This popular snack has been linked to less wrinkles and better overall skin health. And you likely have it in your pantry.
Wrinkles are inevitable. While there are ways of slowing them down and caring for them, they are a natural progression of growing older, with the dermis beginning to thin as we age up. Spending long percentages of time out in the sun or engaging in behaviors like smoking, speeds up this process. But certain behaviors, like moisturizing your skin and even eating certain foods, can slow down and prevent wrinkles.
New research suggests eating almonds on a daily basis may help reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging in post menopausal women. According to Eating Well‘s assistant nutrition editor, Dr. Jessica Ball, the vitamin E in almonds is one of the reasons why they’re effective against symptoms of aging.
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“Vitamin E is a vitamin but it’s also an antioxidant,” she said. “This means it can help protect cells, including skin cells, from free radical damage. This not only improves the skin’s appearance as we age by reducing wrinkles and evening out pigmentation, but also it helps reduce the damage that can lead to skin cancer.”
The study, published in the journal Nutrients, was conducted by researchers from the University of California, who looked into the effects of consuming almonds and their effect on wrinkles, skin pigmentation, sebum production and skin hydration on women with Fitzpatrick skin type I and II. (This skin classification simply describes people’s complexion and their reaction to sunlight. For example, type I refers to people with pale white skin, blue/green eyes and blond/red hair.)
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled study that lasted 24 weeks, splitting participants into two groups. Women had a granola bar or a portion of almonds for snacks that amounted to 20% of their daily caloric intake. These results were then compared and analyzed for the study. Participants who snacked on almonds saw a reduction in their wrinkle severity by 16%. Unevenness in skin tone was also decreased by 20%.
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While these results suggest that almonds do something for rejuvenating the skin, there are some caveats. The study was conducted on a small sample of women, who were all fair-skinned and burned easily.
With such little data, it’s difficult to know just what it is about almonds that might improve skin health. Still, there are worse things you can do than stock up on almonds. Aside from being delicious, the nut has plenty of vitamin E, which promotes eye and heart health, and much more.
