Aging of the skin is an inevitable process and after certain age, we all face various issues like wrinkles, speckles, sagging and so on.

Various factors can contribute on how our skin ages, right from the lifestyle, diet, hereditary, exposure to sun to personal habits.

Primary reasons behind aging of the skin include excessive exposure to UV rays, pollution and loss of subcutaneous tissue support between skin and muscles, while the secondary factors are often triggered by stress, obesity, sleeping position and mostly smoking as it produces free radicals, damaging healthy skin cells.

However, at any age diet plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy, glowing skin.

Our diet has a direct influence on Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), one of the main reasons behind aging of the skin that forms when fat combines with sugar triggering major damage of skin cells.

If you are spotting premature wrinkles, sagging of the skin and worried about keeping it intact- learn what you shouldn’t be eating to slowdown the process of skin aging.

Deep Fried Items:

French fries, sweet potato fries, fritters, bajjis are a strict no-no if you want a healthy skin. Deep fried foods in oil at high temperatures release free radicals affecting the DNA and the elasticity of the skin. Too much salt in deep fried stuff can make skin deprived of water, leading to dehydration, ultimately leading to wrinkles.

High GI Foods:

Foods made from refined flour, white bread, refined carbs form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE), causing severe inflammation under the skin and speed up the process of aging.

White Sugar:

If you often suffer from acne breakouts and other skin flareups, say goodbye to white sugar, right now. Sugar is the main culprit behind the damage of collagen and forms AGEs. High levels of sugar stimulate AGEs causing irreparable damage.

Aerated Drinks:

Aerated drinks are high in caffeine and soda and can interfere with your sleep pattern. A disturbed sleep is directly linked to several signs of aging, fine lines, crows’ feet around eyes, fine lines and dark circles.

Alcohol:

Alcohol is not just bad for inner health but also for your skin. Alcoholic drinks can lead to loss of collagen, wrinkles, puffiness besides depletion of nutrients, vitamins in the body. It brings down the levels of vitamin A, which plays an important role in the production of collagen and generates the growth of new cells.

Additional Foods That Cause Early Ageing

White Bread

Due to a high GI, white bread can cause inflammation in the body which is related to the aging process. If you are a bread lover, try an alternative to traditional bread, such as wholewheat and multi-grain options, and the ones with no added sugar. Sprouted breads are a great option too as they contain antioxidants that are beneficial to the skin.

Processed Meat

All forms of processed meats can be harmful to the skin. For example, hot dogs, pepperoni, bacon, and sausage are high in sodium, saturated fats, and sulphite. All these dehydrate the skin and weaken collagen. For protein intake swap processed meats for different forms of beans or poultry-based non-vegetarian alternatives.

Charred Meat

Charred meat consists of pro-inflammatory hydrocarbons that can cause harm to your health. Charred meats break the collagen in the body, which leads to premature aging. Avoid them to stay younger-looking.

Spicy Foods

Since the heat from the spices increases inflammation in the body, eating spicy food can make the skin red and blotchy. It can also lead to acne and breakouts and accelerate the aging process.

Salty Foods

Though salt is essential to our bodies, consuming it in excess can lead to water retention in the body which can accelerate aging. Moreover, regular consumption of salty foods can cause loss of water from the skin making it age faster.