Top five foods that will make you look younger than your age

Looking after your skin shouldn’t just be about slapping on the anti-wrinkle cream and staying out of the sun.

In fact, good skin care should start from within.

We asked Sophie Thurner, nutritionist at Regents Park Aesthetics on Harley Street, to answer your questions…

'Are there any miracle foods I can eat that will turn back the clock for my skin?'

Sadly, there’s nothing you can do to reverse the ageing process, but you can give your skin a helping hand by eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods.

‘A big cause of skin ageing is a loss of collagen, one of the skin’s main structural proteins.

'It’s thought to decline by 1% per year from your mid-twenties onwards,’ says Sophie.

‘Vitamin C is essential for collagen production, so increase the amount of colourful fruits and vegetables you eat.’

Get chomping on red peppers, berries, citrus fruit, leafy green veg, herbs, cruciferous veg and potatoes with their skin left on.

The worst thing you can eat is, surprise surprise, sugar.

‘Sugar has been shown to contribute to premature skin ageing,’ says Sophie.

‘It exacerbates natural processes that occur from our mid-thirties, damaging collagen and elastin and leading to reduced skin elasticity, textural changes, wrinkles and sagging.’

The top five foods for healthy skin…

1 – Eggs are excellent as they contain vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B7 and iodine, all of which are key in skin maintenance.

2 – Shellfish is rich in iodine and zinc, which is important for skin healing. It also contains copper, which helps prevent skin appearing translucent and contributes to youthful skin pigmentation.

3 – Legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and beans, are good plant-based sources of copper for people who don’t eat shellfish.

4 – Dark leafy greens are an excellent source of collagen-aiding vitamin C and also skin-friendly vitamin A.

5 – Wholegrains provide B vitamins and zinc, which are crucial for healthy skin.

? Regents Park Aesthetics have launched a bespoke service called NutriSkin, with the aim of taking care of the skin and body from the inside out. The package includes a comprehensive 6 week nutrition assessment plan undertaken by Sophie Thurner, plus skin assessments and a personalised treatment plan. Regentsparkaesthetics.co.uk