Ageing is an inevitable and an unavoidable aspect of life. Even before you had enough of your youth, life sends you cruel reminders of ageing. And your skin is the first place where signs of ageing start manifesting. Before you know it, you are already worrying about fine lines, bags under the eyes and crow’s feet. But there’s no need to despair; there’s so much you could do to slow it down. If you are not keen on going to the cosmetologist and paying a bomb to have toxins injected into your skin to maintain your youth, here are inexpensive kitchen ingredients that are safe and effective to fight ageing.

Turmeric

Is there anything turmeric can’t accomplish? We think not! Turmeric is a magic ingredient which is an answer to all our modern day ailments. The active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin the yellow pigment is a powerful anti-ageing chemical. Turmeric also ranks very high in its list of antioxidants, which makes it one of the best spices to fight ageing. You can reap the benefits of this spice by either using it liberally in your cooking or by applying it topically.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is another antioxidant-rich fruit, which has scores of anti-ageing nutrients like riboflavin, phosphorus, etc. which prompts production of collagen. Its extracts are also commonly used in anti-ageing creams and lotions. A recent study shows that pomegranate contains a molecule that gets transformed by the good bacteria in your stomach. This transformation helps the muscles in your body to protect themselves against the effects of ageing. Get its full benefits by eating the fruit on a daily basis.

Berries

Berries like strawberry, mulberry, blackberry and blueberry are powerhouses of antioxidants. We require a good dose of antioxidants every day to fight damage caused to our cells due to free radicals. That’s where berries step in. They help maintain collagen in the skin, giving you firm, wrinkle-free skin.

Green tea

Did you know green tea can accomplish more than just weight loss? It’s a powerful anti-ageing ingredient that can slow down ageing if taken internally. It contains high levels of the antioxidant oligomeric proanthocyanidins, which fights free-radical damage that harms skin. Applying green tea like a toner on your skin also has scores of benefits.

Although there's no escaping it, ageing can be slowed down if you took good care of your body through a healthy diet, devoid of processed foods, sugar and alcohol. It is also equally important to sleep well, exercise and de stress for a great looking skin. An early start will always help!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 25, 2018 11:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).