Plant Compounds In Avocados Keep Skin Healthy
Your skin is your protective barrier, but it’s also easy to damage. And the foods we eat can either age us or reduce damage and maximize our skin’s elasticity. According to newer beauty research, women want natural, gentle skincare products – and what could be more natural and safer than food- and specifically, avocados—they are effective when it comes to changing how our skin feels and looks.
There are really 3 main ingredients found in avocados that help them work their magic on the skin. Avocados are a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds—the last two are plant chemicals that help protect against premature aging and skin cell damage. You can find monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and nut butter too by the way but wait until you hear about the latest pilot study.
39 women who ate one avocado a day had more elasticity and firmness in their facial skin. The fats in avocados are most likely the reason why skin health improved. In another study, men and women with higher monounsaturated fatty acids in their diet had less severe facial skin photoaging.
J Cosmet Dermatol, Jan 2022 / PLoS One, Sep 2012
Now, that’s impressive—especially if you are worried about skin cancer, and while you might want to run right out and load up on avocados, keep in mind that eating one avocado a day adds over 300 calories – and over time, you could gain weight if you don’t make adjustments in your diet somewhere else.
Newer research that looked at the effect of consuming and applying topical plant oils rich in MUFA – and applying the oil directly to the skin had an anti-aging effect by improving skin elasticity. Older animal studies found the topical application of avocado oil even increased collagen synthesis.
Clin Interv Aging, 2015
Speaking of collagen, one of the best ways to boost collagen naturally and improve the integrity of your skin is to eat the recommended 9-11 servings of produce per day. That’s tough for almost everyone to do, so consider adding whole food, plant-based plant powders to your diet. We recommend the #1 plant powder on the market that is scientifically proven to improve skin health in just 8-12 weeks.