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The Best Anti-Ageing Anti-Oxidants For Your Skin

An Anti-Oxidants Cheatsheet

Are anti-oxidants good for skin?

No matter what time of year it is, many of us are always keen to find natural and healthy ways to brighten our skin, reduce the signs of ageing and ‘glow up’. We talk about this a lot at Equi London. but today we wanted to hone in on an area that is often referred to, but rarely in much detail - anti-oxidants. Don't worry, we aren't going to bog you down in science, but we did want to give you a simple cheat sheet that covers what different antioxidants do, and what foods to find them in.

What are anti-oxidants?

Anti-oxidants are found in the pigments that give fruit, veggies, seeds and some other foods like seafood their colour. These pigments, sometimes known as phyto-chemicals or phyto-nutrients are amazing natural compounds that can have a huge array of benefits to the body, be that for your energy, immunity, digestion, joints, brain health, cardiovascular system, cholesterol and so on. 

Eating them helps to keep the right balance between oxidants (AKA free radicals) and anti-oxidants in the body.

What does this actually mean?

Put simply - the free radicals are compounds that we can either produce naturally, or that we take in from our environment (pollution, alcohol, smoking, toxic chemicals). Having some of the free radicals we produce ourselves in the body isn't harmful to us (actually we can't survive without them) but in high levels they can cause damage to our cell structures and DNA and create inflammation. Anti-oxidants neutralise these and help to ensure we have a healthy balance. In so doing they prevent excessive ‘oxidative damage’ to our cells, mediate inflammatory processes, whilst also feeding our all-important gut microbiome.

Anti-oxidants are also especially nourishing to our skin, helping to enhance brightness, glow, reduce inflammation whilst also helping the body to combat some skin conditions. Hence why we call them anti-ageing anti-oxidants.

Where to find anti-oxidants

There are thousands of phyto-chemicals that exist in nature (you may have heard of carotenoids, flavonoids, catechins, glucasinolates and phenolic acids - we break this down in a user friendly way in the table below).

For the best results we want to get as much diversity as possible because they all have different benefits on the body and many of them work together in synergy to enhance each other’s activity.

Below we have highlighted some of the best anti-oxidants for skin and where to find them. You can stick this on the fridge or inside a cupboard door to remind you what foods to look out for. 

Aim to get three or more sources per day to boost your complexion, fight skin conditions, slow the signs of ageing, whilst also nourishing your whole body.

What anti-oxidants should I eat?

ANTIOXIDANT  BEAUTY BENEFITS  FOOD SOURCES 
Anthocyanin Boost skin elasticity  Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, 

Protect DNA 

Brain health 

Raw cacao, cranberries, plums 
Astaxanthin  Reduces DNA damage Wild salmon 
 Protects against sunburn   Beauty Oil Edition 
Beta-carotene  Converts to active vitamin A  Apricots, beets, bell peppers, carrots, cherries, kale,
Protects against UV damage  papaya, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, butternut squash, all Equi Formulas
Lutein 

Protects eye health 

Chard, kale, pastured eggs, pumpkin, spinach, Glow Edition
Lycopene  

Protects against sun damage

Heart health

Beets, grapefruit, papaya, tomatoes (skins), watermelon , Glow Edition
Zeaxanthin

Protects eye health 

Apricots, kale, eggs, pumpkin, Glow Edition 
EGCG 

Fights free radicals 

Brain health

Green tea 
Epicatechin 

Blocks wrinkle formation 

Cacao 
Gingerol

Reduces inflammation 

Ginger Cacao 
Kaempferol  

Defends against aging 

Endive, fennel, leeks 
Protects DNA   
Defends against aging  
Fights wrinkles   
Quercetin

Blocks UVB damage 

Apples, cherries, cranberries, fennel, green beans, 
   Reduces allergies onions, rhubarb 
  Helps with rashes and redness  
Rutin 

Decreases AGE formation

Great for capillary health

Buckwheat, Beauty Formula
Silymarin

Supports liver and gallbladder health 

Artichokes, milk thistle 
Allicin  Blocks wrinkle formation 

Garlic, leeks, onions 

Supports immunity   
  Reduces inflammation  
Indole 3-Carbinol 

Helps balance hormones 

Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, leeks (best lightly cooked)

Aids oestrogen metabolism  
Sulforaphane

Reduces inflammation

Broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi

Reduces redness from UV exposure  turnips, watercress
Boosts glutathione   
Capsaicin  Blocks wrinkles 

Cayenne, chilli peppers, 

Reduces inflammation   
Curcumin 

Reduces inflammation in the gut & Brain

Turmeric

Beauty Formula, Glow Edition, Original Formula, Menopause Formula

Hormones benefits 
Supports joints 
Aids Immunity 
Pain management

Supports detoxification

Ellagic Acid 

Blocks wrinkles

Pecans, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries 

Cardiovascular health  
Aids in blood sugar balance   
Betaine

Boosts glutathione production 

Beetroot

Aids detoxification (and methylation)  
Chlorophyll 

Oxygenates blood

Cucumber, leafy greens, parsley, wheatgrass, barley grass

Detoxifies metals  
Feeds good bacteria in the gut   
Couramin 

Lowers blood pressure 

Celery

Supports healthy digestion 

 
Lignan Protects DNA 

Ground flaxseed 

Suports hormone balance   Menopause Formula
Resveratrol 

Activates sirtuin genes  

Raspberries, red grapes with seeds, red wine

Switches on reparative enzymes  Cacao, blueberries, Beauty Formula
Glow Edition

 

Disclaimer: Certain supplements are used for different reasons and a one-size-fits-all approach shouldn’t be adopted. In addition, pregnant women and anyone on medication should always consult a doctor before embarking on a supplements programme. As with all articles on www.equilondon.com, this is no substitution for individual medical or nutritional advice.