Leafy greens Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and other salad greens get their color from chlorophyll, known for its antioxidant properties. “Some studies have shown that consuming chlorophyll increases the precursor to collagen in the skin,” Gabriel says.
Eating foods rich in vitamin C and amino acids can increase the levels of hyaluronic acid and collagen in the body as both are important for skin. Foods such as oranges, red peppers, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and strawberries are all rich in vitamin C.
Studies have also found that the sterolins in avocado oil can significantly increase the amount of collagen in the skin. Collagen breaks down as we age, making avocado oil an excellent skincare addition for people with mature skin.
Avocados are a source of healthy fats and nutrients that help to keep our skin hydrated and nourished. In addition to being a good source of collagen, avocados also contain vitamin C and vitamin E, which are essential for collagen production.
Proponents claim that the silica in bananas can help increase collagen production, the natural proteins that help keep skin hydrated and smooth. Bananas contain nutrients, some of which may help with skin health.
Carrots. Carrots are a rich source of beta carotene and vitamin A which are amazing when it comes to boosting the production of collagen. Carrots are also great for improving skin elasticity and increase blood flow to the skin.
Oatmeal has great health benefits for your body, but it can also be used for the overall health of your skin! It moisturizes, protects, exfoliates, and cleanses your skin. Oatmeal also helps boost collagen production, improves your skin complexion, and reduces skin inflammation.
Almonds. packed with protein that supports collagen production, and full of healthy monounsaturated fats, copper, zinc, vitamin B1, B5, B6, calcium, and vitamin E. They're also a good source of magnesium, which can support your nervous system.
It prevents skin disorders - It is believed that oats are good for the skin as they produce collagen and enhance the complexion of the skin. It prevents skin problems like itching, inflammation, and irritation and makes your skin healthy and glowing.
Studies have even found that Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples are particularly protective for the skin because they contain high levels of both collagen and elastin.
Certain dairy products contain both the amino acids lysine and proline, which both help to form collagen. “Proline, the amino acid, is found in cheese, beef, soy protein, cabbage, yogurt, asparagus, bamboo shoots, seaweed, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, and more,” says Aguirre.
Slather on a vitamin C serum in the morning. The vitamin is an antioxidant that protects the collagen in your skin against UV damage, says Chwalek. More than that, she says, it triggers collagen formation and stabilizes the collagen proteins in skin.
Your body begins to lose collagen when you turn 30. The effects become noticeable after several years. Even though this is a natural process, it's possible to speed it up with UV exposure, pollution, bad habits, and poor diet choices. While it's possible to accelerate collagen loss, it's also possible to slow it down.
Vitamin C (Vit C) benefits to human skin physiology notably by stimulating the biosynthesis of collagen. The main cutaneous collagens are types I and III, which are less synthesized with aging. Vit C is one of the main promotors of collagen formation but it poorly bypasses the epidermis stratum corneum barrier.
Ultraviolet rays, aka sunlight, cause collagen to break down faster. With sun exposure, those UV rays damage the skin by entering the dermis (the second and thickest layer of our skin) which causes collagen to break down faster.
Eggs don't contain fully synthesized collagen; however, egg whites are a rich source of proline, one of the two amino acids needed to synthesize collagen in the human body. They also contain some glycine. Pair eggs with foods high in vitamin C, copper, and zinc.
Foods That Boost Collagen
Foods high in vitamin C (like kale, broccoli, strawberries, spinach, and red peppers) have antioxidant properties that scavenge the free radicals which would normally break down collagen - protecting the collagen you already have while stimulating collagen production itself.
In comparison to other fish skin collagen sources, such as codfish, pangasius and tilapia are the preferred and sustainable choice.