Hyaluronic acid (HA) may sounds like something you wouldn’t want to put near your body, but the truth is, it’s one of the premier materials in cosmetic dermatology, osteoarthritis treatment, and organic skin care. You could say it’s like the bubble wrap for nearly all the cells in your body, protecting delicate collagen, elastin, and cartilage.

Dermatologists and rheumatologists love hyaluronan injectables for the immediate benefit they provide their clients, but there are ways to get benefit from hyaluronic acid without needles by eating hyaluronic acid foods.

Since hyaluronic acid, or hyaluronan, is a substance that is naturally produced in the body, it can be found naturally in foods as well. It’s not as exotic as it sounds, and there are foods that enhance or boost the production of hyaluronic acid in the body, which are equally important as consuming HA directly.

3 Ways To Boost Hyaluronic Acid Through Diet

Here are the best ways to boost hyaluronic acid in the body naturally through diet:

1. Eat Fruits and Vegetables High In Naringenin

Narin-what? Naringenin, it’s a flavonoid. And maybe you don’t even know what a flavonoid is, but the important thing to know is that it’s something found richly in grapefruits, oranges, bananas, and tomatoes. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that inhibit the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the body (and helps protect collagen as well—bonus).

2. Eat Your Trees and Sprouts

Cabbage, broccoli, and brussel sprouts are rich in hyaluronic acid. As a perk, cabbage is also high in vitamin C which works to protect and enhance the natural production of HA and collagen, good news for your skin. For best results, eat the purple variety of cabbage which is higher in natural vitamins, phytonutrients and organosulfides.

And, if you don’t mind the carbohydrates, sweet potatoes and other starchy root vegetables are an excellent source of hyaluronic acid as well.

3. Hyaluronic Acid Supplements

Of course, you want to eat healthy organic diet with as much natural nutrients from your food as possible, but let’s be real… You would probably have to eat more cabbage, bananas, and brussel sprouts than you’re willing to eat in order to get enough HA in your body on a regular basis.

This is why we recommend combatting HA loss with a pure hyaluronic acid supplement, like Elavonne’s Amino Collagen C with Hyaluronic Acid. This not only replaces HA in the body, but provides a highly bioavailable source of collagen to boot.

If you feel you need even more HA in your diet than this supplement provides, consult with your doctor about what the right amount is for you.

Benefits of the Hyaluronic Acid Diet

A diet with healthy amounts of HA has been attributed to longer life span and even the potential reversal of bad health decisions, such as, sun overexposure or cigarette smoking. This idea of hyaluronic acid being linked to healthy aging was explored almost 20 years ago in a report concerning a Japanese village where its residents lived active and healthy lives well into their 90s, with excellent skin appearance, despite having frequent other bad health habits. The doctors linked a diet high in hyaluronic acid foods to their longevity and excellent skin quality.

Other than the hopes of a longer life, the immediate outward benefits are known to be increased eye hydration, followed by improved skin hydration. If you receive cosmetic, dermal fillers, you can expect those to last longer as well.

When hyaluronic acid is continuously plentiful in the body, there are a number of benefits.

Related: Benefits of Hyaluronic Acid

Top Hyaluronic Acid Diet Benefits:

  1. Reduced wrinkle formation
  2. Improved flexibility and joint movement
  3. Protection of cartilage
  4. Increased eye hydration
  5. Improved gut health
  6. Reduced collagen loss

Read: I Drank Hyaluronic Acid with Collagen for 1 Month and I Started to Look Younger

When To Expect Results

Like any diet change, it takes time to see results. Depending on the amount of HA you’re replacing on a daily basis, you can expect to see increased hydration to the eyes and skin in a matter of a few weeks. In a recent (2017) 12-week study of oral hyaluronan(2), “significant” improvements to wrinkles and skin suppleness were shown after just 8 weeks.

To further accelerate the improvement to the skin, use a topical hyaluronic acid moisturizer or serum in addition to your hyaluronic acid diet. When choosing an HA serum or moisturizer, organic and natural products that do not use harmful ingredients or alcohols are recommended.

Read: How to Find An Organic Moisturizer That Really Works

For joint pain sufferers, expect results to take a little longer. Every person and situation is different, but you will get improvement. For best results, combine your HA supplement and diet with a pure omega-3 fish oil, like Norway Pure, which ramps up joint health to maximum levels.

Final Thoughts on Hyaluronic Acid Diets

A good amount of hyaluronic acid as an addition to a balanced diet can bring healthy hydration and its benefits to the whole body. This is why we put hyaluronic acid as the companion ingredient in our collagen peptide formula, Amino Collagen C.