13 Superfoods to Keep You Young

Dried licorice root may fight tooth decay, new research has found. But if you're not a fan, these foods can also help keep teeth, gums, and breath healthy, says Mark Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D., of NYU College of Dentistry:

Yogurt. The lactic acid may ward off periodontal disease, but skip the sugary varieties.

Sugar-free gum and hard candies. These promote saliva flow and also help fight cavities. Xylitol-sweetened ones work best.

Raw or firm vegetables. Chewing celery and other crunchy veggies helps "scrub" your teeth. Ones with vitamin C—broccoli; red, green, and yellow peppers—may also protect against gum disease.

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Compounds in green tea may help guard against the sun's damaging rays, while berries provide a hit of wrinkle-reducing nutrients. To make:

1. Place 3 to 4 raspberries or blueberries in each section of an ice cube tray.

2. Fill the tray with iced tea or water and freeze.

3. Once frozen, place your cubes in a tall glass and fill with chilled green tea.

To get more from your workout, hit the dairy case. Drinking milk instead of a sugary drink after strength-training exercises could help tone your body and blast fat, say researchers from McMaster University in Ontario. The sleek connection: Milk has a high proportion of certain amino acids that build muscle (and preserve it when you're dieting). Aim for four daily servings of dairy, drinking at least a cup and a half of milk (nonfat is fine) after a workout, advises lead author Andrea Josse, Ph.D.; the other "doses" can be yogurt, if you prefer.

Talk about a good defense — guacamole, the MVP of Super Bowl parties, also helps reduce signs of skin aging. More points: salsa delivers wrinkle-reducing antioxidants. To assemble: put guacamole in a bowl and top with tomato-based salsa. serving size: 1 Tbsp. guacamole, with 1 tsp. salsa, spread on 5 Food Should Taste Good Multigrain chips (110 calories).

Give your salad a seasonal upgrade with a wrinkle-reducing combo of mango, avocado (its fat keeps skin supple), and lime. To make:

1. Place two Boston lettuce leaves on each of four plates.

2. Thinly slice one mango, one avocado, eight radishes, and ½ seedless cucumber. Divide among plates. Top each with a few mint or cilantro leaves.

3. Cut one lime in quarters; serve each salad with a squeeze of lime.

In one study, people who ate five tablespoons of tomato paste every day enjoyed 33% more sunburn protection than volunteers who didn't eat the paste. Pizza doesn't replace sunscreen, but lycopene-rich foods, like tomatoes, may give you an anti-aging edge.

On a per-serving basis, coffee, which is loaded with antioxidants, outscores these other health and beauty boosters. One recent study found that women who drank two cups of joe a day had a 14% lower risk of stroke than those who skipped the sips.

A staple of Eastern medicine, ginger functions much like drugstore anti-inflammatories ibuprofen and naproxen. Researchers suggest about a teaspoon a day (in ground form).

The years may bring brittle nails, but studies show that a daily 2.5-mg dose of biotin, a B vitamin, may strengthen the nail plate, helping to protect against splitting and breaking.

While all these nutrients are key, experts stress the importance of getting them from food — in which they're often packaged with other anti-agers — not from pills. The exception: vitamin B12. Because up to 30% of adults over 50 have trouble absorbing this memory-preserving nutrient, the IOM recommends taking it as a supplement. Dose: 2.4 mcg a day.