As it turns out, sugar is a top offender when it comes to exacerbating the aging process and downright ruining your epidermis.
There’s no getting around it: The foods we eat do, undoubtedly, have an effect on our skin. And as it turns out, sugar is a top offender when it comes to exacerbating the aging process and downright ruining your epidermis.To be clear, we are not talking about natural sugars (think: whole fruits, veggies, and some dairy) that come with added health benefits like fiber and antioxidants. Rather, we’re talking about added sugars which are added during the processing of packaged foods and do not provide any nutrients.
So, what happens when you actually— gulp— cut our sugar from your diet? A lot of great stuff, apparently.
Read on below as 9 people open up about how their faces transformed when they finally broke up with the white stuff.
“After learning about research suggesting excess sugar in the blood (diabetics in particular) causes premature aging, I decided to reduce my sugar intake by double. Surprise, surprise: It definitely helped my skin. It feels smoother and tighter— I love it!”— Kristin C., 30
“I’ve done it and it’s really helped me. I moved into my own apartment two months ago and told myself I wasn’t going to bring any junk food into the house. I’m thinking the lack of sugar + increase in veggies in my diet has really helped clear up my skin. I still have sugar, junk food, beer, etc, but now it’s more like a few times a week rather than a few times a day.”— Amy L., 27
“It improved my skin A LOT. I did it way longer than 2-3 weeks though.
It is quite difficult, and it’s especially annoying when people comment on it and ask ‘why you’re being so healthy’.”— David F., 30
“I have seen a lot of improvements in my health in general from removing sugar from my diet (mostly – still indulge in small amounts of dark chocolate from time-to-time, and of course there are birthdays and holidays), but I have definitely been able to cut back on blemish treatments.”— Sandra T., 25
“I had to go on a keto diet due to chronic medical issues. This is a super low carb diet.
The only sugar/carbs I have had for a month now: Berries, leafy green vegetables, nuts, avocados, broccoli and squash.
My skin is looking fantastic. It’s clear and soft. I didn’t change anything else and I don’t do anything for my skin aside from washing and sunscreen. I’m quite amazed as I wasn’t expecting this. More anecdotal info for you.
I also stopped having gut pain, brain fog, and migraines triggered by food.” — Steven L., 33
“I cut sugar/carbs/dairy (I started with keto and am transitioning to a more veg – based diet) and my skin is the best it has been in ages – clear, smooth, and even in tone. I’m thrilled with it!”— Rachel E., 31
“When I cut added sugars from my diet, it was on a whim to just try and get healthier. That said, the inflamed acne on my chin disappeared pretty much overnight. What’s more, the incidence of inflamed/swollen acne decreased overall as well. It’s amazing what small changes to your diet can do!” Laura G., 23
“My stoplight red cheeks stopped being stoplight red. This was my main skin issue. Used to have very sensitive skin and the red would shine through any layers of makeup. Would feel warm and unpleasant if it was hot, exposed to sun, if I cleaned my face (even OCM), if I touched it… I have rosacea in the family but I never went to a dermatologist so idk. It’s not a problem anymore though. At all. I can’t even provoke it to make it appear. Amazing.”— Michelle G., 29
“I stopped breaking out when I did a low carb diet. I started the diet for weight loss (was very successful) as I had high blood pressure. Was not expecting such a dramatic effect on my skin. It’s seriously like night and day, and I wish I’d tried it before. Hopefully, sticking to this long term will also help me shed a few pounds— and eventually see a drop in blood pressure too.” Jonathan P., 39