If you want young and glowing skin for a long time, then it is very important to pay attention to your diet. Recently a nutritionist made a post in which he said that the title of the post read ‘Low sugar diet will make you age faster and collagen powder will not be able to fix this. However, he admitted that sugar is the root cause of most diseases.

In such a situation, it is important to know whether eating sugar really makes the skin a victim of early ageing? According to experts, consuming excessive amounts of sugar can have a negative effect on the skin. Actually, sugar increases a process in the body called “glycation”, due to which the collagen and elastin of the skin starts weakening. This is the reason why wrinkles, fine lines and looseness start appearing on the face before time.

Does skin need sugar?

According to dermatologists, the skin does not directly need refined sugar. The body definitely needs glucose, but we get it easily from complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

• These foods also provide fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.
• Which helps in keeping the skin healthy and glowing.
• At the same time, processed or added sugar does not provide any special benefit to the skin.
• Added sugar should not exceed 5–10% of total daily calories.

How does excess sugar increase skin aging?

According to experts, the negative effect of high sugar diet on the skin has been well proven.

1. Glycation process increases

• When there is too much sugar in the blood, it starts a process called “glycation” by attaching to collagen and elastin.
• Due to this the structural proteins of the skin become hard.
• Their elasticity reduces.

2. Symptoms of aging start appearing

• fine lines and wrinkles
• looseness of skin
• dull and lifeless skin

Does sugar also increase acne and hormonal issues?

According to experts, excess sugar not only increases aging but also increases many skin and health problems.

• Blood sugar spikes increase insulin.
• Androgen hormones increase due to increase in insulin.
• This can cause problems like acne, oily skin and hair fall.
• The risk of PCOD and metabolic disorders increases.
• Fat accumulates around the stomach.
• Hormonal imbalance gets worse.

Can a low sugar diet cause skin damage?

According to experts, low-sugar diet is beneficial for the skin.

• reduction in acne
• less inflammation
• Skin looks more stable and clear
• If the diet becomes too restrictive (like completely cutting out carbs or calories), the skin can become dry and dull because the body is unable to get the nutrients it needs.

What is the real relationship between sugar and collagen?

There is a connection between sugar and collagen, but it is often misunderstood. Excess sugar damages collagen through glycation. Less sugar helps in protecting collagen, but the things necessary for collagen formation are-

• protein
• Vitamin C
• zinc
• Balanced Nutrition

That means sugar is not necessary to increase collagen. Yes, sugar in excess can accelerate skin aging. But it is not necessary to give up sugar completely, the real focus should be on a balanced diet.