From the day we arrived on the planet, we’ve been trying to stay here as long as possible. Sure, you want to look and feel younger, but the pursuit of the fountain of youth also applies to other areas of your wellbeing; preventing age-related diseases. One way to get your wellness in shape is through your diet, and so many of us turn to well-known anti-ageing foods like blueberries and dark leafy greens. However, there are some less familiar foods that can help you delay the ageing process, so let us clue you in on these secret anti-agers.
Chicory: You may not have heard of chicory, but, trust us on this, it’s an anti-ageing food that you need to know about. You can use the pale yellow leaves in salads, or else mix dried chicory roots in with your herbal coffees. The reason why chicory is so amazing is that it contains more vitamin A and beta carotene than any other salad green, which can help to boost your immune system and protect your eyes against age-related problems. Plus, chicory provides insulin, which may be instrumental in preventing the formation of cancer tumours.
Ostrich Meat: While you may not find this in your local corner shop, it’s worth seeking out ostrich meat the next time you get a craving for a juicy steak. While having all the glorious taste of red meat, ostrich contains all the benefits of white meat – being a great source of iron, zinc and selenium. Plus, it’s lower in saturated fat than chicken.
Tea: Drinking a cup of tea doesn’t only get you going in the morning or provide the perfect break-time beverage; it also slows down the ageing process and makes you feel incredible – as any Brit will attest to. Studies have shown that there is eight to ten times more polyphenols in tea than there are in fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants fight the good fight against the cell-damaging free radicals in your body that promote the ageing process. If that wasn’t enough, tea may help to rev your metabolism, kick your weight loss into gear, slow the growth of tumours, give you glowing and gorgeous skin and protect your mind from Parkinson’s disease. Research has also suggested that tea increases your bone density, which helps guard you against age-related weak and brittle bone disorders like osteoporosis. In addition, it is thought that tea protects you from breast, lung and digestive cancers, and, while all tea comes from the same camellia tea plant, the black variety also contains flavonoids which protect you against heart disease – time to stick the kettle on then!
Eggs: You never know where you stand with eggs. In the past they have been vilified for their high cholesterol content, but now the tides seem to be turning, and ushering in a new era of egg-cellent health benefits (sorry). In order to stay young, your body needs energy and the ability to be active and fit. Luckily, eggs can provide your body with the protein and B vitamins it needs to accomplish this. In terms of other anti-ageing properties, eggs seem to be especially promising in the antioxidants arena, being packed with lutein and zeaxanthin. These are the antioxidants that may delay symptoms of aging like cataracts. Plus, in some eggs you might find added omega-3 fatty acid DHA which improves the functioning of your heart and brain functioning. If you’re still worried about eggs’ dark past, hopefully the JAMA recommendation that healthy adults can safely consume up to seven eggs per week will turn those concerns sunny side up.