For many of us, it’s no fun to gaze into the mirror, see those fine lines form, and then grow longer, deeper, and wider over the years. That's why there's a rapidly growing market for anti-wrinkle creams, but just as powerful—or maybe even more so—are the dietary choices you make every single day. In addition to eating lots of vegetables, there are two other foods that reduce wrinkles and smooth skin. Here’s the story…
Key Takeaways
Almonds may help smooth wrinkles: Women consuming almonds daily saw significant reductions in wrinkle severity and width after 16 weeks.
Small amounts of mango delivered big benefits: Half a cup of Ataulfo mango four times weekly reduced deep wrinkles by 23% after just eight weeks.
Moderation matters: Larger portions of mango were associated with increased wrinkles, possibly due to higher sugar intake affecting collagen.
Scientists Found a Surprising Way to Fight Wrinkles—No Cream Required
Lifestyle and environmental factors can lead to premature skin aging, with wrinkles as the most obvious sign. Smoking is one such factor; so is obesity, but the biggest influence is repeated exposure to UV radiation.
Many studies also demonstrate that dietary factors play an important role in benefiting skin health. Examples include vitamin A, vitamin C, carotenoid-rich kale extracts, and a lycopene-rich tomato nutrient complex. But research into the effects of whole foods on skin aging is scarce. Scientists at the University of California, Davis, believed this area needed exploration, so they conducted a first-of-its-kind study on the effects of antioxidant-rich almonds on skin aging.
Almonds: A Smart Choice to Fight Skin Aging
The UC Davis researchers enrolled 28 healthy post-menopausal women who have fair skin that burns easily and is prone to sun damage. Those who consumed 20 percent of their daily energy intake as almonds experienced significantly reduced wrinkle severity and width after 16 weeks compared with a control group eating a calorie-matched snack.
Lead author Raja Sivamani explained how almonds help the skin: "Almonds are a rich source of the antioxidant vitamin E and deliver essential fatty acids and polyphenols.” He added, “They’re a smart choice for overall good nutrition. And, as seen in this study, almonds may hold promise as a food to include as part of a healthy aging diet, especially for post-menopausal women."
The UC Davis team followed up this study with another published in the journal Nutrients in November. This time, they wanted to test the effects on the skin from eating antioxidant-rich mangoes.
Slashes Deep Wrinkles by Almost a Quarter
The type of mango they tested is called Ataulfo, a Mexican variety, also known as honey or Champagne. Ataulfo, like other varieties, is rich in beta-carotene but has higher levels of bioactive compounds - phenolic acids and flavonoids with antioxidant capacity - than other types of mango.
Already, researchers had evidence that mangoes were effective against skin aging from a Korean study published seven years earlier. In that study, hairless mice were treated with UV radiation to induce skin aging and then given a mango extract. Compared to controls, there was a significant reduction in wrinkle length and improvements in markers of skin damage. For their own study, the UC Davis team recruited another group of 28 healthy post-menopausal women with the same skin type as in their previous study.
Half consumed half a cup of mangoes four times a week for 16 weeks while the other half ate three times as much mango for the same period. After using a high-resolution camera system to evaluate facial wrinkles at eight weeks and 16 weeks, the researchers found something surprising: those consuming the smaller quantity of mangoes saw significant improvements in severity, length and width of fine, deep and emerging wrinkles. What’s more, those with deep wrinkles saw the greatest benefit, with a 23 percent decrease after just eight weeks.
Too Much of a Good Thing
However, for those consuming the larger portion of mangoes the news wasn't good and was quite unexpected, explains lead author Vivien Fam.
"Women who ate a cup and a half of mangoes...saw an increase in wrinkles. This shows that while some mango many be good for skin health, too much of it may not be."
The scientists could only speculate as to the reason, suggesting that eating such a large amount provides a boost in sugar intake which may have disrupted collagen, the protein that provides structure to the skin. Their research is just another reason to watch your sugar intake, even when you’re eating fruit. Tropical fruits like mangoes are notoriously high in sugar content—more so than traditional fruit like apples and oranges—so take care when you add them to your meals.
Summary
While anti-aging creams dominate the beauty market, emerging research suggests your diet may play an equally powerful role in maintaining youthful skin. Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that post-menopausal women who consumed almonds daily experienced significant reductions in wrinkle severity and width after 16 weeks. A follow-up study revealed that women who ate modest amounts of antioxidant-rich Ataulfo mangoes saw improvements in fine and deep wrinkles, with deep wrinkles decreasing by 23% after just eight weeks. However, larger servings of mangoes had the opposite effect, highlighting the importance of moderation. These findings suggest that certain whole foods rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and polyphenols may support skin health from the inside out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can certain foods really reduce wrinkles?
Emerging research suggests that antioxidant-rich foods may support skin health and improve the appearance of wrinkles as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
How much almond consumption was used in the study?
Participants consumed almonds equal to approximately 20% of their daily calorie intake for 16 weeks.
What type of mango was studied?
Researchers used Ataulfo mangoes, also called honey or Champagne mangoes, which are particularly rich in beneficial plant compounds.
How much mango produced benefits?
Women who consumed about half a cup of mango four times per week experienced improvements in wrinkle appearance.
Why did larger amounts of mango increase wrinkles?
Researchers speculate that the additional sugar intake from larger portions may negatively affect collagen structure within the skin.
