Candies, cakes, chocolates, all kinds of desserts, desserts can be said to be girls’ favorites. The sweet taste is addictive, and beauty is also a woman’s nature, but you know that there is a gap between these two hobbies. Are there any obvious contradictions? If eating sugar will cause skin aging and affect your beauty, ladies who love beauty, are you still willing to eat sweets?
We say that aging is a process of gradual development, and the existing medical technology cannot reverse aging. But why do some people look young and beautiful at the same age, and some people look old and old? Why is the imprint left by the ruthless pig-killing knife on everyone’s face so different? It should be known that there are many external and internal factors in every person that affect the process of skin aging at all times. External factors, such as ultraviolet rays, dryness, unsuitable cosmetics, and improper cleaning, will accelerate skin aging, while internal factors refer to some biochemical reactions that occur within our body, such as the “oxidation” and “free radicals” that everyone is familiar with. There is the “saccharification” we are talking about today.
But the strange thing is that there are people who can still glow well all year round even without applying so many chemicals. Standing with their peers is always younger than their actual age. This is the case with the so-called “freezing age”.
You must be wondering, what makes a person in their 40s and their 20-somethings skin? To crack the mystery, you have to start from the root cause.
For every 1mmol/L increase in blood sugar, 0.4 years older
As early as 2011, a related study was published in the official journal of the American Association of Ageing (AGE), which explored the relationship between high serum glucose levels and facial perception age. ①
Researchers, by comparing the sugar intake of 602 subjects and facial data, found that in non-diabetic subjects, for every 1mmol/L increase in glucose level, the facial perception age increased by 0.4 years.
Continuously, perceived age increased 0.40 years(SE = 0.14, p = 0.006) per 1 mmol/L increase in glucose level innon-diabetic subjects.
This simple study allows scientists to determine that high blood sugar levels are related to higher facial age perception. You would like to say: Why is there a link between blood sugar and aging?
I use bananas as an example. When bananas become riper and riper, there will be many small brown spots on the skin. When you cut such bananas, you will find a lot of black areas. This area usually contains a lot of sugar. The phenomenon can be understood as:
The small brown spots on the skin are a sign of “sweetening and blackening” inside.
The same process occurs on the skin. When too much sugar accumulates in the human body, it will in turn act on the skin, causing it to become unbalanced in elasticity, aging, wrinkles, aging, and even age spots. But, what is the principle in this? Sugar and skin aging, how exactly do they “hook up” without knowing it?
High blood sugar drives the human body’s glycation reaction, which is manifested in external skin aging
When you eat a lot of sugary foods, such as white rice, bread, burning noodles, or sugar, your blood sugar level will continue to stay at a high level.
How carbohydrates can make your skin age
High blood sugar drives the human body’s glycation reaction, which is manifested in external skin aging
When you eat a lot of carbohydrate foods, such as white rice, bread, burning noodles, or sugar, your blood sugar level will continue to stay at a high level.
At this time, the glucose in the body will continue to exceed the standard, and the excess sugar will have nothing to do, except be converted into fat and stored.
There is also a part of sugar that will go everywhere to “hook up” with other nutrients in the body, such as protein, lipids, and DNA. Of course, its true love is protein.
The process of permanently combining sugar and protein (including collagen in the skin) is called “glycation”. The complex compounds produced by this process are called advanced glycation end products, AGEs.
(It also inhibits the antioxidant enzymes in the body, making the skin more susceptible to sun damage, which is also one of the main causes of skin aging).
And, the more sugar you eat, the more AGEs in the body. More and more AGEs are attached to collagen and elastin, causing them to inactivate, causing the skin to appear wrinkles, dark yellow, weakened elasticity, etc.
Moreover, the long-term effects of glycation can be said to be quite cruel. It will change the type of collagen in the skin from type III (strong type) to type I (weak type).
The weaker collagen makes the skin stiffer and stiffer. Makes people look older and older, and irreversible.
So, if you spend 10,000 yuan a month on cosmetics, but still eat a lot of rice noodles, then 10,000 yuan will be spent.
High blood sugar can easily stimulate insulin, cause hormonal imbalance and induce inflammation
Ingesting high-sugar foods, especially refined carbohydrates (rice noodle sugar), will cause a significant increase in blood sugar. Long-term high blood sugar will increase the burden of insulin secretion and increase the chance of insulin resistance. This will cause the skin from the following aspects Influence.
▪ Cause hormonal disorders and increase the psychological pressure
After eating high-sugar foods, blood sugar rises and insulin is secreted, causing blood sugar to drop again, prompting you to eat something.
This process continues over and over again, and you will feel hungry, dizzy, and even moody from time to time. As a result, physical stress will increase, hormonal disorders will lead to sudden dull skin, acne, and other conditions.
▪ Induces inflammation and increases free radicals
When insulin levels continue to rise, systemic inflammation is prone to break out, the body’s antioxidant function is weakened, free radicals increase, and antioxidant capacity is weakened, resulting in dull complexion, dark spots, dryness and swelling, erythema and itching, and skin. Relaxation increased wrinkles and other conditions.
Free radicals are the main factor of aging. Sugar will directly increase free radicals and accelerate aging.
High-sugar foods increase the burden on the digestive tract and cause an imbalance of intestinal flora
After many people eat high-sugar foods, such as a bag of refined potato chips, they will experience bloating or increased gas. This is because the consumption of sugar puts a burden on the digestive tract, which leads to intestinal inflammation and flora imbalance.
As for any food indigestion, in addition to the stress reaction in the body, it also manifests itself in skin changes, such as dehydration and dry skin.
After knowing this, imagine that you have been indifferent to your diet for a long time and continue to consume high-sugar foods. Even if you use expensive cosmetics and more skincare products, it will only treat the symptoms and not the root cause.
So, through dietary adjustments, can the skin be improved from the inside out, and the frozen age can be achieved, or even reverse age?
Saccharification, the professional terms you need to know
“Saccharification”, the full name of non-enzymatic glycosylation (NEG), is a series of complex biochemical reactions that occur in the body without the help of enzymes, biocatalysts. That is, protein and glucose through a series of oxidation, rearrangement, cross-linking, and other processes, combine to form irreversible non-enzymatic glycosylation end products (AGEs).
However, a large number of studies have confirmed that AGEs are related to many aging-related physical changes and even diseases. If the blood flowing through the skin contains too much sugar, these excess sugars will attach to the collagen responsible for elasticity and firmness in the skin, forming AGEs, destroying the skin’s elasticity, and dulling the complexion.
Because the collagen attached to the sugar loses its original performance characteristics, loses its elasticity, and further develops, the collagen breaks down, which will relax the skin and form fine lines.
The overall permeability of the network structure formed by this destroyed collagen is significantly lower than in the past, which further hinders the normal physiological metabolism of the skin so that external nutrients and water cannot be effectively absorbed, and local cell microenvironment circulation Metabolic disorders lead to dull skin; at the same time, the metabolic waste of cells is difficult to excrete from the body, prone to skin problems such as acne and “acne”. Excessive accumulation of AGEs can also cause uneven distribution of local pigments and form spots.
It can be seen that several major skin problems, such as fine lines, acne, and pigmentation, are all related to AGEs, the product of the “glycation” reaction.
What is the difference between glycation and glycosylation?
In short, glycation is caused by “excess sugar in the body, causing skin damage from the inside” (think of the example of bananas with spots).
What is the difference between glycosylation and glycation and why is this distinction important to make when considering measuring glycated hemoglobin Hb as a means of measuring blood glucose levels over time? The term glycosylation is mainly used to describe the enzyme-catalyzed process and glycation nonenzymatic one. A glycation is a form of protein damage as glycated proteins have reduced functionality. Glycosylation on the other hand is important for proteins to become functional.
Who is at risk of “saccharification of the skin”?
So since it is said that the glycation is caused by the sugar in the blood and other problems that cause skin aging, I am not a diabetic, and my blood sugar is not high, will I not face the risk of “skin glycation”?
no.
With eating, the blood sugar of normal people is also fluctuating. The range of this fluctuation, the “peak” that is, the degree and duration of hyperglycemia, will all have an effect on the formation and accumulation of AGEs.
After a meal, blood sugar is bound to increase. The so-called “normal people” have normal metabolic functions and can reduce blood sugar to a stable level that is not harmful to various organs of the body within the time allowed by medicine, but it cannot be eliminated in this process. , The probability of the formation of AGEs in the human body.
In other words, if you want to reduce the production of AGEs in the human body, you can only start with food to reduce blood sugar fluctuations, that is, reduce the degree of hyperglycemia and reduce the duration of hyperglycemia. And different foods can raise blood sugar to different degrees, that is, the so-called “glycemic index” is different.
Glycemic Index (GI) stands for “Glycemic Index”, which reflects the response of the body’s blood sugar production after eating.
To put it simply, food with a high glycemic index enters the gastrointestinal tract for fast digestion and absorption, and is broken down into glucose and quickly enters the blood into blood sugar. The peak blood sugar is high, the hyperglycemia lasts for a long time, and the risk of “glycation” reaction in the body increases. , Has a great impact on skin aging. Conversely, foods with a low GI will reduce the production of AGEs in the body and relieve skin aging.
Can a low-sugar diet really make the skin better?
yes!
Eat foods with a low glycemic index
So which foods have a high GI and which foods have low GI? Green leafy vegetables and some fruits with a sweet and sour taste and high fiber content, such as apples, pears, peaches, oranges, and grapefruits, as well as coarse grains such as whole wheat bread, quinoa salad, or “two rice” with beans and grains added, etc. Staple foods are all low-GI foods; while meat, potatoes, dairy products, and tropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple, bananas, and mangoes are all medium-GI foods; sugar drinks, sweets, white rice, and white noodles, the more finely processed and The higher the GI of the foods that are directly added with sugar. Watermelon, lychee, longan, dates, and other fruits with very sweet taste are also high-GI foods.
In addition to reducing the intake of sweets and choosing low-GI foods to reduce the skin’s “glycation” reaction, we should also pay attention to sun protection, moisturizing, clean skin rationally, apply suitable skincare products, quit smoking and alcohol, reduce stress, and relax tension. In addition, add more vitamins and trace elements, these are the “anti-oxidant guards” that help you resist oxidative free radicals.
Give everyone an example:
Let me tell a story first. The protagonist of the story is called Lauren Blum. She has been using foundation and concealer, as well as various other cosmetics since she was 13 years old, but her skin condition has not improved, on the contrary, it is getting worse.
By chance, she met Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, a dermatologist, and was advised to take a low-sugar diet. After only a week of testing, her skin showed the following changes:
How to scientifically prevent skin aging and skin care?
First of all, start from the diet, cut off the refined food \ high-carbon water food in life, and control the blood sugar level
One effective way to avoid saccharification is to cut out high-sugar foods and refined processed foods. One thing to emphasize is that high-carbon does not simply refer to a lot of sucrose, but also includes a variety of other monosaccharides. And compound carbohydrate food:
▪ Single sugars: white sugar, brown sugar, sucrose, honey, maple dextrose, fructose syrup, corn syrup, as well as beer (containing barley teeth), milk (containing lactose), fruity yogurt, fruit juice, beverages, and fruits.
▪ Starch is a compound sugar: cereals, rice, flour, cornflour, bread, pasta, muffins, biscuits, and starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, etc. Although they are better than refined sugar, they should be as little as possible eat.
There are a lot of refined processed foods in supermarkets that contain a lot of invisible sugars. Avoiding them can effectively reduce the harm that sugar brings to the human body. There is one more thing to emphasize, most high-sugar fruits are not recommended, and fructose can cause great harm to the human body.
The recommended low-carbon water foods are various vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, cucumber, celery, etc. They contain lower sugars and more fiber. Fiber can effectively help keep blood sugar stable.
Get as many antioxidants as possible from food
Taking in more antioxidants can effectively resist glycation, fight against the damage caused by free radicals, reduce cell damage, delay aging, and promote the skin to look younger and healthier.
The antioxidants commonly found in the diet are found in most common fruits (because most fruits have high fructose content, it is not recommended), vegetables and spices. The antioxidant types included are vitamin E, lutein, vitamin C, Flavonoids, and so on.
Common foods and spices that are low in sugar and high in antioxidants are walnuts, eggs, dark chocolate, blueberries, spinach, red peppers, artichokes, eggplants, tomatoes, celery, cinnamon, cumin, cocoa, ginger, garlic, etc.
→Increase the intake of fish, especially high-fat fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, eels, etc., generally contain more omega-3, which is a type of fatty acid with excellent anti-inflammatory effects. Eating fish 1-3 times a week can be used as a daily habit. Set it down.
This can effectively fight inflammation and reduce eczema-like skin inflammation related to psoriasis. Tuna is also rich in selenium, which helps prevent skin inflammation from breaking out.
→ Eat more healthy fats instead of harmful fats
Harmful fats, such as trans fats, hydrogenated fats, and most vegetable oils that contain a high proportion of omega-6, are harmful to the human body.
The recommended healthy oils include coconut oil and olive oil, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Coconut oil is particularly good for skin and hair. Some people will apply coconut oil to the hair and use it as a skincare agent for about a week. , Hair quality will get better.
Secondly, start from the living habits and keep enough sleep
The so-called “beauty sleep” has a certain scientific truth. Sufficient sleep will give the body and skin a good time to repair.
→Relieve stress
Stress has a direct effect on inflammation, which can cause hormonal disorders, which in turn damage skin tissues, so learn to use meditation, listening to music, etc. to help you relieve your emotions.
→Increase exercise, increase intensity appropriately
Routine exercise can improve mood, enhance brain function, and can also have antioxidant effects on the human body and relieve pain.
Strength training can make the skin firmer and more radiant.
→Change cooking habits
Try to cook as much as possible using steaming, boiling, or stewing, which can minimize the formation of glycotoxins and reduce the trans fat produced by high-temperature frying.
In addition, if you eat barbecued food, you can marinate it with lemon juice or unsweetened apple cider vinegar in advance to reduce the production of glycerin toxins (which can harm the skin).
→Protect the skin from UV rays
Ultraviolet rays will increase the formation of AGEs. Therefore, we must pay attention to protecting the skin from sun damage, but this does not mean that we will not be exposed to the sun at all. The body also needs to synthesize sufficient vitamin D.
Don’t put the cart before the horse
Applying a mask and applying cosmetics will temporarily replenish the skin from the outside, or provide nutrients, but short-term adjustments will only bring about a short-term improvement in skin quality.
If you don’t pay attention to the internal adjustment, you may soon return to its original state. It is difficult to get good skin that glows from the inside out.
This is like a concept I often say: No matter how much healthy food you eat, as long as you don’t stop eating junk food, the improvement in your health will be minimal.
Only by taking a multi-pronged approach can we achieve a better body and better skin. To change the state of the skin and achieve the anti-aging effect of freezing age, in addition to reducing the intake of sugar in the diet, increasing the food source with high antioxidant content, and eating more anti-inflammatory foods, we must also pay attention to sleep and exercise more.
Learn to relieve stress.
Only by combining the inside and the outside, can you get twice the result with half the effort and get good watery skin. Those who sell cosmetics may not know these points, and they won’t tell you if they do.