Debunking the Sugar-Skin Connection: Does Excess Sugar Really Age Your Skin?
One day, a person who knows a lot about skin looked at my face and said, “You must eat a lot of sugar, right?” I was only eating cookies and drinking lots of caffeine at the time, so it wasn’t a surprise. But it wasn’t fun to hear that my skin showed it!
When you eat a lot of sugar, something called glycation happens. This means that sugar sticks to fats and proteins in your skin, making it less bouncy and causing lines and dark spots to show up. If you love sweets, you might notice some crisscross lines, especially around your upper lip. That’s because the collagen in your skin, which helps keep it strong, isn’t as tough as it should be.
You should try to eat only a little bit of added sugar each day, like around seven teaspoons. Not sleeping enough or feeling stressed can also make it harder for our bodies to deal with sugar. Even though it’s tough for those of us who love sweets, eating less sugar can actually help make your skin look nicer.
Dr. Preema Vig, who knows a lot about faces, says, “Eating healthy food with less sugar can help your skin stay nice, but using special skincare stuff can also make it better.” Dr. Vig suggests eating foods like green tea, red grapes, and blueberries to help your skin become stronger.
