When it comes to looking younger, many people focus on expensive creams, cosmetic procedures, and the latest skincare trends. But according to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn, the real secret to youthful skin starts long before you apply your serum or book a treatment appointment.
Speaking on the Well with Arielle Lorre podcast, Dr. Youn explained that diet is the foundation of healthy aging. While treatments like facelifts and injectables can enhance your appearance, they can’t compensate for years of poor nutrition.
“The way I describe it, it’s like you’re building a house,” Youn said. “A facelift is like the spire on the top of your house. What really makes up the foundation of the house is what you eat.”
According to the doctor, an effective anti-aging diet focuses on supporting collagen production, reducing inflammation, fighting free-radical damage, and encouraging the body’s natural cellular renewal process.
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Prioritize Protein To Support Collagen
One of the biggest changes Dr. Youn recommends is increasing protein intake, especially as you age. Collagen—the protein responsible for keeping skin firm, plump, and resilient—naturally declines over time.
Dr. Youn notes that adults lose about 1% of their skin's collagen thickness every year, while women can experience even greater losses after menopause. Because collagen is made from protein, consuming adequate amounts throughout the day can help provide the building blocks your body needs to maintain healthy skin.
"I do encourage people to increase their protein intake, especially as they get older because you want to help support that healthy collagen," he explained. Protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, poultry, Greek yogurt, legumes, and lean meats can all contribute to healthier skin from within.
Cut Back On Sugar
If there's one ingredient Dr. Youn believes ages skin faster than almost anything else, it's sugar. According to the surgeon, excess sugar contributes to chronic inflammation and damages collagen through a process called glycation.
This occurs when sugar molecules attach to collagen fibers, making them stiff, weak, and less able to keep skin smooth and firm.
"The main culprit of inflammation I would look at in general is sugar," Youn said. Reducing sugary beverages, desserts, candy, and highly processed snacks may not only benefit overall health but could also help preserve a more youthful complexion.
Fill Your Plate With Colorful Produce
Another major contributor to skin aging is oxidative stress caused by free radicals. To combat this, Dr. Youn recommends eating plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. These foods help neutralize free radicals before they can damage cells and accelerate visible aging. His advice?
Focus on "the rainbow" of produce. Brightly colored berries, leafy greens, bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and other fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that support healthier-looking skin while helping protect against environmental stressors.
At the same time, he suggests limiting ultra-processed foods, which tend to be loaded with ingredients that promote inflammation and oxidative damage.
Consider Intermittent Fasting
Beyond what you eat, Dr. Youn believes when you eat can also play a role in healthy aging. He points to a process called autophagy, the body's natural cellular "cleanup" system.
During periods without food, the body can begin recycling damaged cellular components, helping cells function more efficiently. Rather than recommending extreme fasting protocols, Dr. Youn favors a more realistic approach. In his anti-aging program, he suggests fasting for approximately 16 hours twice per week by stopping food intake around 8 p.m. and waiting until noon the following day to eat again.
"You don't have to do it all the time," he said. "Just two days a week." He also emphasizes that nutrition should remain balanced and individualized, especially for those who need adequate protein intake to support muscle mass and skin health.
Focus On Whole Foods
Ultimately, Dr. Youn's anti-aging philosophy centers on eating real, minimally processed foods. He believes many people don't realize how much better they can feel—and look—simply by reducing processed foods and emphasizing nutrient-dense ingredients.
In his experience, participants who followed a cleaner eating plan combined with a simple skincare routine often noticed visible improvements within just a few weeks.
"They don't know what they're missing out on," he said of those following the standard Western diet filled with processed foods.
Bottom Line
According to Dr. Anthony Youn, youthful skin starts in the kitchen. His anti-aging diet focuses on eating more protein to support collagen, cutting back on sugar to reduce inflammation, loading up on antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, and incorporating occasional fasting to encourage cellular renewal. While no diet can stop the aging process entirely, these habits may help support healthier, firmer, and more radiant skin from the inside out.
