Often stored in the back of our cupboards, this food found in supermarkets is a powerful anti-aging agent.
To fight against wrinkles, we spontaneously think of retinol treatments, marine collagen, berries rich in antioxidants or even green juices. We explore superfoods from far away, we invest in expensive supplements, but we often forget an everyday product, discreet, almost banal. A food that is nevertheless inexpensive, easy to find all year round, simple to consume and which never really appeals to the beauty imagination, even though it ticks almost all the boxes of anti-aging nutrition.
Because skin aging does not only occur on the surface of the skin. It is closely linked to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and the quality of the lipids and proteins we consume. Several studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids participate in the protection of collagen and the suppleness of the skin, as highlighted in the study Cosmetic and Therapeutic Applications of Fish Oil’s Fatty Acids on the Skin, published in Marine Drugs in 2018. Selenium, for its part, is recognized for its antioxidant role and its involvement in cellular defense mechanisms, while vitamin D is involved in skin regeneration. And this often underestimated food, which naturally concentrates all these elements, is none other than… the sardine.
A small fatty fish par excellence, the sardine is one of the best natural sources of omega-3 EPA and DHA, known to reduce inflammation responsible for accelerated aging of the skin. It also provides proteins of high biological value, essential for cell renewal, as well as selenium, zinc and B vitamins. Another significant advantage: located low in the food chain, it contains very few heavy metals compared to many other fish. You can easily find them for around 2 euros per box in supermarkets.
To take full advantage of its benefits, it is better to eat the sardine whole, with its bones, rich in calcium and vitamin D. Canned, we prefer those with olive oil or natural, and we avoid versions that are too salty. In terms of cooking, it slips easily into a salad with lemon and fresh herbs, can be enjoyed on wholemeal bread with a drizzle of olive oil, or simply toasted in the oven for a few minutes.
At a time when anti-aging is becoming more holistic, the sardine reminds us of an essential thing: sometimes, the best beauty allies are neither rare nor expensive, but already there, in our closets.
