How eating certain foods may get rid of under-eye bags

Boosting your consumption of micronutrients can help reduce dark circles

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While sleepless nights may indicate a thriving social life, the same cannot be said for your overall wellbeing, which will inevitably be compromised if you’re only clocking in five hours of shut-eye a night.

Regardless of how many cool points you win from dazzling colleagues at the pub with witty anecdotes from your childhood, the less time you spend sleeping, the more likely it will show up on your face via dastardly dark circles that even the richest of concealers can’t mask.

So, if getting sufficient sleep just isn’t your gambit, how else can you combat under-eye bags?

According to experts, making slight tweaks to your diet could actually help reduce dark circles, which some people may still experience despite sleeping for eight hours a night.

“Dark circles under the eyes are common and challenging to treat at present. However there is some evidence that antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents may help some patients,” explains Dr Anton Alexandroff, Consultant Dermatologist & British Skin Foundation spokesperson.

While he tells The Independent that diets have not been explicitly evaluated for this skin problem in robust clinical studies, he explains that it is logical to expect that food rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C or vitamin K may help.

Typically, these micronutrients are rich in fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, red peppers and leafy greens.

While some claim that under-eye bags could indicate a lack of iron in the diet, Alexandroff explains that there is no data to prove that bolstering iron levels will help combat dark circles.

However, ensuring you’re getting sufficient iron through foods such as red meat, tofu and lentils could be vital for energy support, particularly for those with anaemia, he adds.

Leading Harley Street nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert adds that while there is no “miracle food” which can guarantee the reduction of dark circles, boosting your overall consumption of micronutrients - such as the aforementioned fruits and vegetables, will help.

“The nutrients may help fight free radicals which have been linked to premature ageing,” she tells The Independent.

“Eating three well balanced meals a day that contain complex carbs, protein, essential fats including oily fish and a variety of fruit and veg may also help support skin health.”