6 Anti-Aging Foods You Need in Your Diet

How often have you hard the much quoted phrase, “You are what you eat?” This trite, old phrase may be more accurate than you think. There’s no doubt that diet playsan important role in who you are, how you look, and how fast you age. Diet not only provides the fundamental components necessary to build a strong and healthy body, if chosen wisely, it can also provide you with protection against disease and premature aging. If you’re looking for ways to alter your diet to slow down the aging process and prevent disease, here are six anti-aging foods you should add to your diet.

Cocoa or dark chocolate

Cocoa is an anti-aging food that has been shown to have a high level of disease preventative biochemicals known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are strong antioxidants and actually beat out red wine and green tea in terms of their ability to eliminate free radicals. Not only does cocoa have strong antioxidant potential, it may also reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure through its ability to increase production of nitric oxide which helps to dilate blood vessels and prevent platelets from sticking to one another. Although cocoa is healthy, don’t over do it. Keep your consumption to around an ounce or two of dark chocolate a day to avoid adding excess calories which can cause weight gain.

Nuts

Eating one to two ounces of nuts per day has been shown to cut the risk of heart attack by more than half. Increased nut consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and stroke. One study even showed that regular nut consumption increased longevity by up to two years. Which nuts are best to snack on? The nuts with the most benefits in studies were almonds, walnuts, and peanuts. Just don’t overdo your nut intake since they’re high in calories.

Broccoli

Fruits and vegetables are known for being rich in antioxidants and other vitamins that help to reduce the risk of disease, but broccoli outshines them all in terms of health benefits. Broccoli is an abundant source for a group of compounds known as isothiocyanates which are powerful weapons against cancer. Even if you don’t like the taste of this vegetable, you can get health benefits from adding broccoli sprouts to your salad. The young sprouts have up to one hundred times more of an isothiocyanate called sulforaphane than does the mature plant. This is one anti-aging food that needs to be in your diet.

Pomegranate

Although the pomegranate has a long history, its remarkable health benefits have only recently begun to be discovered. The juice of the pomegranate may play a role in preventing heart disease and lowering LDL cholesterol levels and even slow down or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells. This remarkable fruit and its super healthy juice also have anti-inflammatory properties which may help to relieve the joint inflammation of arthritis. Eight ounces of juice per day should be enough to reap the benefits. If you take other medications, check with your doctor before drinking pomegranate juice since it can alter the breakdown of some prescription medications

Fish

Fatty fish such as salmon is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which have been shown to have multiple health benefits including reduction in the risk of heart disease as well as decreased joint inflammation and pain in those suffering from arthritis. This anti-aging food also appears to have positive benefits to those who suffer from depression. Eating two servings of fatty fish per week should provide you with the omega 3 fatty acids you need. If you don’t like the taste of fish, consider taking two to three grams of a fish oil supplement each day.

Green tea

Green tea is a rich source of catechins which are thought to have anti-cancer properties. In addition, green tea may help you to hang onto your trim figure as you age. In studies, people who drink five or more cups of green tea per day have been shown to burn between eighty and one hundred extra calories per day. Plus, topical green tea has been shown to reduce the effects of photoaging and can help you maintain younger looking skin.

Adding some of these anti-aging foods is a natural way to reduce your risk of chronic disease and promote better health as you age.