People who eat lots of fruit and vegetables are likely to have fewer wrinkles, according to a new study.

People with a normal diet can make their skin look younger by including lots of tomatoes and red paprika in their meals, German magazine The Dermatologist said in its latest issue.

Free radicals - unstable oxygen molecules - are a major factor in premature skin aging and skin cancer. Antioxidants contained in the body stop free-radical damage.

Vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, paprika and kale contain plenty of antioxidants, as does green tea.

A study conducted at the Berlin Charite hospital found that people with a high concentration of antioxidants in the skin look younger because they have fewer wrinkles, The Dermatologist said.

The study showed that vegetarians had more antioxidants in their bodies than non-vegetarians.

However, the magazine warned that an "overdose" of antioxidants through a large intake of food supplements could accelerate free radical damage. The good news is that this is unlikely if supplements are omitted and fruit and vegetables were eaten instead.

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