I chose aging as today’s Foods That Fight Series topic. This is one that we are all facing but we hope we can face gracefully. If you are like me, you want to be that person that people card when you ask for a senior citizens discount because you look at least 10 years younger than you actually are. What’s even better is if you feel as old as you look…(don’t forget the goal is to look at least 10 years younger)!
What you are going to find in this blog are the foods that study’s show actively fight aging. In true Foods That Fight Series fashion at this point I usually define the issue but I think we all know what aging means, right? So forgive me for not giving you the definition to our problem here but I will give you some research based information about natural foods that may combat this issue, and tell you how I eat these foods. Lets get to it!
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish include tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Studies show that tuna may delay skin and body aging because it has high concentrations of selenium and antioxidants. Omega-3 containing fatty fish are also shown, according to research, to help maintain a more natural glossy look to skin, increased elasticity of the skin, and moister for dry skin.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseed is rich source of the omega-3 fatty acid, dietary fiber, and alpha linolenic acid (ALA). Research suggests that flax seeds provide a wealth of health benefits through their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Studies show that flaxseed may exert a healthy effect on aging because it has been shown to correct the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory oxylipins. ALA was identified as the main bio actor responsible for these effects on skin and aging.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a tricky one because there is olive oil (OO), Virgin Olive Oil (VOO), and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Then there are different phases of ripening that can affect the amount of olive phenolics. So which one should you choose? Overall, studies show that all olive oils have direct and indirect benefits with regards to the effects on human cells due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties but EVOO is the very best choice due to its reduced refining procedures.
Your Action
What can you do with this great information I just gave you? Well, I’m so glad you asked. Provided you don’t have any allergies or health related issues with the three foods mentioned here and your doctor is okay with you eating these, you mission is to find exciting and healthy ways to eat these foods. Here are some of my favorite ways:
Fatty Fish: I eat tuna and or salmon at least three times a week. It varies from week to week but I usually eat my tuna out of a can or pouch and mixed with some olive oil or olive oil based mayonnaise. I eat my salmon with olive oil and over brown rice but sometimes I smoke it or grill it with a brown sugar glaze. You can also use a honey glaze if you want to avoid brown sugar. I eat smoked salmon with cream cheese and a bagel for breakfast at times also.
Flaxseeds: I really only eat my flaxseeds ground up and blended in a protein smoothie. Flaxseed is also part of a Green Superfood supplement that I drink mixed is a protein smoothie also.
Olive Oil: OO is one of my favorite things to have around! I usually only buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil mostly because it’s a habit at this point but I add this to my tuna, salmon, salads, and sometimes I add a seasoning to it and dip bread in it. I sometimes use it in place of butter for things like grilling and sauteing.
I hope this information has enlightened and helped you. Please “heart” this blog and feel free to comment with other ways you eat the foods listed here and other helpful information.
Brian "B-Rob" Robinson is a Certified Sports Nutrition Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Life Coach, Youtuber, and co-founder of LEANWellonline. His YouTube channel is called thisisb-rob.
Sources:
Kim, Y. M., Jung, H. J., Choi, J. S., & Nam, T. J. (2016). Anti-wrinkle effects of a tuna heart H2O fraction on Hs27 human fibroblasts. International journal of molecular medicine, 37(1), 92–98. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2015.2407
Parikh, M., Maddaford, T. G., Austria, J. A., Aliani, M., Netticadan, T., & Pierce, G. N. (2019). Dietary Flaxseed as a Strategy for Improving Human Health. Nutrients, 11(5), 1171. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11051171
Fernández del Río, L., Gutiérrez-Casado, E., Varela-López, A., & Villalba, J. M. (2016). Olive Oil and the Hallmarks of Aging. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 21(2), 163. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21020163