The Bitter Truth about Sugar & your Skin
OK hands up, who has a bit of a sugar habit going on? Mid afternoon chocolate biscuit, stress alleviating chocolate bar, not to mention that post day- from- hell glass of wine. We all love to indulge in a sweet treat from time to time, but over do the white stuff, and it can play havoc with your skin.
Most of us attribute things like smoking, alcohol and not enough water to poor skin condition and wrinkles, but sugar plays just as big a role as these more commonly known culprits.
Sugar is acidic and therefore causes inflammation in the body as it causes a spike in our blood sugar levels. Raised blood sugar and inflammation are responsible for not only an increased risk of disease, but to aged looking skin too.
The Problem
Breakouts
OD on the white stuff and you will send your body on to a constant roller coaster with your blood sugar levels affecting your hormones, this is bad news for your skin. These hormonal fluctuations increase sebum in the skin and too much sebum causes spots. Inflammation in the body can also cause or aggravate other inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
Dry Skin
This might surprise you, but that constant flaky skin you are experiencing might be directly related to your diet. Sugar causes the skin to lose its plump, elastic qualities leaving you with dehydrated, dull and with a higher risk of developing lines and wrinkles. So next time you are thirsty, reach for a bottle of water instead of that can of fizz!
A loss of Collagen and Wrinkles
Dry skin results in lines and wrinkles much faster than skin that is well hydrated. While treatments like serums may work beautifully to add moisture to your skin, there really is no point if you aren’t helping your skin from the inside out too. Sugar attaches to proteins in the bloodstream that form molecules which affect collagen and elastin. Collagen is necessary for keeping our skin plump and firm by fighting off lines and wrinkles, whereas elastin offers support to your skin preventing saggy skin.
So what are our top tips for reducing sugar in your diet and grabbing hold of that glow from the inside out? Well we are not advocating you cut out all sugar completely – life is for living and about balance! But there are things ways of reducing the white stuff which when combined with our super potent organic skincare will make a real positive difference.
Cut back on the obvious stuff, the cakes, the pastries and fizzy drinks. So many of us fall of the bandwagon when we are hungry, so be prepared. Carry around a handbag-sized snack, maybe some raw nuts so when that starvation moment hits, you reach for them rather than a chocolate bar.
Check labels. Sugar creeps into the most unlikely places. Think tomato ketchup, salad dressings, those stir fry sauces. The stuff that you think is healthy isn’t always the case.
Opt for complex carbs, wholegrains, nuts and pulses, vegetables and healthy fats. Think avocados. For an easy way of boosting your fruit and veg think about smoothies. There are limitless options here and no wrong answers.
To get you started, try this healthier coconut cookie recipe courtesy of Reboot with Joe here: