How Avocados May Support Healthy, Youthful Skin
Aging is natural, but sun exposure, pollution, and poor nutrition can accelerate the appearance of it — especially when it comes to your skin. The good news? Your diet can also positively affect how your skin ages, and the nutrients in avocados may offer some powerful benefits.
Avocados Can Help Support Skin Elasticity
Skin elasticity is what keeps your skin firm, bouncy, and resilient. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, leading to sagging and wrinkles. One way to support elasticity is by ensuring your skin stays hydrated and nourished from within, and that’s where avocados can come in.
Avocados contain 6 g of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) per 50 g serving, which maintain skin elasticity.
In a clinical trial supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center, researchers found that daily intake of one avocado for eight weeks improved firmness and elasticity of forehead skin among 39 healthy, overweight women. Although these findings are limited and more research is needed to confirm the results, the study suggests a potential role for eating avocados in skin health.
In addition, avocados can help maintain a hydrated skin barrier that keeps skin looking youthful but also helps prevent fine lines and dryness. Since avocados consist of 73% water, they can help assist in your hydration levels, keeping your skin supple looking.
A study of 49 women found that increasing daily water intake by about two liters for a month improved both surface and deeper skin hydration, particularly in women who previously drank less than the recommended amount. These improvements were also seen in measures of skin’s biomechanical properties, suggesting that staying hydrated can contribute to healthier, more resilient skin.
To keep the body, including the skin, as healthy as possible, you can eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and less sugar and refined carbohydrates. Avocados contain no sugar or refined carbohydrates and provide unsaturated fats, fiber, and water.
Avocados Play a Role in Skin Cancer Prevention
Skin cancer is a common type of cancer associated with aging. According to the AIM at Melanoma Foundation, nearly half of all melanoma cases occur among people older than 50. Still, it can affect all age groups, and there’s plenty you can do to protect your skin from cancer, including eating foods with MUFAs, like avocados.
A systematic review and meta-analysis on fat and skin cancer found that higher consumption of monounsaturated fats, the “good” fats found in avocados, was associated with a decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma. These findings are limited to existing published research but suggests that incorporating healthy fats like those in avocados may play a role in skin cancer prevention.
Incorporating avocados into your diet can contribute to healthy skin and overall well-being.
Avocados Include Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Chronic inflammation is a hidden driver of skin aging, contributing to wrinkles, dullness, and other age-related concerns. Over time, prolonged inflammation can break down collagen and elastin, the proteins that help your skin maintain its firmness and resilience. Environmental factors like UV exposure, pollution, and diet can all influence inflammation levels. The good news? One single serving of avocado contains 4.53 g of omega-9 fatty acids (oleic acid) and 38 mg of phytosterols, which may support a healthy inflammatory response.
These anti-inflammatory compounds may also benefit heart health and cognitive function, two critical factors in aging well. Monounsaturated fats, like those found in avocados, may help maintain healthy blood flow as part of a well-balanced diet. Additionally, phytosterols — plant compounds naturally present in avocados — have been associated with supporting healthy cholesterol levels, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Avocados and Your Collagen
Avocados provide several key nutrients that support natural collagen production:
Vitamin C, a crucial building block for collagen production. Each 50 g serving of avocado contains 4% DV of vitamin C.
Copper, which plays a role in collagen cross-linking, helping maintain skin structure. A 50 g serving of avocado contains 10% DV of copper.
Amino acids, the raw materials needed for collagen formation.
Avocados may help keep skin looking its best as you age by nourishing your body with these essential nutrients.
