Skin care
Your Skin on Sugar
It's no surprise that overdoing it on the chocolate cake can make you pack on the pounds, but did you know it can also give you wrinkles? Through a process known as glycation, sugar destroys your skin. Here's what you can do about it
Diet Tweaks to Make Now First, it's important to point out that glycation isn't only caused by refined sugar -- fruits, vegetables, and whole grains also turn into glucose when digested. However, they don't all act the same in the body. "Foods that rapidly convert to sugar when eaten cause sudden spikes in blood sugar levels … and cause a burst of inflammation throughout the body," explains Perricone. Therefore, these sugars are more likely to form AGEs -- and wrinkles. Sugar and flour fall into this category.
Perricone recommends following a low-sugar, anti-inflammatory diet. He suggests eating high-quality protein like fish, poultry, and tofu; low-glycemic carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils; healthy fats like wild salmon, nuts, and seeds; and drinking antioxidant-rich beverages like green tea.
When cooking, use less heat and cook foods slowly. "Don't barbeque or sear your foods," says Brandt. It creates a chemical byproduct called Acrylamide that has a high potential for glycation.
Finally, Brandt suggests taking carnosine supplements, which help build proteins and prevent glycation.
SEE NEXT PAGE: Serums to Combat the Damage
Perricone recommends following a low-sugar, anti-inflammatory diet. He suggests eating high-quality protein like fish, poultry, and tofu; low-glycemic carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils; healthy fats like wild salmon, nuts, and seeds; and drinking antioxidant-rich beverages like green tea.
When cooking, use less heat and cook foods slowly. "Don't barbeque or sear your foods," says Brandt. It creates a chemical byproduct called Acrylamide that has a high potential for glycation.
Finally, Brandt suggests taking carnosine supplements, which help build proteins and prevent glycation.
SEE NEXT PAGE: Serums to Combat the Damage
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