7 Superfoods to Keep You Young
Spectacular superfoods with powerful anti-aging properties to keep you young and healthy.
Diet for a Pretty Smile
Dried licorice root may fight tooth decay, new research has found. But if you're not a fan, these foods can also help keep teeth, gums, and breath healthy, says Mark Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D., of NYU College of Dentistry:
Yogurt. The lactic acid may ward off periodontal disease, but skip the sugary varieties.
Sugar-free gum and hard candies. These promote saliva flow and also help fight cavities. Xylitol-sweetened ones work best.
Raw or firm vegetables. Chewing celery and other crunchy veggies helps "scrub" your teeth. Ones with vitamin C-broccoli; red, green, and yellow peppers-may also protect against gum disease.
Sweet Sip of Youth
Compounds in green tea may help guard against the sun's damaging rays, while berries provide a hit of wrinkle-reducing nutrients. To make:
1. Place 3 to 4 raspberries or blueberries in each section of an ice cube tray.
2. Fill the tray with iced tea or water and freeze.
3. Once frozen, place your cubes in a tall glass and fill with chilled green tea.
Related: 15 Stars Who Look Better With Age
Gussied-Up Grapefruit
This favorite citrus fruit is already low-cal and bursting with wrinkle-fighting vitamin C. Add walnuts for healthy fats that help keep skin supple. To make:
1. Peel a grapefruit; cut into 1 ½-in.-thick slices.
2. Place walnuts in small bowl and microwave for 45 seconds to one minute.
3. Place five nuts, broken into halves, in the center of each slice and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and ground cinnamon; a slice serves one.
Magic Potion
Pomegranates are a rich source of the wrinkle-reducing plant chemical ellagic acid. Use the seeds to top a dip, sprinkle them on salad, or make this festive holiday sangria:
1. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine one bottle (750 ml) semidry Riesling or other white wine, one cup pomegranate juice, and ¼ cup Cointreau. Add one orange, cut into ¼-in. slices; one granny smith apple, cored and thinly sliced; and ½ cup pomegranate seeds. stir well.
2. Cover and refrigerate mixture for at least three hours, or overnight.
3. Divide among glasses and top off with seltzer or club soda if desired.
Related: Easy Ways to Look 7 Years Younger
The White Stuff
To get more from your workout, hit the dairy case. Drinking milk instead of a sugary drink after strength-training exercises could help tone your body and blast fat, say researchers from McMaster University in Ontario. The sleek connection: Milk has a high proportion of certain amino acids that build muscle (and preserve it when you're dieting). Aim for four daily servings of dairy, drinking at least a cup and a half of milk (nonfat is fine) after a workout, advises lead author Andrea Josse, Ph.D.; the other "doses" can be yogurt, if you prefer.
Stay Young Dip
Talk about a good defense - guacamole, the MVP of Super Bowl parties, also helps reduce signs of skin aging. More points: salsa delivers wrinkle-reducing antioxidants. To assemble: put guacamole in a bowl and top with tomato-based salsa. serving size: 1 Tbsp. guacamole, with 1 tsp. salsa, spread on 5 Food Should Taste Good Multigrain chips (110 calories).
Related: 6 More Superfood To Help You Stay Young
A Side of Beauty
Give your salad a seasonal upgrade with a wrinkle-reducing combo of mango, avocado (its fat keeps skin supple), and lime. To make:
1. Place two Boston lettuce leaves on each of four plates.
2. Thinly slice one mango, one avocado, eight radishes, and ½ seedless cucumber. Divide among plates. Top each with a few mint or cilantro leaves.
3. Cut one lime in quarters; serve each salad with a squeeze of lime.
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