Are you getting on in years but hoping to retain that youthful skin you’ve always been so proud of? If you’re worried by those first age spots or wrinkles, it pays to know what foods to avoid, to prevent your skin from aging it faster, as much as it does to know what is good for your skin.
Sugar Causes Skin To Age – A Bitter Pill To Swallow
This might leave a bitter taste in your mouth, but that sugary snack or soda or that sweet spoonful you add to your morning cuppa could be ruining your skin. According to research, it is the process of glycation (when sugar binds itself to the elastin and collagen in your body) that make it especially bad for your skin. The familiar sign of aging skin – the loss of plumpness or springiness – is due to the diminished function of collagen and elastin. And all that sugar you’ve been having could hasten the process when it binds to these skin-friendly proteins.1
Refined Carbohydrates Ruin Skin
Consuming white bread, white rice, or even pasta made from refined flour can speed up the aging of your skin and could cause acne too. These simple carbohydrates are stripped of the nutrition and fiber that make whole grain so good for you. What’s worse, though, is the glycation process mentioned earlier happens with such carbs too.2
Alcohol – No Cheers Here
You’ve probably heard red wine is great for cardiovascular health, but what not everyone will tell you is that too much alcohol can be bad for your skin. It dehydrates your skin, causing it to be damaged, and ages it, making you seem older. This extrinsic aging, as it is called, is akin to what smoking or excessive sun exposure can do to damage your skin.3
Candy – Not So Sweet After All!
Sugar isn’t the only offender in all that colorful candy you covet. Those lurid colors and heavenly flavors are mostly chemicals, synthetic colors, and artificial flavors. The refined sugar used to make most candies causes degradation of the elastin and collagen in your skin, plus the artificial additives can be toxic.4High glycemic diets in general have been associated with premature aging, and, on the other side, a low glycemic diet can lower your chances of developing acne. So leave that candy for kids at Halloween and get your sweet tooth satiated with fresh fruit instead.5
Say A Big Fat No To Saturated Fats
Research has found that a very fatty diet can also take its toll on your skin. One study found that increasing the fat intake in the diet of test subjects by about 17 gm caused skin atrophy and wrinkling to increase. This was regardless of age, BMI, and other factors like physical activity and sunlight exposure.6 Trans fats are another big offender when it comes to aging your skin. A cause of inflammation, these fats are found in store-bought or fast-food restaurant cookies, doughnuts, pies, muffins, cakes, and fried foods.7
Too Much Dairy
While dairy products can be a great source of vitamins and minerals, too much dairy could be counter-productive. As one study found, individuals whose diet comprised a lot of butter and dairy saw an adverse effect on their skin. This kind of food intake resulted in greater wrinkling of the skin.8
Caffeinated Beverages
Water plays a key role in keeping skin looking healthy and supple. Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, can show its age much faster and seem tired and old.9 Unfortunately, when you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages, whether it is a cup of coffee or tea, you might miss out on drinking enough fluids like water or juices that can keep you well hydrated. In addition, your body may need more water to compensate for the diuretic effects of the caffeinated beverages you drink.10
References
