Michelle Pfeiffer has been captivating audiences for decades with her unforgettable performances in iconic roles like Scarface and The Fabulous Baker Boys. Known for completely transforming into her characters and wowing audiences, Pfeiffer skyrocketed to fame and made an everlasting place in Hollywood with her talent. But there’s another reason why she continues to make headlines–her stunning beauty. At 65-years-old Pfeiffer looks flawless, but works hard at staying healthy and age-defying. “You have to eat right,” she told The Express. “You have to exercise. You have to get sleep. We’re always looking for that magic bullet and they don’t exist.” So here’s how she does it. Read on to learn five ways the Oscar-nominated actress stays healthy, with advice from nutrition experts about how it can work for you.
Pfeiffer shared one of her healthy tips with her 2.9 million Instagram followers and revealed she sprinkles cayenne pepper on her avocado toast. “Cayenne pepper contains a chemical called capsaicin, a substance found in all chili peppers and is what causes the spiciness of these foods,” Cheryl Mussatto, MS, RD, LD, Outpatient Clinical Dietitian at Cotton O’Neil Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, says. “Cayenne pepper is a type of ‘fiery’ spice that adds heat to foods and may help with weight loss. Any spicy foods such as cayenne pepper, jalapeño peppers, and other chili peppers, contain capsaicin which helps rev up metabolism a bit, helping to burn a few extra calories. These same foods can also create a feeling of satiety after eating, preventing overeating of high-calorie foods.”
Pfeiffer loves to enjoy a glass of wine, but admits she can tell when she’s had too much and readjusts her diet. “When I’m not on camera, I’m not eating so good and having a little too much wine and I look like it,” she told The Express. “Alcoholic beverages are typically high in calories and low in other nutrients,” Taylor Carberry, RDN, CPT, explains. “By avoiding alcohol, you eliminate empty calories from your diet and are less likely to put on extra weight.”
There’s a reason why health experts say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is and Pfeiffer doesn’t skip it. A few weeks ago she showed her IG followers how healthy she starts off her day with a pic of avocado toast captioned, “Breakfast of champions! Riverence Trout Eggs, Avocado, Chestnut Bread, Turmeric & Cayenne Pepper.” “When you wake up in the morning, you technically have been fasting since the last meal you ate the day before, leaving your body depleted of nutrients and energy,” Carberry explains. “Eating a well-balanced breakfast provides the fuel to start your morning with the energy and brain power you need to make healthier choices for the rest of the day.”
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Pfeiffer not only is careful about what she eats, but she opts for responsibly sourced food. On her avocado toast that we can’t stop talking about, she added Riverence Trout Eggs, which is from a sustainable farm that helps decrease the stress on wild salmon and trout. Fish is an excellent source of protein that can decrease the risk of certain diseases, according to experts. “Fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and trout, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid),” Sam Schleiger MS, RDN, CD, CLT, IFNCP, says. “These are essential fats that play important roles in brain health, heart health, and inflammation regulation. Omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, improved cognitive function, and potential anti-inflammatory effects.”
The former beauty queen does eat healthy on a regular basis, but she allows herself to splurge on sweets every now and then. In a few IG posts, the star reveals how she ate a bag of peanut M&M’s and baked a cherry pie. Moderation is important to have because depriving yourself can lead to yo-yo weight loss and gain. “Balance and moderation is everything because it is exactly how our body works, everything needs to be in balance for our body to work at its best,” Cesar Sauza, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Healthcanal.com, says. He adds, “Moderation is important with high-sugar drinks/foods and processed foods but also when it comes to whole foods that are fats, for example, walnuts and avocado are very healthy for us but we need to limit the portion due to their high caloric content.”
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Heather Newgen
Heather Newgen has two decades of experience reporting and writing about health, fitness, entertainment and travel. Heather currently freelances for several publications. Read more about Heather
