Not only do skin creams, pills, gummies, and powders tout collagen-boosting abilities—but there are also certain types of food that promote collagen production that practically guarantees firm, youthful skin for women over 40. Collagen also isn’t just for wrinkles anymore. It can also help relieve joint pain, prevent bone loss, boost muscle mass, promote heart health, and so much more!
Collagen is the protein that gives skin its strength and stretch. Although there are many types of collagen, our body mainly contains type 1, 2, and 3. Every year as we get older, we produce less collagen in our skin—that’s why many people experiencing thinning skin and wrinkles with age. To prevent this, many people opt for creams, pills, and food that are rich in collagen or collagen-promoting minerals.
To learn more about the best collagen-rich foods you need to be adding to your meals for firmer, younger-looking skin, we spoke with Dr. Lilliana Ramírez García, M.D., a dermatologist at Nava MD, and Megan Wong, a registered dietitian at AlgaeCal who specializes in eating for chronic disease management and community nutrition. They said bananas, sardines, and chickpeas can help boost collagen production in the skin for women over 40. This is because they contain essential vitamins like vitamins A and C to help with younger-looking skin. Read on to learn more about these delicious foods!
1. Bananas
Although there's no denying how tasty and versatile bananas are, you may not be aware of this fruit's numerous digestive, weight loss, and beauty benefits. García calls bananas a "complexion-enhancing" fruit because it's known to help improve your skin's elasticity and promote a youthful glow. "For starters, bananas have potassium," she explains. García points out that potassium encourages "healthy blood flow in your skin," giving it a more radiant quality.
Bananas, she adds, are also rich in antioxidants, which "help your body stabilize free radicals, unbalanced molecules that can accelerate the signs of aging." García says, "Bananas are also rich in manganese. Manganese helps boost the production of collagen, the structural protein that can help prevent and diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging."
If you're one of those people that can't eat a banana on its own (we don't blame you!), García recommends making a banana smoothie. "Starting your day off [with a] healthy smoothie can have a noticeable impact on the look and feel of your skin," she says. García also notes that you should also include leafy greens, like spinach, and other ingredients that are "high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants," to your banana smoothie for added health benefits.
2. Sardines
Another food that's a great source of collagen-boosting properties are sardines. Lots of meat contain collagen but fish collagen is really only found in the bones, skins, and scales of the animal. Unfortunately, it's not very common to eat the skin and bones of other collagen-rich fish like salmon, tuna, cod, and tilapia. That's why Wong says if you're looking for the most collagen, it's best to choose a fish where you'll actually eat most or all of the fish, like sardines. This is because you typically eat sardines whole.
Wong explains that sardines are an excellent choice for boosting your collagen intake. "Sardines are a great source of calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which support healthier bones," she notes. "With menopause causing rapid bone loss, 'as much as 10-20% in those 5-6 years around menopause' (study reference), it's crucial that women over 50 not only focus on healthy skin, but healthy bones as well."
The best part? This tiny canned fish is so versatile and surprisingly tasty if you cook it the right way. You can grill sardines with olive oil and eat them as they are. Or, you could add them to your salads and pasta dishes for some added flavor.
3. Chickpeas
Lastly, experts agree that chickpeas are another food you can add to your meals to help promote collagen-production for stronger, youthful skin. Chickpeas are a legume that is rich in many of the components that support collagen production—this includes protein, vitamins C and A, zinc, and more.
"While vegetarian collagen doesn't exist (collagen is only found in animal sources), your body makes its own supply and will boost collagen production when given the right nutrients," Wong says.
"Chickpeas are a great source of two collagen-boosting nutrients: proline and zinc. Proline supports the stability of collagen while zinc slows down collagen breakdown," she continues. "Chickpeas also protect against the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis (both of which increase after the age of 50) by packing a whole lot of potassium, fiber, magnesium, and calcium."
Plus, chickpeas are very easy to include in your diet. You can eat them as a salty, crunchy snack with roasted chickpeas or you can whip them into a hummus as a savory dip for vegetables like carrots or cucumbers. Yum!
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, you don’t need to just use skin creams, powders, and more to promote collagen production, there are also foods you can add to your meals for younger-looking, firmer skin. Even though collagen may not be a foolproof way to prevent aging (there's really nothing out there that can stop the passage of time), but this protein can certainly help. Eating a diet packed with collagen-rich foods like bananas, sardines, and chickpeas is one of the best ways to boost your skin elasticity and improve your overall health!
