Eat your way to firmer, younger-looking skin with Zespri kiwifruit

Vitamin C
Potassium
Zespri Green kiwifruit
Skin
Folic Acid

As all mature women know, the skin is one of the first outward signs that tell us we’re getting older. This is because as we age, skin gets drier, less elastic, thinner and duller, particularly during the menopause. And while we may be tempted by expensive skin creams championed by the beauty industry for anti-ageing and wrinkle-reducing effects, it turns out that the food we eat has a far greater influence on the health and condition of our skin.

Kiwifruit: giving you beautiful skin from the inside out

When it comes to the skin, eating Zespri kiwifruit helps keep it healthy. This is because it boasts a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients¹ – all of which play a role in keeping our skin healthy, as well as reducing the signs of aging. Here are a few examples of how kiwifruit can benefit your skin:

1. Helps the body produce collagen

Zespri kiwifruit contains large amounts of vitamin C,¹ which helps the body produce collagen, an important protein in the skin that forms the basis for cells, which are the building blocks of the skin.² It gives the skin its fullness, flexibility and elasticity.²Production of collagen decreases as we age, particularly during the menopause, causing skin to loose elasticity. Getting enough vitamin C is therefore very important in combating this, keeping the skin healthy and improving collagen formation. At 85 mg per 100 g, Zespri Green kiwifruit has one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C of all fruit! And Zespri SunGold kiwifruit contains more 161 mg per 100 g! ^1,3

2. Fights against free radical damage

Kiwifruit are a major source of antioxidants that can delay the effects of aging throughout the body. Antioxidants help defend the body’s cells against oxidative damage by substances called free radicals, which damage healthy skin cells and DNA – this can hasten the process of skin aging, including changes in skin thickness, elasticity and firmness.⁴

Zespri kiwifruit are rich in vitamin C² – one of the most potent antioxidants around, which fight against the formation of free radicals, which helps to protect your skin and delay the aging process.

3. Helps repair rough, dry skin

As we age, cells divide more slowly and the inner layer of skin (the dermis) starts to thin as the layer of fat cells underneath begin to shrink.⁴ This makes the dermis more prone to injuries and damage. In addition, the ability of the skin to repair itself decreases with age, so wounds heal more slowly.⁴ The vitamin C found in Zespri kiwifruit can help the skin to repair itself and to prevent rough, dry skin.

A skin-boosting healthy dinner recipe

Kiwifruit may well be a perfectly packaged after-dinner snack, but it works just as well in savoury meals! Why not try our delicious sea bass with broccoli, celery root purée and diced kiwi recipe or a nutrient-dense main meal that will give your skin a vitamin boost.

Sources

Zealand Ministry of Health. New Zealand FOODfiles 2014 Version 01.
Oregon State University. Vitamin C and Skin Health. Available from: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrients-health/skin-health/nutrient-index/vitamin-C (accessed 29 October 2016)
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (2015).
University of Maryland Medical Center. Skin wrinkles and blemishes. Available from: http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/skin-wrinkles-and-blemishes (accessed 29 October 2016)