People who eat lots of fruit and vegetables are likely to have fewer wrinkles, according to a new study.
People with a normal diet can make their skin look younger by including lots of tomatoes and red paprika in their meals, German magazine The Dermatologist said in its latest issue.
Free radicals - unstable oxygen molecules - are a major factor in premature skin aging and skin cancer. Antioxidants contained in the body stop free-radical damage.
Vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, paprika and kale contain plenty of antioxidants, as does green tea.
A study conducted at the Berlin Charite hospital found that people with a high concentration of antioxidants in the skin look younger because they have fewer wrinkles, The Dermatologist said.
The study showed that vegetarians had more antioxidants in their bodies than non-vegetarians.
However, the magazine warned that an "overdose" of antioxidants through a large intake of food supplements could accelerate free radical damage. The good news is that this is unlikely if supplements are omitted and fruit and vegetables were eaten instead.
