If there’s one thing that most people with beautiful, youthful-looking skin have in common it’s this: collagen — lots of it. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin smooth, supple, and healthy. It, along with elastin, also begin to decline in our bodies sometime in our thirties and the decline becomes more precipitous as we continue to age. Mother Nature does what is natural for us all, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to protect your collagen and help boost its production to stay on top of these changes.
What you eat matters greatly when it comes to collagen production. Start incorporating more foods that are known for helping boost collagen production — these foods are also abundant in nutrients. Here are three collagen-packed foods that can help minimize fine lines and achieve supple skin — dermatologist love them.
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Fish
If you like fish, you’re in luck: there are a number of different types that are not only delicious and nutritious, but pack a collagen-boosting punch. Among the best you’ll find sardines (collagen is often found in the bones and scales of fish, so these are perfect because you eat the entire sardine) and anchovies — for this exact same reason. If you’re more a fan of a fish like salmon, make sure it’s wild-caught. Tilapia and pangasius are also considered sustainable fish choices that are rich sources of collagen.
Berries and Nuts
A breakfast with berries and nuts (which complement oatmeal beautifully) is a great collagen-boosting meal idea. Blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries contain collagen and also antioxidants that help protect your skin from free radicals that can damage and age the skin barrier. Nuts, meanwhile, are both an excellent source of protein and collagen — with nuts like almonds, cashews, and pistachios leading the way as top choices. And if you are adding these ingredients to oatmeal, you’re in luck: oatmeal is also a good source of collagen that contains essential fatty acids and silica, as well as anti-inflammatory properties to keep skin calm.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach and kale are great because they contain chlorophyll that has antioxidants to protect skin, as well as the ability to boost collagen production. You can increase the leafy greens in your diet by adding them to soups, omelettes, pasta — so many different meals that you’ll never have an excuse not to enjoy them daily.
In addition to maintaining a healthy diet with a wide variety of foods that can help boost collagen, you can also protect your collagen and boost production by making a few simple lifestyle adjustments. Drink plenty of water each day and try to sleep enough, exercise, de-stress with something like yoga or meditation, and don’t smoke or drink alcohol in excess. As far as your skin routine goes, using a prescription-based retinol and wearing sunscreen (but also avoiding direct sun exposure) can really help preserve your skin barrier for longer.
