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For years the sworn enemy of dentists and dieters, now sugar has another black mark to add to its list. Shocking new research published in The Journal of the American College of Nutrition has shown that it can *cause skin ageing.
And this is when we, as aestheticians, need to take notice. 'A diet too high in sugar or simple carbohydrates may have a negative effect on how the skin looks and how rapidly it will age," warns Dr David Orentreich, a leading US dermatologist and adviser to a major skincare company.
Apparently the adverse effect is due to the fact that sugar attaches itself to proteins in the body and can cause them to become brittle, ageing faster than normal. “The more sugar you have in your body, the more you force this chemical reaction to take place. This may be detrimental to the skin, which is made up of structural proteins like elastin and collagen fibres that are responsible for the youthful appearance of the skin,“ explains Dr Orentreich. Given that these protein fibres are paramount to keeping skin subtle and strong, the implications for ageing are obvious.
Research is now discovering that when the body is exposed to too much sugar the waste product called advanced glycosylation end product aptly called AGE is produced. As levels of this molecule rise, the fibres in the skin start to stiffen and lose elasticity. Levels of AGE increase naturally over time as one gets older, but research has shown that a diet high in sugar can cause levels to rise in people as young as in their 30s and even in their 20s. For Baby Boomers in their 50s and 60s the effects are even more severe as the normal ageing process is starting to manifest on the skin. At this point it does not need degenerative assistance through further hardening of the collagen and elastin fibres that contribute to wrinkles and sagging skin.
NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS
The recommendation is to minimise sugar in order to preserve a youthful look and not undermine your efforts to look younger by attacking the integrity of your collagen and elastin through a diet high in sugar. “Your digestive system and your skin are inextricably linked,“ says Dr Ian Marble, one of the UK’s leading nutritional experts. 𠇊nd a diet high in sugar can lead to unhealthy skin. So ideally you should limit the amount of refined sugar in your diet.“
However, cutting back on sugar is often not that simple. Even though we may eliminate some of the obvious sugar-rich foods such as cakes, sweets and cool drinks, there are many seemingly innocent foods that contain hidden sugars. Here are some areas to check when considering the sugar levels in your diet:
- The hidden ingredients - start to check ingredients in foods you buy, and bear in mind that sugar can come under some disguised names. These include: maltose, dextrose, sucrose, corn syrup, honey, fructose, molasses, golden syrup and malt extract.
- Consider what’s in your drink - carbonated drinks and certain alcoholic beverages as well as iced coffee, choc milks and several low-fat drinks are actually high in sugar. These include low-fat salad dressings and even low-fat ice creams. From a calorie point of view they may be better for dieters, but you must also take into consideration the sugar factor for ageing..
- Processed foods - baked beans, white bread, sauces, ready meals and cereals are often high in hidden sugars.
- Review the Nutritional Information - one way to also check is consider the nutritional information on the back of the packets. You will find it listed under carbohydrates. Four grams of sugar is equivalent to one teaspoon, and the average Australian can eat up to 20 teaspoons a day without even realising it.
- Limit the carbs - carbohydrates are essential for healthy digestion, but stick to the unrefined wholemeal variety. Refined, white carbohydrates are turned into sugar by the body, and this has the same effect on the skin as processed sugar. On the other hand, wholemeal carbohydrates are more slowly digested and they contain fibre, along with many key vitamins and minerals.
DEALING WITH CRAVINGS
If cravings are sabotaging your efforts in cutting back on sugary snacks is almost an impossibility, then you are probably addicted to a sugar “high“. When you eat sugary foods your digestive system rapidly breaks them into glucose, leading to a sugar high. As blood sugar levels need to be tightly regulated, your body pumps out insulin to bring down the excess glucose, which can lead to cravings for another high.
To stop this dangerous roller coaster effect, aim to keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel by eating little and often and choosing foods that provide a slow release of energy such as low glycemic index foods. Choose a combination of protein and complex carbohydrates, such as meat or fish with vegetables and humus dip, an apple and a handful of seeds or a few raw nuts, or a baked potato with cottage cheese. And don’t forget to drink at least 1½ litres of water to keep your skin cells hydrated and to aid in flushing toxins from your body.
BEAUTY SUPPORTED FROM WITHIN
Looking good and staying slim is no longer just about calorie restrictions, especially if you want to retain a youthful appearance. Research now confirms that the quality of the foods we eat play a critical role in supporting both our health and a youthful appearance. As aestheticians, particularly if we are specialising in anti-ageing treatments, directing our clients towards appropriate nutritional support and educating them in foods that will internally enhance their wellbeing and their health and appearance should go hand in hand with our advice on topical product application. With modern research results coming to the forefront, it now stands to reason that the effectiveness of external anti-ageing treatments will also be greatly influenced by a responsible and carefully selected nutritional diet that favours cell renewal and the integrity of the body’s internal support structures.
© APAA 2004