You are what you eat... pigface!

March 26th, 2008

There was a time, not too many generations ago, that getting old was considered a privilege. Today, as more and more people are reaching a ripe old age, we value youth above everything, and try to hide the ravages of old age as if it were a life-sucking monster in the closet. Many of the scariest monsters can be found in Hollywood, where nips, tucks, peels and stretches are more common than a two-dollar cup of coffee.

The ghoul formerly known as Joan Rivers, for example, has had so much work done she looks like a Lizzie Borden victim. Cosmetic quick fixes, however, are not limited to the rich and famous. Spending on cosmetic surgery is soaring, with stores pushing more varieties of anti-aging creams than Baskin-Robbins has ice cream. Everybody wants to be rid of their wrinkles, sags and bags, but it isn’t easy.

Fear not.

The solution may be simpler than you think, because the latest anti-ageing food is good old pigs' trotters. In New York, the most talked-about opening of the past couple months has been a restaurant called Hakata Tonton, where 33 of the 39 dishes contain pigs' feet. According to owner Himi Okajima, the reason for all the hog hocks is that they are rich in collagen, the protein responsible for skin and muscle tone, and recognizable to beauty addicts in the form of face creams and fillers. Okajima, who already owns a chain of restaurants in Japan specializing in collagen cuisine, says collagen helps the body retain moisture. He claims your hair and skin will look better and, if you begin eating collagen in your thirties, you will look younger in your forties, and beyond.

Not all nutrition experts agree with Mr. Okajima, but there is one silver lining to his entire plan. Anyone who eats pigs’ feet as a way to bone up on collagen and retain their youth can, literally, be called pigface. It would be worth a trip to New York just to stand outside Hakata Tonton and ask everyone “Did you enjoy your supper... pigface?”

Of course, eating the right foods, in the right way, is still the simplest, long-term way to remain looking and feeling younger. You might say grandma was right all along, that you are what you eat. Although we can't turn back the clock when it comes to aging, we can slow things down. In order to keep your cells in good condition, eat fruit and vegetables that contain vital anti-oxidants like vitamins A, C, E and zinc.

Maple syrup contains everything the body needs to sustain itself, except vitamin C, and an apple a day still gives you plenty of vitamin C, and fibre. The key is to remember that we are omnivores. Too much pig foot can be bad, but none at all is worse. Women tend to age more rapidly than men, because they don't eat enough protein. The body can't store protein, but needs it for cellular production and function, so the days you don't eat protein are the days you age. Think about that, pigface.

Some experts suggest up to 40 per cent of wrinkles are caused by sugar, which causes collagen to become stiff, and brings on wrinkles. It seems, if you want to keep the face of your youth, don’t stuff it with so much sugar. And don’t forget to enjoy a few hog trotters... pigface!