Anti-Aging Foods Cheat Sheet

Consider these foods your anti-aging staples. As a rule, fruits and vegetables high in flavonoids and carotenoids, two powerful plant-based antioxidants, will remove the free radicals from your skin and body that cause you to age prematurely. A well-balanced diet can help you lose weight, live longer and feel fitter. But it can also help you look younger. Forget the fountain of youth. Load up a plate at the feel-better buffet and turn back the clock on a full (and happy) stomach.


Black garlic helps to repair age-damaged skin. Uniquely colored due to its fermentation process, black garlic contains double the antioxidants as regular garlic and can be eaten raw. It strengthens and restores skin cells damaged by the aging process. Use it in place of regular garlic in most recipes.
Jicama is a crisp root vegetable that can help fight crow’s feet by boosting collagen and fighting wrinkles. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C. Try it either raw or cooked.

Jerusalem artichoke can help to fade the appearance of under-eye circles. Their beauty secret is iron – they contain five times more iron as potatoes. Eating them can help to correct an iron deficiency, a common cause of paleness that makes your under-eye bags more apparent.
Purslane is an herb that is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that help to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. It also is a great source of vitamins A, B and C. Add it to yogurt or salads.

Sunflower Seed Butter works to unclog your arteries. It’s rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids including one that lowers your cholesterol. Try it instead of peanut butter.
Salmon is among the highest omega-3-containing fish, making it a go-to fish for healthy skin. As we age, cell turnover slows down, causing an accumulation of rough patches and dry skin; our skin also begins to produce less oil, diminishing our natural glow. Brighten your complexion with omega-3 fatty acids. Try to eat salmon two times per week to bring radiiance back to skin.  

Sweet Potatoes, Peppers and Almonds are representative of ACE foods, or foods that are high in vitamins A, C and E. They’re rich in antioxidants that combat damaging and aging free radicals in the body. Brightly colored vitamin A foods like sweet potatoes help to tackle the free radicals. Peppers have the highest levels of vitamin C and should be eaten raw to maximize their benefits. And like all foods high in vitamin E, almonds keep skin moisturized and soft by promoting oil production.


Pure noni juice, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, can help fight the formation of tumors – and wrinkles. Noni and noni products build collagen and are high in antioxidants and polyphenols.Tuna contains omega-3 fatty acids that fight UV-related cell damage and are a rich source of niacin, a deficiency of which causes skin rashes.
Black currants contain a compound called anthocyanosides, which can help improve vision. Additionally, this superfood contains five times the vitamin C that oranges do, making it a superb immunity booster.
Wheat germ is rich in zinc, which plays a crucial role in the production of new skin cells. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to help prevent eczema; recent studies even indicate that wheat germ can help reduce acne. Get half a cup of wheat germ per day for your daily dose of zinc. Try sprinkling it over salads and yogurt or adding it to smoothies.
Watermelon is a source of lycopene, which protects the skin from UV rays.
Sunflower seeds contain lignin phytoestrogens, which prevent collagen breakdown and boost the skin's lipid barrier.
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C, which the body needs to manufacture sebum, an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands. Sebum is the body's "natural conditioner," and keeps hair shiny, smooth and young looking, while preventing dryness.
Sardines, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, promote hair growth and shine to keep your locks looking young.
Romaine lettuce is a leafy green vegetable high in vitamin A, a vitamin that helps revitalize skin by increasing cell turnover and encouraging new skin cell growth. Add 6 leaves to your salad or as a side with dinner for your daily allowance of vitamin A.
Red peppers and brussels sprouts are rich in vitamin C, which help build collagen and fight off free radicals.
Pomegranate seeds contain juice rich in ellagic acid and punic alagin – two agents that fight damage from free radicals and preserve the collagen in your skin.
Oysters are an excellent source of zinc, which aids in protein synthesis and collagen formation.
Avocados are one of the richest sources of monounsaturated fats and contain biotin for healthy skin.
Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber which reduces LDL cholesterol (the "bad" kind).
Foods of the Mediterranean: Fennel, an anti-inflammatory; octopus, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, B12, iron and zinc; gigantes beans, giant lima beans rich in potassium
Lentils are a good source of zinc.
Mango provides 96 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and helps prevent periodontal disease.
Lean beef is full of iron. Iron deficiency can cause nail beds to be thin and concave.
Tomatoes provide lycopene, which helps prevent heart disease, elevated cholesterol and cancer. Lycopene acts as natural sun block, preventing the UV damage that causes sun spots, dryness and wrinkles. Remember to cook tomatoes for the maximum anti-aging effect.
Guava is packed with vitamin C which boosts collagen production to smooth skin. Two cups of guava per week is the perfect dose of this anti-aging powerhouse.
Eggs are high in iron and biotin.
Kelp contains vitamins C and E, which protect fats in the skin's moisture barrier from free-radical damage.
Cucumbers are good for the skin. The silica in the peel helps reduce wrinkles and boost collagen. Buy them unwaxed if possible.
Lowfat cottage cheese is full of protein, and therefore promotes hair health (since hair is mostly protein). Just be wary of high sodium levels.
Cod contains selenium which safeguards your skin from sun damage and cancer.
Red wine, made with the dark skin and seeds of grapes, is rich in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that includes resveratrol. If you don't drink, opt for grape juice or a resveratrol supplement available at your drug store for about $25.
Dark chocolate will help curb your sweet tooth and is rich in flavonoids.
Brazil nuts contain selenium, a powerful mineral that aids in the production of the antioxidant glutathione, which repairs cell damage and slows down the skin's aging process. Just 2 nuts a day will help you stop the aging process in its tracks.
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A; this nutrient is essential to a healthy scalp and youthful-looking, shiny hair.
Blood oranges contain anthocyanins, antioxidants that combat free-radical damage and UV rays.
Cranberry juice disrupts the formation of plague and thereby prevents yellowing of teeth. The flavonoids in cranberry juice also counteract the damaging effects of bacteria that cause tooth decay. Be careful that you aren't drinking a sugar-laden cranberry juice cocktail.
Beans, which are high in protein, promote hair growth and help thicken hair cells by making the fibers stronger.
Blueberries: One serving of this superfood provides more antioxidant activity than most fruits and veggies. Antioxidants fight the free radicals that cause wrinkles.