You are what you eat. Whatever goes inside the body shows off. If you eat junk foods that are highly appealing to the taste buds then your body will react to the deposited fats and if you eat seasonal fruits, it will have a positive effect on the skin and overall health.
It is therefore very much essential to know what to eat and what not to eat.
Aging and food habits go hand in hand, contrary to what many people assume. Aging is influenced by our food habits though other factors also have a contributory role.
Why is diet essential when you age?
As per a 2020 research study done by researchers at the Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China, ageing is caused by a combination of internal factors (such as hormone levels, genotypes, endocrine metabolism, etc.), and external factors (such as ultraviolet radiation, nutritional levels, chemical pollution, etc.). The study which is on skin ageing, says that functional anti-ageing ingredients in food mainly relieve skin ageing in three ways: by absorption and participation in the synthesis and metabolism of skin components; by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity and by inhibiting the degradation of skin components and by maintaining the integrity of the skin structure. A reasonable diet and balanced nutrition are important measures to delay ageing and prolong life.
What are the anti-ageing ingredients in food?
The common nutrient elements which have control over ageing are:
Vitamins
Collagen peptides
Polyphenols
Polysaccharides
Fatty acids
Dietary probiotics
Here are six food habits that are not just healthy and nutritious, but will also help an individual to age better.
Your food plate should be healthy
Start having a healthy food plate. Half of your food plate should have seasonal vegetables, one quarter should have essential proteins depending on your food practice and the remaining portion should be either rice or wheat or quinoa depending on what you prefer having.
A well-proportioned food plate is a key to a healthy being.
Fats should be consumed in moderation
It is important to include fats in the diet, but care should be taken and it should be ensured that the fats are consumed in moderation. Healthy fats like nuts and olive oil should be consumed on a daily basis. Avoid having unhealthy fats.
Cut down on processed food consumption
Ageing is the best of processed foods. If you need to reverse ageing, you need to bid adieu to foods like refined sugars, grains, sweetened drinks, bread and sugary cereals. To stall ageing, it is very essential to have foods in their natural form. Foods which retain their original nutritional values are way more safe and healthy than those which are ripped off their nutrition content and are coated with marketing products.
Do not overstuff yourself
Many people have the habit of overloading their food plate and eating it all at one sitting. This is a bad practice. The best way to eat is to eat a little up to more than half.
There are several benefits behind doing this, one of which is that eating less will save you more room for drinking water.
Drink more water
Water is the key to a healthy body. No matter what, keep yourself hydrated always. Do not forget to have at least 8-10 glasses of water on a daily basis. If you don’t feel like having plain water, try detox water.
Eat food in its natural form
Do not rely on packaged food items as many times the nutritional values of these food items are destroyed.
Try to have foods in their original form. Foods that are naturally grown and are seasonal hold the highest amount of nutrition than others.
