Ever noticed how two people of the exact same age can look a decade apart? Good complexion is one of the first things we notice when we meet someone. And an anti-inflammatory diet with lots of whole foods is one of the major factors contributing to the health and appearance of our skin.
At the same time, there are some foods to avoid if you want younger looking skin and avoid health problems. In today’s video, we’re going to explore 12 of the worst inflammatory foods for your skin.
By learning about these foods, you’ll be able to eliminate or minimize them in your diet, delay aging and achieve a naturally healthy and youthful complexion – without cosmetic surgery.
Make sure you watch all the way to Number 1, because you’ll be surprised by some of the “healthy” foods on this “avoid” list!
As always, this video is educational and does not construe medical advice, we are not doctors.
Number 12. Wheat-Based Foods.
Did you know that eating wheat, even whole wheat, can speed up the aging process in your body? The wheat we eat nowadays is a scientifically engineered food product that is super high in starch and gluten.
Most people don’t know this, but wheat contains an unusual carbohydrate called Amylopectin-A, which has been found in studies to spike blood sugar and insulin many times more than table sugar. There is no difference between whole wheat and white flour.
If your blood sugar is consistently high, your body will produce higher amounts of age-accelerating substances called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) during a natural process called glycation.
The elevated amounts of AGEs makes your body store more belly fat, trigger inflammation and give you a fatty liver, leading to a cascade of health problems starting with obesity and diabetes. Not to mention it damages the collagen in your skin, making you look older.
Celiac disease is just one of the health issues caused by eating gluten. Gluten damages your gut lining, causing bacteria and toxins to leak through your gut barrier and trigger immune-system reactions. This causes inflammation in your body, which shows up through a swollen face, pigmentation, pimples, and skin redness.
To top it all, wheat is addictive and makes you eat more! By simply removing pasta, breads, bagels, pretzels, cereals, muffins, and other baked goods from your diet, you can be healthier and look up to 10 years younger!
Consider replacing wheat with gluten-free amaranth, buckwheat, millet, brown rice, and quinoa.
Number 11. Corn-Based Foods.
Corn oil, corn chips, corn cereal, and corn syrup are starchy foods that raise your blood sugar, which causes AGEs that make your skin age faster.
The fructose in high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is especially damaging. It causes the formation of many times more AGEs in your body than glucose!
Corn-based foods also contain excessive amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids which cause Omega-3 to Omega-6 imbalance, which further causes body inflammation and oxidation. Reduce or avoid corn-based foods as much as possible!
Number 10. Sugar.
Many people are not aware that a diet high in sugar will make you age faster. Sugar damages your skin through glycation, which we mentioned earlier. Sugar produces harmful AGEs, which damages the building blocks of your skin – collagen and elastin. Too much sugar directly contributes to wrinkles, age spots, blemishes, lackluster skin, and cellulite, and causes fatty liver disease.
So think twice before you consume sugary desserts and cereals, candy, flavored yogurts, agave, fruit juice, and energy drinks!
And, let’s not forget that processed foods like cookies, salad dressings, and sweetened drinks are full of high fructose corn syrup which is the worst sugar for your skin and overall health!
Number 9. Vegetable Oils.
While vegetables oils like soybean, canola, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils, and cottonseed oil sound “healthy”, these polyunsaturated fats have been excessively processed and become rancid through extreme heat.
These vegetable oils cause a lot of inflammation in your body and promote rapid aging, wrinkles, and increase skin damage from the sun.
Avoid vegetable oils as much as you can. Go for healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, virgin coconut oil (containing MCT fats), and grass-fed butter (a good source of healthy CLA fats).
Number 8. Deep-Fried Foods.
Deep-fried foods like French fries and fried chicken are high in artificial trans fats and AGEs. These fried foods are often cooked in vegetable oils, which promote inflammation, as mentioned earlier. Eating deep-fried foods regularly, increases the risk for diabetes and heart disease and causes cellular damage that weakens the skin’s elasticity.
Number 7. Margarine.
Margarine is high in partially hydrogenated oils, another name for artificial trans fats. Unlike the naturally occurring trans fats found in dairy and meat, artificial trans fats have been shown to cause inflammation in the gut and increase the risk for diseases. These trans fatty acids make the skin more vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation which can damage the skin’s collagen and elasticity and increase wrinkles.
Number 6. Dairy.
The type of milk to avoid is the conventional variety that come from cows raised in confinement, and fed grain-based diets. While some people have seen clearer skin after dropping dairy, others have not noticed any difference. Try A2 milk or pasture-raised, grass-fed milk, butter and cheese if you can, or if you are lactose intolerant. Dairy Fat is a great source of Vitamin k2, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and Omega-3 fats which help keep the skin young and supple as you age.
Number 5. High-sodium foods.
Consuming too much salt can draw water out from the skin and lead to dehydration. This leads to water retention and a puffy, tired appearance. Over time, a high-salt diet depletes your collagen reserves, which result in visible aging of your skin. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease. Avoid processed foods like frozen meals, canned soups, sauces, potato chips, and processed meats as they are high in sodium.
Number 4. Alcohol.
If you want healthy, dewy skin, avoid alcohol or drink in moderation, and drink lots of water. While an occasional glass of wine doesn’t harm, drinking alcohol dehydrates the skin, making fine lines and wrinkles more obvious. It also causes inflammation and acne and rosacea outbreaks. And it robs the body of vitamin A, an antioxidant that’s essential for cell renewal. Alcohol includes banana flambé and Pina Coladas!
Number 3. Processed meats.
Processed meats like pepperoni, bacon, sausages, and deli meats are not only high in sodium, they are full of preservatives (nitrates) and additives (sulfite and phosphate). These substances dehydrate your skin and weaken collagen. You’re better off getting animal protein from grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, bone broth, fish, and eggs, which help your body produce collagen.
Number 2. Coffee.
The way you drink coffee can cause you to look older. The caffeine in coffee is a diuretic, which means if you drink coffee in excess, it will dehydrate your body, cause toxin buildup, inflammation, and collagen loss. The other reasons why coffee can be bad for your skin come from drinking poor quality coffee which cause gut inflammation, and the milk, white sugar, and syrup you add to it.
Therefore, if you only drink 1-2 cups of organic black coffee a day, or use an unsweetened non-dairy creamer, coffee is a healthy source of antioxidants which is beneficial for your overall health and your skin!
Number 1. Soda.
Soft drinks, including zero-sugar and zero-calorie options, are full of high fructose corn syrup and promotes inflammation, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease. What’s more, the AGEs discussed earlier speed up skin aging on a nuclear level. In addition, studies have shown that the high levels of phosphates in soda accelerate signs of aging and thinning skin, and the caramel color used in colas directly leads to wrinkles. You really do not want soda in your diet.
So, by reducing and eliminating these 12 foods from your diet you will achieve a naturally healthy, radiant skin without expensive skincare products.
Everyone has a different reaction to food. What foods have you noticed have an aging effect for you?
Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.
If you enjoyed this video, Like, Share and Subscribe and Turn on Notifications so you never miss a video.
To get daily health tips for optimizing your nutrition and lifestyle so you can feel amazing naturally, join our FREE email newsletter by clicking the link below.
And be sure to check out our other videos!