The Fountain of Youth is a legend. As the legend goes, anyone who bathes in its waters is granted an eternal youthful life. There have been many books, movies and television shows that have characters seeking the secret to the fountain. Even an explorer, Juan Ponce de León, sought the mystic waters for his mother country Spain, only to discover Florida in the process.

If Ponce de León is around today, he must think we've discovered the elusive fountain because of our youthful looks well into our middle years. We have medicine and good nutrition guidance that keeps us looking youthful. Good grooming also helps with this as does our many ways to keep our faces young through cosmetic surgery. The phrase, "40 is the new 30" is around for a reason, we are aging much slower. Politicians are especially ageless. Many, like Rick Perry and John Edwards, seem to have sold their souls to the devil to keep their good looks, but a much simpler reason exists: they take good care to look young. No one wants to be old.

In Hollywood, looking youthful is more than an act of vanity. It can mean the difference between getting work and not getting it. Many women tell the story that upon reaching 40, they are no longer sought after, because age has a stigma in the entertainment industry. Men often face age discrimination too, getting more "age-appropriate" roles. In other words, looking young is vital to their ambitions as actors, one that leads many to seek active lifestyles with a balanced diet with little or no processed foods.

It is no wonder than that there are lot of celebrities over 40 that look like they just graduated college. In our research, we discover 56 stars that have made lists of age defying actors. We look at lists from various news sites like Headline News, Fox News and NY Daily News. All these sites list a fair number of celebrities looking fresh and young despite their middle age. We have narrowed our list down to five, two men and three women.

5. Jim Parsons, 41

Jim Parsons plays Sheldon Cooper, a character 30 years young, on the Big Bang Theory. He has played that role to huge success, wining three Emmy awards. Parsons is a native Texan, born and raised in the Houston suburb Spring. His acting career started at an early age, getting the role of Kola-Kola bird in a school production of The Elephant's Child and went on to get a Master's degree at the University of San Diego. Parsons enjoyed his time in school and thought of getting a Doctrine but real life got in the way. Parsons began his career in the theater, playing several off-Broadway roles in New York. Parsons admits he auditioned for up to 30 television pilots, but most of them were never picked up by any network. Parsons is an admitted smoker who quit at the urging of his doctor and runs regularly. He is very tight-lipped on the success for his youthful looks, but he is in a long term relationship which should contribute to his good health.

4. Jared Leto, 42

This Louisiana born actor, singer, and director won the latest Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a transgender in 2013's Dallas Buyer's Club. Leto is a method actor, which involves him getting into his roles by researching the background and behavior of the characters he plays. He has also starred on television, getting his break with My So-Called Life. Leto is also the lead singer for his band Thirty Seconds to Mars, which has sold over 10 million records. He leads a vegan lifestyle, which could contribute to his youthful appearance since his intake of processed foods is limited. Leto attributes his youthful appearance to his exercise regime (yoga, hiking and cycling) and his dedication to getting plenty of sleep. He has been quoted as saying that a body on tour needs plenty of sleep, otherwise it begins to break down. Leto also does not consume any alcohol, which helps to keep temptation at bay. Ironically, Leto gained 60 plus pounds for his role as John Lennon's assassin in the film Chapter 27. Leto claims he will never again gain weight for a specific role as it is too taxing on his system.

3. Liz Hurley, 49

This 16 year Estée Lauder spokesmodel started her career in 1994, at age 29. Born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, she trained as a dancer as a young girl, becoming a fan of punk and new age. Her career has been one of consistent exposure through the Estée Lauder brand. Hurley has also been a film and television actress, but has had more limited success in those fields. The model/actress has said it is difficult for her to follow a exercise or diet regimen. Instead, she follows some interesting habits to keep her youthful appearance. First, she drinks warm water first thing in the morning to help with digestion. She is never without a bottle of water wherever she goes. A body exfoliator is used by Hurley every day before taking a cold shower to help keep her body looking perky. For food, when she has to diet, she eats more soup than anything else. When she does have to exercise, which she says she abhors, she will take a nice brisk 30-minute walk.

2. Jennifer Anniston, 45

According to Men's Health, Jennifer Anniston is the sexiest woman of all time. This actress made it big playing Rachel Green for ten years on the NBC hit, Friends, where she was paid $1 million an episode during its last season. Before landing it big on this sitcom, Anniston played on four lesser known sitcoms including a short-lived series based on the movie Ferris Bueller's Day off. Anniston has enjoyed a good run in Hollywood since she left Friends, with her films bringing in more than $200 million in revenue. Anniston follows a specific exercise routine to keep her body trim and healthy. Her diet is carefully monitored, but she has been known to indulge in the occasional "Cheat Day". Her tips for this day include eating fats before 10 am, eating carbs at 1 pm and sugary treats should be eaten during the mid-afternoon slump. As far as her beauty routine, it starts with a 10 minute steam bath for her pores followed by 10 minute facial massage. Her one beauty secret, however, is using Vaseline. She insists it keeps her skin young and fresh. In all, she spends thirty minutes a night on her beauty routine.

1. Gwen Stefeni, 44

This former Dairy Queen worker makes the top of our list. Well deserved as it does not look like she has aged a day in a decade. Stefeni is the lead singer of No Doubt and since the mid-90s has made a name for herself as a singer/songwriter in her own right. This mother of three (yes she has three kids!) has been married for over ten years to British musician Gavin Rossdale, whom she met while touring in 2002 with the group Bush (Rossdale's band). Leading a healthy lifestyle, Stefeni is frantic about her exercise regimen. She does not follow any usual Pilates or core routines (hard to believe considering her six-pack abs!), but instead relies heavily on cardio, weightlifting and boxing. Her advice is to find an exercise that does not seem like one such as hiking, skiing or swimming. For food, she focuses heavily on freshness. She will take her children to pick fresh produce from organic farms. She also eats a lot of lean proteins to keep muscle strength.