Beauty foods for younger looking skin

Many people love the warm sun. The sun's rays make us feel good, and make us look good. But too much exposure to sun actually accelerates the effects of aging and increases our risk for developing wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer.

Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian and associate editor of Eating Well Magazine advised us to pamper ourselves with these four beauty foods that could keep your skin looking younger for the rest of your life.

Strawberries: A vitamin C-rich food and may help to ward off wrinkles and age-related dryness, suggests research from 2007 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vitamin C’s skin-smoothing effects may be due to its ability to mop up free radicals produced from ultraviolet rays and also its role in collagen synthesis. (Vitamin C is essential for collagen production.) Other excellent C source of vitamin C foods are red bell peppers, papaya, broccoli and oranges.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes get their red hue from lycopene, a carotenoid that may help to keep your skin smooth. In a study published in 2008 in the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, researchers found that of the 20 individuals studied, those who had higher skin concentrations of lycopene had smoother skin. You may also find lycopene from watermelon and carrots.

Tofu: Tofu and other soyfoods, such as edamame and soymilk, may help to preserve skin-firming collagen because they are rich in isoflavones. In a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, mice fed isoflavones and exposed to ultraviolet radiation had fewer wrinkles and smoother skin than mice that were exposed to UV light but didn’t get isoflavones. The researchers believe that isoflavones help prevent collagen breakdown.

Tuna: Eating tuna, salmon, sardines and trout may help keep your skin looking youthful thanks to the omega-3 fat EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). EPA has been shown to preserve collagen.

How do you keep your skin healthy?