Can sugar age your skin?

It would seem that sugar’s bad reputation goes beyond cavities and the battle against the bulge. Research indicates that sugars can damage skin in a process scientists call ‘AGE’, forming a harmful waste product that can prematurely age skin.

The apt acronym ‘AGE’ stands for Advanced Glycosylation End Products, what does that mean and why should you moderate your sugar intake?

Skin cells are supported by a network of protein fibers; In healthy skin, these fibers are strong and elastic, allowing the skin to move, stretch, and return to its soft, smooth, wrinkle-free structure.

Wrinkles naturally form over time as a result of UV damage and reduced elasticity. When you consume too much sugar, the excess sugar molecules attach to protein fibers and bind them together, producing harmful debris (AGE and free radicals) that stiffen the fibers and reduce the suppleness associated with youthful skin.

AGING skin is more vulnerable to sagging, wrinkles, inflammation and other damage caused by UV rays, considered by dermatologists to be the main cause of premature skin aging.

So, sugar is out?

No, unlike some low carb weight loss plans, this doesn’t mean you have to cut all sugar out of your diet. In fact, your body requires moderate amounts of sugar as an easily accessible source of energy. Moderate. Excess sugar accumulates outside of cells where it interacts with the protein matrix that gives skin its elasticity.

While scientists expect to see some amount of AGE formation after the age of 40, the process has been observed in the body much earlier in recent years, most likely due to our society’s high intake of sugary foods, creating a aging diet in more ways than one.

AGE makers

Excess sugar: Starch and other complex carbohydrates fall into this category because they break down into sugars during digestion.

Too little fiber – Eating more fiber allows your body to process more sugar because it absorbs less.

Too many processed foods: Foods that combine sugar with protein at high temperatures contain ready-to-use AGEs, as this reaction is similar to what AGEs produce in the body.

How much is too much?

We are all unique, so the amount of sugars absorbed by our cells varies from person to person. Until researchers define specific guidelines that correlate AGE formation with excessive sugar formation, it makes sense to practice common sense: reduce added sugars from your diet by making informed dietary choices.

Did you know that ½ cup of vanilla ice cream contains less sugar than the same serving of applesauce and almost half the sugar of ¼ cup of seedless raisins?

On average, we consume 12 teaspoons of added sugars each day; try cutting that down to half or a third. Many foods that are not normally “sweet” are either high in sugar or are broken down into sugar in the body (like carbohydrates). Read Nutrition Facts labels to find out how much you are eating; 4 grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. And pay attention to portion sizes.

Also, learn to identify sugars in the ingredients list: code names include sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, honey, corn syrup, barley malt, fructose, molasses, and sucrose. While they all have different names and may be listed separately on an ingredient list, they all have the same aging effect on the body.

Don’t forget that proper nutrition is an essential part of staying healthy and looking your best.