It's simply unbelievable. Madly searching for anti-aging products and techniques, we failed to realize that the things which help us boost our collagen levels most just lie around in our kitchen.
To understand better how these foods promote skin rejuvenation, we need to understand a little how collagen is produced and how it works inside our body.
Collagen naturally occurs as a protein in all animals, including humans. It is primarily responsible for providing cellular structure. Found inside and outside the cellular membrane, it is essential in the over-all well being of the connective tissues that hold together various skin and bone cells, among others. Reduction or loss of collagen results to loss of skin elasticity. That is when we start to develop wrinkles in mid-adult life.
Now, here is your ultimate checklist and find out if you have some of these in your homes.
1. Soy products. Consume substantial amount of soy products, such as soy milk and tofu. The soybean contains around 38-45% protein. As an anti-oxidant, genistein stimulates nitrate synthesis. Soy products are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. 100 grams of soybeans contain 7 grams of the said beneficial fatty acids.
2. Dark green vegetables. They contain lots of collagen producing agents, such as Vitamin C and zinc. Good sources are kale, spinach, collards, asparagus, black currant, broccoli, citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, papaya, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and sprouted seeds.
3. Vitamin C-rich foods. Vitamin C is essential in collagen hydroxylation, which leads to the formation of the ideal triple helix structure of collagen molecules. Kakadu plum, also called gubinge, bellygoat or murunga, is considered to have the highest naturally occurring concentration of vitamin C. Vic Cherikoff of the University of Sydney's Human Nutrition Unit in Australia has discovered that kakadu plum, a flowering plant found mostly in northwestern Australia, contains 5% vitamin C compared to its weight.
4. Red fruits and vegetables. These contain substantial amount of lycopenes which also act as anti-oxidant. Once they work with other compounds in the body, studies have shown that they significantly increase collagen production. Plant products, such as beets, darker berries, like blue and black berries, are rich in lycopenes.
5. Sea foods and nuts. Sea foods, like salmon and tuna, are rich in omega fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids particularly establish the ideal environment and condition for the rapid growth of collagen inside the body. Cashew, pecans, almond nuts and Brazil nuts are also rich sources of these acids. Avocado oil, pressed from the avocado fruit, also contains a significant amount of omega fatty acids that help the skin cells regenerate and moisturize.
6. Sulfur-rich foods. Sulfur aids in faster protein synthesis that eventually promote collagen production. Known rich sources of sulfur are green and black olives, fresh cucumbers and fresh stalks of celery, among others.
What's stopping you now from eating these foods identified to increase your skin collagen?
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