The more we learn about food and drinks, the more we understand the direct positive and negative impacts they can have on our appearance. While anti-aging products are a great way to combat wrinkles and to provide added moisture, eliminating various food and drink from your diet can provide you with an even greater advantage in the fight against bad skin and premature aging.
The Biggest Culprits
The biggest food, and drink, culprits of contributing to bad skin do so by causing inflammation, damaging collagen, dehydrating your skin, and damaging your DNA. Foods containing simple carbohydrates and refined products are two of such culprits. These include foods and ingredients such as artificial syrups, candy, chips, desserts, soda, sugar, white bread, white pasta, and white rice. Many complex carbohydrates are generally good for you such as whole grains and legumes; however, simple carbohydrates are a different story. Simple carbs spike your blood sugar levels and act almost as refined sugar, which is detrimental to the state of your skin and your aging process. In addition to simple carbs, you should be mindful of salty foods, fried foods, fast food, trans fats, and processed and overcooked meats. You know, all the insanely delicious foods that most of us struggle not to overindulge on too often even if we know they are bad for us. The same goes for beverages, adult or otherwise.
Drinks Cause Damage, Too
It is widely accepted by medical professionals that alcohol and soda are significant contributors to bad skin; however, a number of additional drinks may cause more harm than you realize. Coffee is another. While it is said to be fine in small quantities, if you drink several cups or more a day, this may be contributing to the state and health of your skin. Also, many of those fresh fruit drinks you enjoy, and perhaps serve the youngsters at home, are filled with added sugars with very little real fruit juice.
To make your purchasing decisions even more complicated and confusing, according to a number of studies, non-organic milk may contribute to spikes in insulin, inflammation, and increase the production of oil. These are attributed to the additives included by manufacturers such as growth hormones and the high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. Organic milk may be something to splurge on in future as more research is conducted. Another beverage you might enjoy on a regular basis that may not be the healthy alternative you seek are smoothies. Sure, the natural sugars from fruit are generally positive, however most smoothies purchased rather than homemade may have a significant amount of added sugar. The same can be said for many frozen yogurt places and even flavored yogurt. Be sure to read the dietary information or ask an employee before you take the plunge into a frozen or blended treat on a regular basis.
These May Surprise You
One of the hidden surprises in food you might think are good for you, but are secretly contributing to your poor-looking skin, are foods that hide as simple carbs. One surprising food that is hiding in plain sight as simple carbs is rice cakes. Another surprise lies within foods labeled as healthy. Many of these foods, including some granolas, are loaded with hidden ingredients such as fructose and other sugar types. While these items may contain healthy foods like whole grain oats, be sure to read the label for the entire story. And, over the years, there has been much speculation over whether to choose real butter or margarine. Studies published by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition and the journal of Food and Toxicology released research showing that margarine can actually increase the wrinkling of the skin as it acts as a dehydrator, and it may also cause inflammation.
Healthy and natural food is big business right now as more individuals grow increasingly concerned with the foods put into our bodies. To provide your skin with the best possible advantage, read labels before you buy. And, try to avoid anything unnatural or refined; stick to fruits and vegetables over junk food when you can resist the temptation, and do not forget to quit smoking and drink plenty of water each day. Easy peasy, right? Many doctors say you do not have to eliminate these items from your diet entirely, but rather simply consume in moderation. Even making small changes over time can help to make your skin appear softer, clearer, and more youthful.