by Kelley Herring
If you regularly enjoy eating winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and other beta-carotene rich foods, you may be doing yourself a favor in the beauty department, according to new research.
A study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine found that beta-carotene suppressed the enzymes (called matrix metalloprotease enzymes MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-10) responsible for degrading the skin’s “scaffolding”. And it’s this degradation that is responsible for causing the appearance of skin aging.
In light of the recent evidence on beta-carotene supplementation increasing the risk of certain types of cancer (especially in smokers), make sure to get this wrinkle-reducer in whole foods. The best sources include sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squash as well as dark leaf greens like collards and kale. And because beta-carotene is lipid-soluble, eating it with a bit of healthy fat (3-5 grams) will boost its absorption.