Anti-aging foods can have a significant impact on how quickly and how well you age. The trick to preventing age-related diseases is to tweak your diet so that it includes more anti-aging foods—in this case, you’re looking for foods that contain polyphenols.
Polyphenols in anti-aging foods help you in two different ways. First, they guard your body’s cells and chemicals from damage caused by free radicals, which can lead to tissue damage. For instance, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL)—or the “bad” cholesterol—contains free radicals, and when it attaches to your arteries, it can lead to heart disease.
Anti-aging foods containing polyphenols can also protect your body by blocking the enzymes that certain cancers need to grow, while also deactivating substances that support the progression of various types of cancer.
Clearly, there’s no doubt that polyphenols are an essential component of anti-aging foods. Fortunately, a group of researchers from Germany have analyzed the effects of five different polyphenols on a process called autophagy, which essentially involves the life cycle of your body’s cells: the creation of new ones, the degradation of older ones, and the recycling of cellular material. This process takes a hit with age, and when it doesn’t work as well as it should, it opens the doors to several age-related diseases. Polyphenols found in anti-aging foods can steer you toward better health as you get older.
The researchers developed a list of the five best polyphenols: resveratrol, catechins, quercetin, silibinin, and curcumin.
Resveratrol has been shown to act the same way anti-aging foods do when they’re part of a low-calorie diet. Their greatest strength is their ability to bring down cholesterol levels by helping to remove fatty plaques from arteries. Research has shown that it can extend the lifespan of rats by up to 50%, which means it could potentially have the same effect on humans as well. The best anti-aging foods containing resveratrol are grapes, specifically the leaves and skin.
Anti-aging foods that contain catechins include oolong or green tea, raw apples and apricots, barley, some berries, and dark chocolate. Catechins are important because they’re known to regulate weight and waistlines. Several studies have proven that consuming green tea antioxidants, one of the best anti-aging foods for catechins, on a daily basis can reduce body fat and sustain mental agility in aging adults. Catechins also play a role in the prevention of heart disease and cancers.
Quercetin can be found in anti-aging foods like citrus fruits, onions, and parsley. This antioxidant has a hand in keeping allergies at bay, as well as protecting against asthma, prostate inflammation, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cataracts, to name just a few of the anti-aging benefits.
Silibinin, extracted from milk thistle, is another antioxidant that works against several different types of cancers. It has also been used to treat liver disease, and is most often consumed as a supplement with other anti-aging foods.
The fifth polyphenol, curcumin, is extracted from the herb turmeric, and has been proven to be effective in treating digestive disorders and high lipid (or fat) levels in the blood, a condition known as hyperlipidemia. Using turmeric in anti-aging foods and recipes can help you get the most out of this nutrient.
As we age, we become more susceptible to diseases—but you can avoid some of life’s most chronic illnesses by taking some preventative measures—including adding these five polyphenols to your diet.
Markels, A., “A toast to lower cholesterol,” U.S. News web site; https://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/030929/29wine.div.htm, last accessed May 21, 2013.“