A lot of people consider a low carb, low sugar diet when they want to lose weight. And sure, it’s a great way to drop some pounds quickly but there are also a lot of other health benefits when you ditch sugar and carbs. The one we are most excited to talk about is how cutting carbs and sugar actually benefits the skin and anti-aging.
We’ve talked about the evils of sugar a lot but why are we throwing in the carbs? Because carbs become sugar! When we eat carbs, they are broken down and turned into glucose (sugar). And while carbs are an important part of a healthy diet, not all carbs are created equal. There are simple carbs, or carbs that are just sugars and digested quickly by the body, and complex carbs, or carbs that contain fiber and take longer for the body to digest and convert into glucose. Simple carbs are found in a lot of processed foods, have little nutritional value and can be high in calories. Complex carbs, which are also referred to as healthy carbs, aid in many critical body functions including decreased cholesterol, enhanced digestive health and better blood sugar control. We want to stay away from simple carbs and instead focus on complex carbs, aiming to get our carbs from unrefined and unprocessed sources like vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
Sugar and carbs are inflammatory foods which means they cause inflammation in the body which can worsen skin conditions like acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. When we lower our sugar and carb intake, the body suffers less inflammation which can reduce skin redness and make skin appear healthier. Sugar and high carb processed foods also carry free radicals that can do damage to our collagen and skin. Finally, high blood sugar initiates Glycation, a process that actually ages the skin by reducing elasticity and damaging the integrity of our collagen.
Glycation is the toxic process that happens when the body processes sugar. The sugar molecules in our system bombard the body’s cells and glue themselves to fats and proteins. This produces advanced glycation end products commonly referred to as AGEs which cause protein fibers to become stiff, brittle and even malformed.
The proteins in skin most prone to Glycation are the same ones that make our skin look youthful and radiant - Collagen and Elastin. When they bond with sugar molecules, they become discolored, weak, and less supple. What does that mean for our skin? You guessed it - wrinkles, sagginess, and dullness. Those evil AGEs also make your skin more vulnerable to environmental assailants such as UV light and cigarette smoke.
Adopting a low carb, low sugar diet reduces glycation and helps our skin appear smoother, younger and more radiant. Try to choose healthy, low carb foods – many “diet” or “zero sugar” foods are just junk foods that don’t benefit our health at all. Another way to combat the effects of Glycation is adding Glotrition’s Super Beauty Elixir and Afterglo Gummiceuticals to your routine. Not only do they help restore and protect collagen (SBE) and nourish elastin (Afterglo) – there’s no sugar! Both are made with Stevia so they taste great without adding any extra toxic sugar to your diet. It’s a win/win – 2 great products that feed your skin from the inside out, leaving your skin nourished and ready to fight another day!