{"id":691152,"date":"2025-11-14T02:54:33","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T23:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=691152"},"modified":"2025-11-14T02:54:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T23:54:33","slug":"what-to-eat-for-younger-looking-skin-backed-by-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=691152","title":{"rendered":"What to Eat for Younger-Looking Skin, Backed by Science"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Skin<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What to Eat for Younger-Looking Skin, Backed by Science<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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By <\/span>Laura Solla<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

November 13, 2025<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Photo: Irina Shestakova \/ Gallery Stock<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n
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We all know that sleep, stress, exercise, and social connection are essential pillars of health. But according to science, one factor in particular acts as the foundation for all the others: \u201cNutrition is the number one factor, the starting point that underpins the rest,\u201d explains Stanford University epigenetics expert Lucia Aronica, whose research focuses on nutriepigenetics, or the way \u201cfood can influence gene expression and how it can turn on or silence certain genes related to aging.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is epigenetics?<\/h2>\n

To understand how our habits influence our genes<\/em>\u2014and more specifically, how what we eat activates genes that promote cell repair or, on the contrary, accelerate their deterioration\u2014Aronica shares this metaphor: \u201cThink of your genes as the hardware of a computer and epigenetics as the software. You can\u2019t change the hardware, but you can reprogram the software with your daily decisions: what you eat, how you move, how you handle stress. For example, sleeping activates the parasympathetic system and allows cellular repair. Without rest, the skin simply cannot recover. Those kinds of daily decisions, like prioritizing rest or taking care of your diet, make all the difference; that\u2019s why two twins can have completely different skin.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best foods to eat for healthy skin<\/h2>\n

It makes sense that our diets would play a major part in the way our skin ages. For example, we know that the nutrients in food support functions that contribute to healthy, glowing skin: the vitamin A in carrots, the vitamin C in oranges, the omega 3 fatty acids in sardines. But do those foods also help turn on the genes that promote cellular repair as opposed to diminishing it? Aronica outlines a few categories of foods to rely on in order to keep skin looking youthful:<\/p>\n

Protein<\/div>\n

Proteins are essential for the synthesis of collagen, keratin, and elastin. \u201cWithout enough quality protein, the skin cannot repair and regenerate itself,\u201d Aronica notes. In addition, certain proteins, like eggs, fish, legumes, and poultry, contain nutrients called methyl donors\u2014such as methionine, folate or betaine\u2014also function as small epigenetic switches. \u201cThey act by turning on or off genes involved in the regeneration and aging processes. That\u2019s why both the quantity and quality of the protein matter,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Colorful vegetables<\/div>\n

Aronica is a big proponent of what she calls eating the rainbow. \u201cWe\u2019ve probably all heard about the importance of eating vegetables of all colors, but what many people don\u2019t know is that those plant pigments\u2014also known as phytonutrients\u2014also influence gene expression. Each color acts on different genes: Red foods, such as tomatoes and peppers, contain lycopene, an antioxidant that acts as an internal sunscreen. Orange foods, like carrots and pumpkin, are rich in carotenoids that provide luminosity and elasticity. Green vegetables, such as broccoli, arugula, or spinach help detox; and blue or purple ones, such as blueberries, are anti-inflammatory,\u201d says Aronica. \u201cCruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, or arugula, are some of my favorite foods for the skin: They help activate antioxidant and detoxification genes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Foods that age the skin<\/h2>\n

On the other side of the spectrum are foods that accelerate aging. The biggest culprit? Sugar. Aronica says there are three main reasons why the sweet stuff is no good: \u201cFirst, because it binds to proteins, including collagen, and \u2018caramelizes\u2019 them, forming compounds called Advanced Glycation End Products, or AGEs, that age the skin from the inside. Second, because it promotes chronic inflammation, which accelerates cell damage. And third, because it alters the gut microbiome, affecting the balance of bacteria that also influence the skin. That\u2019s why too much sugar, especially in the form of refined or white sugar, is so harmful.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what about the sugar in fruit? \u201cIf it comes from the whole fruit, there\u2019s no problem,\u201d Aronica clarifies. \u201cFiber modulates its absorption and provides protective phytonutrients. The problem arises with fruit juices or excessive consumption, because the sugar is absorbed too quickly and the beneficial effect of the fiber is lost. Drinking orange juice is not the same as eating an orange.\u201d<\/p>\n

Applying epigenetics to beauty<\/h2>\n

The science of epigenetics also carries over into the world of cosmetics. \u201cToday there are ingredients that act as topical nutrients,\u201d Aronica explains. \u201cAfter years of research, compounds have been identified that are capable of reactivating genes that tend to shut down with age. The future lies in combining internal nutrition with good habits and external care, and thus influencing the skin from the inside and from the outside.\u201d<\/p>\n

In terms of what that means in practical terms, Aronica sees us moving towards a more personalized wellness model, where each person will be able to \u201creprogram\u201d his or her own genetic software through their habits. \u201cMore and more people will understand that food is not only energy, but a tool to modulate gene expression and slow down aging,\u201d she says, adding that she foresees genetic testing making it more possible for people to fine-tune their diets and lifestyles to meet their unique needs. \u201cThere are people who need more choline or more methyl donors, and if they don\u2019t get them, their epigenetic mechanisms don\u2019t work properly,\u201d she says. \u201cThe future of wellness will consist of identifying these differences and adapting the diet in a personalized way. For living longer, yes, but above all, also living better. Because true longevity is not about adding years to life, but life to years with health, energy, and wellness.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Have a beauty or wellness trend you’re curious about? We want to know! Send<\/em> Vogue\u2019s senior beauty & wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

Source URL: http:\/\/vogue.com\/article\/food-for-younger-looking-skin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Skin What to Eat for Younger-Looking Skin, Backed by Science By Laura Solla November 13, 2025 Photo: Irina Shestakova \/ Gallery Stock We all know that sleep, stress, exercise, and social connection are essential pillars of health. But according to science, one factor in particular acts as the foundation for all the others: \u201cNutrition is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":691153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-691152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-vogue-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=691152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691152\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/691153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=691152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=691152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=691152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}