Does Gen Z's Preferred Plant-Based Diet Make You Look Older? We Asked 3 Doctors To Weigh In

As more Gen Zers turn toward a plant-based diet for ethical and environmental reasons, we're wondering just how this will impact their skin's aging. While most think that going vegan equals healthy hair and glowing skin, there is also another side to the plant-based diet. After all, a lack of crucial nutrients, which many believe are difficult to get from eating only plant-based foods, surely has a bad effect on our skin and its aging process, right?

For answers, we turned to three experts: Dr. Jason Singh, chief medical officer and physician at One Oak Medicine; Dr. Scott Noorda, functional medicine physician; and Dr. Joel Fuhrman, board-certified family physician, New York Times bestselling author of "Eat for Life," and president of the Nutritional Research Foundation. "As a longevity physician, I spend a lot of time looking at research about what ages us, and the food we eat plays a huge role in that," Dr. Noorda tells us exclusively. "While every person is different and may need personalized nutrition recommendations based on their circumstances, including a variety of colorful plant foods in your diet is key to supporting longevity and maintaining a youthful appearance." But while adding colorful plant foods to any diet is surely beneficial, is taking away animal-based food harmful? "It's not inherently true that a plant-based diet will make one look older, but rather [it is] the quality and balance of the diet that matters most," Dr. Singh shares. Now, let's delve further into what exactly this means.

A correlation between what we eat and our skin is undeniable, but whether a plant-based diet does more good than bad for our skin isn't so black and white. "I think a well-planned plant-based diet can provide a lot of health benefits, including skin health," Dr. Jason Singh tells Glam exclusively.

It's no secret that fruits, veggies, and nuts can enhance our skin. "Vibrant plant foods are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that combat oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and nourish your skin from the inside out," Dr. Scott Noorda explains. "By incorporating a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods, you can help protect your body against the aging process and enhance overall vitality." Dr. Joel Fuhrman adds that apart from our skin, eating plant-based can help our overall well-being. "Overall, a diet richer in colorful plants and lower in animal products has been shown in numerous scientific investigational studies to prevent cancer and prolong lifespan," he says. "There are hundreds of phytonutrients (also called phytochemicals) in natural plant matter that prevent disease and slow aging."

However, Dr. Singh points out that our nutritional needs have to be met in order for our skin to be healthy, and for many people on a plant-based diet — that's easier said than done. "... if not carefully planned, [a plant-based diet] can lead to nutrient deficiencies that might backfire and actually make you look older," Dr. Noorda adds. 

While we've established that adding colorful plants to our diets is great for our overall skin health, what happens to our skin when we remove animal products from our diet? "Animal products are nutrient-dense foods, so if you choose not to include them in your diet, it's important to be very aware and specific about how you are getting enough protein and other nutrients to maintain skin health and overall health," Dr. Scott Noorda shares with Glam exclusively. "Adequate protein is crucial for maintaining muscle mass and skin tone. A lack of diverse protein sources could lead to sagging skin, slower skin turnover (dull skin), a breakdown of the skin barrier that retains moisture, thinning skin, slower healing, and just an overall more aged appearance."

Of course, anyone who is eating a plant-based diet knows that eating enough protein is possible, but education on what is rich in protein is necessary. Some great vegan options for protein sources include legumes, whole grains, and nuts and seeds. Apart from these, plenty of vegetables and fruits are also a great source of protein — it all depends on how big your portions are and what exactly you're eating. But the key point here is that daily protein intake is crucial for skin health, and those who opt to go for a plant-based diet need to keep close track of it. "When evaluating the protein content of vegetables, beans, and nuts/seeds it became clear that these foods were not only protein adequate, but also resulted in much greater exposure to a wide diversity of important, lifespan-enhancing nutrients," Dr. Joel Fuhrman explains. "These three food categories supply not only protein but hundreds of phytochemicals linked to reduction in all-cause mortality."

One of the main reasons why a plant-based diet might negatively impact one's skin is due to the lack of collagen in it. "Collagen is a crucial protein for skin elasticity and requires specific amino acids," Dr. Jason Singh explains exclusively to Glam. "A diet lacking in complete proteins might lead to reduced collagen production, which can impact skin firmness and elasticity — very important not to skimp on this." Dr. Scott Noorda agrees. "[Protein is] crucial for collagen production, and insufficient protein can result in wrinkles and sagging skin," he tells us.

Of course, knowing which plant-based foods can help with collagen production is an easy way to combat a potential deficiency. Dark-green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli, as well as bean sprouts, are great sources of it, so adding them to your meals regularly — regardless of whether you're eating plant-based or not — will help keep your skin plump and healthy.

Collagen deficiency isn't the only problem that a plant-based diet can cause in terms of skin health. A lack of omega-3 fatty acids can also be a reason why the skin of someone who eats only meals sourced from plants looks dull and ages more quickly. "[Omega-3s are] important for skin elasticity," Dr. Scott Noorda shares exclusively with Glam. "Low intake may lead to dry, aged skin."

Of course, there are plant-based ways to get enough omega-3s, but there is some debate on just how well the body absorbs them. "Essential fatty acids like omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA, are great for skin health," Dr. Jason Singh adds. "Although plant sources like flaxseeds and walnuts contain ALA, the conversion to EPA and DHA is low, and if deficient, it can cause dryness of skin, which can potentially accelerate the appearance of skin looking older." However, some research does suggest that omega-3s derived from algae are just as good for the body and skin as those derived from fish oil. Either way, if you are on a plant-based diet, some great sources of omega-3s include chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds — all of which can easily be added to almost any meal. 

Apart from collagen and omega-3s, a plant-based diet can cause other deficiencies, too, if not properly done. Amongst the most crucial for skin health are a lack of zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and iron. "Look for iron-rich plant-based foods and try to consume vitamin D-rich foods alongside to enhance absorption," Dr. Jason Singh explains during our exclusive conversation. "Less iron can cause pale skin, which looks more aged." Dr. Scott Noorda seconds this, adding that zinc and iron "deficiencies may cause brittle nails, hair loss, and dull skin."

Dr. Noorda points out that vitamin B12 is also often decreased in those who eat only plant-based. "[Vitamin B12] deficiency can cause pale skin and dark circles," he says. "I typically recommend B12 supplementation for my patients following strict plant-based diets because it's primarily found in animal products," Dr. Singh reveals, adding that apart from skin concerns, a lack of vitamin B12 can also cause fatigue.

Since a plant-based diet, if not managed properly, can actually cause skin dullness and advanced aging due to a lack of enough nutrients, we asked our experts to share tips on how to prevent these negative side effects. "Include lots of different colors of fruits and vegetables in your diet to maximize your nutrient variety," Dr. Scott Noorda explains, adding that getting good-quality food is of the essence. "Local food that is eaten soon after picking will retain more nutrients than food shipped for days before sitting at a grocery store." Furthermore, he adds that organic produce is the way to go as it "has been shown to have more vitamins and minerals than non-organic." Apart from this, buying organic produce increases your chances of avoiding pesticide residue, which is harmful to your gut. "This is especially important for fruits and vegetables where you eat the skin or that have thin skin," he adds.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman explains that "the sun-induced DNA damage and loss of collagen in the skin with aging is also reduced by certain fats and worsened by others." Fatty plant foods like flax, chia, hemp, and avocado "have been shown to aid skin aging and help prevent skin photodamage from the sun," he exclusively tells us. "This is just the tip of the iceberg supporting the benefits of a nutrient-dense plant-rich diet." Ensuring you are eating a variety of different plant-based foods and keeping an eye on the intake of the previously mentioned particular nutrients will ensure your skin is only benefiting from going meat and dairy-free.

One thing you should keep in mind is that no matter what your diet is like and whether you eat or don't eat animal products, you can still be deficient in a certain nutrient. A deficiency is impacted by a variety of things aside from diet — underlying health issues and age only being some of them. So don't fret — if you need to take a supplement, that is totally fine.

"Consider supplements for B12, vitamin D, and omega-3s, and ensure you're getting enough protein to keep your skin looking youthful," Dr. Scott Noorda tells us exclusively. "It's best to test levels periodically so that you can make sure you're staying within optimal ranges." Dr. Jason Singh agrees, adding that the key to a healthy plant-based diet is "diversity in food choices and, in some cases, supplementation." However, we do recommend talking to a healthcare professional or nutritionist to figure out just which supplements suit your diet and will give you the best benefits.