Reverse the clock! Discover the top 10 foods that may accelerate ageing and learn how to make healthier choices. From sugary snacks to processed meats, find out which foods to limit or avoid for a more youthful you. Have you heard that some foods may contribute to the deterioration of your skin, make you low on energy, and overall health? Nutritionally speaking, what you eat determines everything from the fine lines to sagging skin. It is important to note that ageing is an inevitable part of life but bad eating habits can interfere with the ageing process. The old adage, “You are what you eat” says it all. So, let’s take a look at some foods that are doing you more harm than good.
1. Sugar
The sweet temptations may be too good, but when we overuse sugar, we can do damage via glycation, in which sugar binds itself to proteins and destroys collagen and elastin, the building blocks of youthful skin. These include frostings, candies, sodas and energy drinks, all of which are high in sugar and can leave you thirsty, damage your skin, and cause wrinkles.
2. Processed Meats
Do bacon or deli breast meats ring a bell? These are processed meats and as the word ‘processed’ suggests, often the presence of nitrates and preservatives ensure one is left with somewhat inflammatory and low skin elasticity foods. They pose health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke but worse is that they are also detrimental to your appearance.
3. White Bread
With its high concentration of refined carbs, white bread has a high glycemic index, which leads to spikes in blood sugar levels and an increase in glycation. Not only does the body increase its rate of ageing through this process, but it also results in the skin appearing lifeless and dull.
4. Margarine
Margarine is often marketed as an alternative to butter; however, this is incorrect because margarine contains high levels of trans fats, which can clog up arteries, stimulate inflammation, and lower water content within the skin. According to research, margarine is more detrimental to one’s health than consuming reasonable amounts of butter.
5. French Fries
French fries and basically anything that is deep fried are highly packed with bad compounds like Advanced Glycation End Products, or AGEs which are known to be hallmarks of cell damage. They are also very high in free radicals, which stimulate a lot of internal and external oxidative stress contributing to premature ageing.
6. Coffee
While it is generally safe to use caffeine moderately, it can be quite detrimental if done so in large amounts because it leads to skin dehydration and sleep deprivation, and we all know that sleep is essential for skin restoration and rejuvenation. Continuous practice like this results in quite aged skin that appears dull.
7. Carbonated Drinks
If one thought soda pop contains high levels of sugar alone, they are in for a surprise since these drinks contain lots of other chemicals that inhibit collagen production causing wrinkly skin. The dehydrating agents within these sodas only work to increase skin ageing.
8. High Fructose Corn Syrup
This sweetener gives a nice taste to sodas and processed foods but eventually hinders the body from producing collagen and elastin. It is energy dense yet lacks nutrients, which makes a person age faster and also adds extra body weight.
9. Charred Meat
Charred meat, although tasty in a BBQed way has its downfalls, grilling causes the formation of AGEs compounds which are bad for our skin. Not only do these compounds worsen inflammation within the body, but they also are a cause of skin looking more aged than it really is.
10. Instant Foods
The notion of “easier refreshments = quicker distancing from healthy options” definitely holds true to instant foods. Everything that comes out of a packet has a high content of stressors for our bodies and high levels of sugar content which are refined and lack nutrients that are extremely necessary for the body. Such foods cause ageing within us which is behind the physical appearance.
Final Thoughts
What is put in through the mouth largely controls how graceful the ageing will be. Some of these foods which balance praise the body should be avoided in plenty of dosages or avoided for good. It is time to restore health while opting for better alternatives that will have a positive impact on looking young. We are all well aware of the concept that the body is a temple, which is true still for a reason!
