Sugar may not be so sweet after all

Do you lick your lips at the thought of a sugar-coated treat? This article may make you think twice as experts have revealed consuming too much refined sugar can speed up the ageing process just as rapidly as sun exposure.

But the discovery is not new as nutritionists and dermatologists have, in recent years, warned about the link between refined sugar and the effect on the skin.

While basking in the sun’s rays is known to cause premature ageing, little is known about the effect of diet on our skin.

When contacted by DPS eNews, a spokesperson at Dietitians Association of Australia said sugars – which may be naturally occurring or added – are found in carbohydrate foods and are the main source of energy for your brain and muscles.

Refined sugars can come from plants such as sugar cane and can then be added to food or drink such as cakes, biscuits and soft drinks.

The spokesperson said excessive sugar consumption could be detrimental to health as it contributed to the energy content of food and had been associated with tooth decay.

Research has suggested consuming too much refined sugar causes harmful molecules, called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), to form in the body, which are said to damage collagen and elastin.

Supporting this research is South Australian personal trainer, Sasha Patsakios, who tells DPS eNews, refined sugar is a “poison to the human body to say the least”.

“It places a lot of stress on the digestive system and when it comes to ageing, an excess consumption of sugar can damage the collagen and elastin protein fibres in your skin causing it to become brittle and dry,” she said.

Antioxidants, which can help keep the skin looking healthy, are also reduced by too much refined sugar in the diet. Experts have suggested “hidden” sugars in white bread, breakfast cereal, muesli bars, sports drinks and flavoured yoghurts, are concerning factors.

Reducing sugar intake can make a significant difference to the appearance of the skin, but it will not “magically reduce wrinkles”, experts claim.

“You’re not going to change your skin by diet alone. I’m afraid it’s not going to have a big impact. It probably helps the body as a unit but you can’t eat yourself to better skin,” Sydney dermatologist, Dr Phillip Artemi, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

However, while a healthy diet is pivotal to a person’s well-being, the sun apparently “wins out” in the ageing stakes.

“There are many factors behind skin ageing and wrinkles but I have no doubt that first on the list is sun damage,” Dr Artemi claimed.