Sugar and Premature Ageing
There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Consuming too much of the sweet stuff is as damaging to your skin as it is to your waistline, and a natural process within our bodies is to blame – Glycation, or to put it another way- the “fast track to ageing.” This is the process by which the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (or, appropriately, “AGEs” for short). The more sugar in your diet, the more AGEs you develop. It’s particularly sour news that the skin’s proteins most susceptible to glycation are collagen and elastin, the same ones that make a youthful complexion so plump and springy! When bonded with excess glucose, the type of sugar that fuels glycation, these normally resilient fibers become stiff and inflexible. This damage leads to an increase in fine lines and wrinkles and imparts a sallow tint to skin. Adding insult to injury, AGEs also interfere with the production of new collagen and elastin, making repair efforts difficult.
Sugar and Acne: Eating lots of refined carbohydrates may increase blood sugar and insulin levels and contribute to the development of acne. Acne is dramatically worsened from increased sugar consumption. Eating foods high in sugar cause inflammation or what we like to call “inflamAGING” in our bodies pushing our oil glands to produce more sebum causing breakouts.
Furthering the Problem..
Sugar not only causes advanced premature aging but leads to further skin issues like acne, rosacea and eczema.
Rethinking our Diets
On average, Amerians consume 26 teaspoons of sugar each day. That’s the equivalent of 20 full bags of sugar annually! Unfortunately sugar is all too plentiful in America and ultimately our health will suffer the consequences.
When considering your diet- Keep in mind that our food supply has been altered and adulterated over the years and we are blinded by how much sugar we are consuming on a daily basis. Sugar is hidden in condiments, cereals, meats, yogurt, milk, breads and an array of different beverages. Many of these foods are marketed as healthy or natural but break down as sugar once consumed.
Sugar is in 99% of all processed foods, that being said, try and eat as close to nature as possible and avoid eating processed foods. When shopping, steer clear of the middle section of the grocery store where the processed food tends to be kept.
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the sooner we clean up our diets, the sooner we can see clearer, healthier, younger skin! Feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or contact us at Face of Jules for any skincare concerns.
-The Face of Jules Team
