greens regularly.

Sources:

GoodHousekeeping.com

Healthline.com 1

Healthline.com 2

StyleCraze.com