Preventing cell damage with a balanced and healthy diet can help delay the ageing process.

Imagine a tree. Looking after that tree takes some effort. You must ensure it's positioned where it gets just the right amount of sun, trim it when it becomes overgrown, polish its leaves, spray it with pesticide to keep away insects, coat any cuttings with tar to ward off infection.

Now, imagine what would become of the tree if, despite all the attention, you forgot to water it and fertilised the soil with toxic sludge. No amount of pruning and polishing would keep it from growing withered and sick.

The same rules apply when it comes to the human body. As well as protecting it from outside elements, it needs to be properly cared for from the inside out. A balanced diet is a crucial step towards healthy, glowing skin.

What is a free radical?

Free radicals are unstable atoms, molecules or ions with unpaired electrons. Free radicals are formed as a by-product of biological processes. More dangerous free radicals are produced by cigarette smoke, UV radiation, air pollution, dietary carcinogens, nitrates in cured meats and stress.

While some free radicals are essential to many biological processes, many damage the body by stealing electrons in order to return to a stable state. Free radical damage can cause cancer, contribute to degenerative diseases and accelerate the ageing process.

What is an antioxidant?

An antioxidant interacts with and stabilises free radicals by donating electrons which would otherwise be stolen from molecules within the body.

Because free radicals are needed for biological functions, the body naturally produces antioxidants to combat any damage they may cause. As we age, the body produces fewer antioxidants, so it's essential to increase the dietary intake of vitamins, minerals and other antioxidant compounds in order to prevent cell damage.

Antioxidants are freely available in natural foods in the form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals, carotenoids, flavonoids and isoflavonoids. A balanced diet made up of a variety of brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, lean meat, legumes and seafood should arm the body with the antioxidants it needs.

If dietary intake is inadequate, some supplements may be beneficial, though the antioxidants contained in fresh food are likely to be more potent. Topically applied antioxidants, most commonly vitamins or minerals, are also beneficial, although a sufficient delivery system is important for the solutions to reach the lower layers of the skin where they are needed most.

The good stuff

Even if a food source is rich in antioxidants, there are many factors which determine its relative benefits in terms of what it can do for health and anti-ageing.

For example, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) score, which measures the power of any food to neutralise destructive free radicals in the human body, should be taken into account. Even if a particular food has very high antioxidant levels, the ORAC score may be low if the body has difficulty metabolising and then absorbing the antioxidants contained within it.

Vitamins A, C and E act as antioxidants. Good sources of these essential vitamins are fresh fruit and vegetables as well as lean meats, seafood, legumes and nuts.

Supplements containing Vitamin C are a good way to top up antioxidant levels for those who are exposed to cigarette smoke and UV radiation on a regular basis. Vitamin C is water-soluble so any excess is simply excreted if not used by the body.

Foods with a natural orange or yellow hue are rich in the carotenoids alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cryptoxanthin and lycopene. These carotenoids are powerful phytochemicals that serve as antioxidants, retarding the ageing process and protecting the body against environmental carcinogens. With the exception of lycopene, orange and yellow carotenoids may be converted into Vitamin A if and when the body requires it. Carotenoids are fat-soluble, therefore they are better absorbed if combined with a healthy fat or oil, such as olive oil, grapeseed oil or nut oil. Excess amounts may be stored in the body, as opposed to water-soluble nutrients.

Green foods are exceptionally nutritious, and the darker the hue, the better. Spinach is top of the list, followed closely by broccoli, brussel sprouts, watercress and parsley.

Seafood is a plentiful source of selenium, a mineral component of antioxidant enzymes. It is also found in meat, grains and Brazil nuts. Zinc is another mineral which is important for cell health, found in meats, dairy products and some cereals.

Some of the foods we think of as "treats" are also excellent for anti-ageing and inner health. Replace coffee with green or white tea after a meal - it will aid digestion as well as reduce caffeine intake (which has a detrimental effect on the levels of antioxidants in the system). It can also be beneficial to indulge in a few squares of dark, raw chocolate with a glass of red wine (not white wine or beer) in the evenings.

The food colour wheel

Colour is an excellent guide when it comes to selecting the right combination of foods to help slow the effects of ageing. Make sure you include all of the colours in your daily diet (needless to say, this only covers natural pigment, not artificial colouring in processed food).

orange and yellow
Cooked carrot, cooked pumpkin, apricots, sweet potato, rockmelon, mangoes, peaches, grapefruit

red, purple and blue
Cooked tomato with olive oil, red grapes, red wine (one glass per day), plums, watermelon, blood oranges, berries (in particular acai berries, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries and raspberries)

green
Steamed broccoli (rich in beta-carotene), spinach leaves, watercress, Swiss chard, chicory leaves, beet greens, okra, spirulina algae

20 anti-ageing foods

All of these foods are loaded with antioxidants or omega-3 oils which may help slow the ageing process. All of these foods (listed in no particular order) should be eaten raw for maximum impact.

1. Berries
2. Tomato
3. Leafy greens
4. Red beans
5. Broccoli
6. Lentils
7. Apples
8. Raw seeds and nuts
9. Eggs
10. Salmon and tuna
11. Radishes
12. Artichoke hearts
13. Plums and prunes
14. Cherries
15. Pinto beans
16. Unprocessed oats
17. Red grapes, red wine and grapeseed oil
18. Dark chocolate
19. Green and white tea
20. Seafood

ACSM #43