Nothing is Sweet About Sagging Skin
White sugar’s pristine snowy crystals look harmless enough, and the taste is just divine. Although many sugar substitutes are available, none can quite match the singularly pure sweetness of refined white cane sugar. However, the truth is that refined sugar is terrible for your health:
- Refined sugar is high in calories and encourages weight gain
- It contributes to chronic inflammation
- It can play havoc with blood glucose levels
- It has no nutritive value at all
These are just a few examples of the negative effects refined sugar has on the body’s functions. Worse, did you know that sugar can cause your skin to sag, wrinkle, lose volume and generally look old before its time?
What is Glycation?
Glycation is a metabolic process that occurs when you consume refined sugar or certain foods that have what is known as a high glycemic index, or GI. This would include white bread, white rice, and white pasta. Although they aren’t sweet, these foods are readily converted into glucose once in the body. Glycation occurs when glucose, especially high levels of it, attach to certain proteins in the bloodstream. This produces an end-product with an ominous name: Advanced Glycation End Products. If you abbreviate it, it spells out AGEs. And that’s just what it does to your skin.
Young Skin: Collagen and Elastin
Young skin looks firm, smooth and plump because it has plenty of support from protein fibers called collagen and elastin. When these fibers are weakened, such as by the sun and the normal aging process, wrinkling and sagging occur. No one can stay young forever, but AGEs can speed up the natural aging process considerably. This is because AGEs are toxic compounds. When they bind with collagen and elastin fibers, they damage them. The result is visible, accelerated aging of the skin.
What About Natural Sugar?
What about fruit? Fruit is a little different. For one thing, it contains fructose, not sucrose, which is the technical name for white table sugar. When you eat an apple, for example, you aren’t just eating pure sugar. Most fruits contain a high amount of fiber. This fiber slows the absorption of the fructose.
Fructose doesn’t cause insulin levels to spike suddenly like refined sugar does. In other words, an apple delivers fiber, vitamins, anti-oxidants and a limited amount of fructose. It doesn’t cause the massive influx of sugar to the bloodstream that refined sugar does. The more glucose that is present in the bloodstream, the more AGEs will be formed. When consumed in reasonable amounts, fruit is good for you. The anti-oxidants in fruit also fight cell damage from metabolic toxins known as free radicals.
AGEs don’t just make you look older. By triggering and maintaining a state of chronic inflammation within the body, they may contribute to the development of heart disease and cancer.
Reduce or Eliminate Sugar Intake Now
If you can, cut out all refined sugar completely. If you cannot, do what you can to at least reduce your refined sugar intake to a maximum of no more than five to 10 percent of your daily calories. Your text to link… Many people experience intense cravings when they try to stop eating refined sugar. Try reducing your intake very slowly. Your body and skin will benefit tremendously.