Sugar Causes Skin Damage
Our skin gets damaged by sun exposure. You know that. But did you know that sugar damages skin? The high sugar (candy, soda) and high glycemic index foods (white bread, pasta) we eat age us.
Sugar can have a profoundly negative impact on your skin, making you more susceptible to outbreaks of acne, premature ageing, inflammation and discolouration.
🔹️Sugar in the bloodstream attaches to the elastin and collagen proteins in skin. New, damaged molecules are formed called advanced glycation end products – or AGEs. Once damaged, the collagen and elastin become dry and brittle, leading to wrinkles and sagging. When this happens, it is called glycation.
🔹️ AGEs cripple your body’s natural antioxidant enzymes, leaving your skin even more susceptible to damage from sun and pollution.
🔹️Finally, AGEs stop skin from producing new collagen and elastin – and prevent skin from repairing itself.
There are no topical skincare products or supplements that can reverse skin damage.
Ways to Limit Skin Glycation
🔶️Eat less sugar. Foods that quickly convert to sugar, create sudden increases in blood sugar and increased inflammation throughout our bodies. Refined sugars are more likely to form AGEs and lead to wrinkles, so avoid refined sugar. Choose dark chocolate instead of a cookie. Stay away from white bread, pizza, jam , fruit juice , packaged snacks and soda.
🔶️Watch for hidden sugar in food by reading labels. Avoid foods that contain ingredients like barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, sucrose, and turbinado. Canned fruit and flavored yogurt seem like they would be healthy, but often contain added sugar.
🔶️Eat antioxidant rich foods AND use antioxidant skin care. Antioxidants keep sugar from attaching to proteins. Eat brightly colored foods like cranberries, pomegranites, and bell peppers. Drink green tea.
🔶️ Use retinoids to increase collagen production.
🔶️Take a multivitamin thhat contains at least 1 mg of vitamins B1 and B6 a day
🔶️Exercise make your heart beat faster, your muscles use more blood sugar. This means lower blood sugar levels for hours and less AGEs.
This post is written for the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. My theme is let’s debunk Common myths around women’s health.
Disclosure: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. DISCLAIMER: The content in this post is purely meant for educational purpose only and not to be substituted for professional medical advice. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health-related information.
Finding the hidden sugars from the lables is the toughest