The signs of aging appear first on your skin. Wrinkles, fine lines, pollution, dead skin cells all leave your skin looking dull, dry and most importantly, they make it unhealthy. To maintain skin health, we are advised to use different kinds of cosmetic products. Most of these products are loaded with chemicals which may end up doing more harm than good.

Sure, there are home-made remedies too, but honestly speaking, not all of us have enough time to invest in them. So, what choice do working people have if they want to take good care of their skin, and fight the damage done by aging?

Well, there’s a way. By including some healthy, skin-friendly foods in their diet, you can ensure that your skin gets the healthy nutrients and vitamins that’ll keep it young and glowing. Here they are…

Papaya

If you want elastic smooth skin and reduced fine lines and wrinkles, Papayas should be one thing you don’t want to miss out on. They’re delicious, and are packed with vitamins A, C, K and E, along with other minerals. They’re also rich in antioxidants and have Papain, an enzyme found in many exfoliating products due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Overall, papaya is the best gift you could give to your body to reduce the effects of aging. In addition to munching on Papaya, you can also make a papaya mask for your face, that’ll help remove dead skins cells and reveal clear, glowing skin.

Broccoli

Yet another superb food with anti-aging and anti-inflammatory characteristics is Broccoli. If you’ve always found reasons not to eat broccoli, here’s one reason why you must. Broccoli helps your skin become elastic by aiding the production of collagen.

Spinach

Spinach contains vitamins A, C, E and K, also facilitating the production of collagen. It also has high water content and is a rich source of magnesium. The best thing about spinach is that while it’s great for smooth skin, you also end up with strong, shiny hair due to presence of vitamin A in it.

Nuts

Nuts such as almonds are packed with vitamin E. Vitamin E helps your skin repair skin tissues, retain the moisture content in the skin and also protects it from harmful UV rays.

Sweet potatoes

Beta-carotene, an antioxidant present in sweet potatoes is converted to vitamin A, which helps keep your skin elastic and youthful. In addition, sweet potatoes also have vitamins C and E, both of which contribute to healthy, glowing skin.

Pomegranate seeds

Some of us prefer to stay away from pomegranate because of its seeds. But, did you know that those seeds contain a compound called – Punicalagins, which retains collagen in the skin, thereby slowing down the signs of aging! Pomegranate is also rich in vitamin C and many other antioxidants.

Blueberries

Blueberries are known as the rich source of vitamin A and C, but it also has an anti-aging antioxidant called anthocyanin. This is what gives it its dark blue colour. Due to this, blueberries can help prevent collagen loss and protect your skin against damage caused by stress, sun and pollution.