Collagen Boosting Super Foods
When we talk about a eating foods that best support skin health, prime among those choices are foods that the body needs in order to build and to maintain collagen. Collagen serves as skin’s substructure, found throughout all three layers of the dermis, giving skin strength, elasticity and resiliency. As we age, we produce less collagen, while environmental stresses, sun, and free-radicals can also break it down. In order to repair damaged collagen, which also gives skin its beautiful look of fullness, our bodies need a healthy supply of specific nutrients.
Here are a handful of favorite collagen boosting super-foods.
—Dark leafy greens. You know spinach and kale are good for you! But, specifically, the dark leafy greens boast a pro-collagen antioxidant called lutein. Researchers say eating just 2 oz. kale improves skin elasticity and hydration.
—Garlic. Small and mighty, garlic contains sulfur, which is absolutely essential in healing damaged collagen. Sulfur helps hold collagen fibers together, maintaining skin’s strength and flexibility.
—Yoghurt. High in protein, but also offering the amino-acid lysine, yoghurt support natural collagen production wonderfully, as do egg whites, which are big on protein but also and contain the amino acid proline.
—Citrus. Aging causes a decline in skin’s natural levels of Vitamin C, which functions as an antioxidant and helps regulate the body’s collagen synthesis. In Florida, we know there’s no better source of Vitamin C than fresh citrus.
Eating with healing intention is one of the foundations of holistic living. When we feed ourselves well, we feed our skin and our soul—and it shows in healthful radiance.
