I heard an interesting fact on the radio last week that made me stop and think. That fact was this:
“Sugar speeds up the aging process of your skin. It damages the collagen and elastin, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin.”
If you we needed ANY additional motivation to stick to our sugar-free low carb diets… that should definitely do it!
I decided to do a little research on the topic, and wanted to share my findings with you. Here are some of the quick facts & links:
How Sugar Affects the Aging Process
The way our body breaks down sugar (and some simple carbohydrates) is called glycation. This process damages the collagen and elastin in your skin, and even changes the type of collagen you have – from the most stable… to the most fragile.
Also See:
Is Your Diet Good For Your Skin?
Does sugar really cause wrinkles and aging?
If you find that reading a bit of a chew (pun intended, lol), just know this:
SUGAR MAKES YOU LOOK OLD, FASTER
How’s that for being blunt? 😀
I don’t know about you, but that really caught my attention and re-motivated me to enjoy a sugar-free low-carb lifestyle!
I had never heard this fact before, oddly enough. Perhaps the whole aging process wasn’t really on my radar… until it started happening to me. LOL. At any rate, I’m certainly taking notice now! And this little fact was enough to jolt me back to reality…
Diane says
Hi Lynn
Another reason to not indulge in sugar is that cancer loves sugar. I was speaking to a lady who has survived for 20 years since cancer affected her and she told me that by eliminating sugar in her daily diet she has been able to reverse her cancer and she is now cancer-free. She cut out all alcohol, which is high in sugar. This lady really motivated me to look more closely at the sugar that I’m consuming daily, especially the hidden stuff, you know the things we don’t even think about!! Thanks Lynn, there may be some hope for my skin if I can completely quit my sugar addictio as well..
Jedha says
Great to share this post Lynn. Sugar is a poison and what Diane said above with the lady and cancer, well that just goes to show the impact that sugar can have. Sugar affects so many of the cells in our body. And given the horrifying statistic of sugar consumption these days, it’s no wonder people are suffering all kinds of health problems. In the past 100 years we have gone from consuming an average 10 pounds of sugar per year to consuming on average our body weight in sugar per year! That’s alot of sugar affecting our cells and screwing with our normal bodily functions!
Looking younger and feeling younger is definitely a *great* incentive to stay sugar free π
Lynn Terry says
WOW – those are some serious stats, Jedha! π―
I knew that acid was an issue – cancer loves acidic bodies, not alkaline – which is a good reason to cut out soft drinks. But I didn’t realize sugar contributed as well. Good to know!
Marya says
What about natural sugars in fruits, such as fresh blueberries? I can’t imagine living without fresh fruit, which is where I get my sugar fix.
Lynn Terry says
I only eat berries (which are not actually fruit, I learned recently) because they have a lower glycemic index – lower sugar. My guess would be that it’s like everything else: “fine in moderation”, particularly in fresh fruit/berries. π Again, that’s my guess.
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
I have eaten sugar-free for 10 years… and I always get confused with a 15 year old…. And let’s just say…. I am definitely NOT 15! LOL – I ain’t complaining though! π
Lynn Terry says
I imagine not π Now there’s a problem I *don’t* have, haha…