What?! It’s true. Sugar not only makes your pants tight-- it causes lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Sugar and processed carbohydrates that turn to sugar in the body (bread, pasta, cereal, etc.) are quickly converted to glucose in your bloodstream. The overload of glucose can cause a reaction called glycation, where excess sugar molecules attach themselves to collagen fibers and form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (or AGEs for short).
Collagen and elastin fibers are what keep the skin firm and elastic and when they’re damaged the skin looks less radiant, becomes less elastic, and is more vulnerable to lines, sagging, and sun damage. And…the more sugar you consume, the more AGEs you develop.
Come on you guys I’m telling you…sugar just isn’t a good thing! But that doesn’t mean you have to give up everything sweet. There are some simple (and painless) changes you can make. The amount of sugar you eat adds up during the day so making better choices will make a big difference.
I was doing a grocery shopping tour with one of my clients at Vitamin Cottage last week and we were looking at yogurt. I like Greek yogurt best because it’s much higher in protein than regular yogurt--but all Greek yogurt is not created equal.
First we looked at Wallaby Organic Plain Greek Yogurt. It contained 23 grams of protein and 6 grams of sugar per serving. There was no added sugar; the sugar came from the lactose in the milk. Right next to it was Wallaby Organic Vanilla Greek Yogurt. Get this…it contained 15 grams of protein and 21 grams of sugar—just from the switch from plain to vanilla!
Now you may be saying…”but the vanilla tastes better.” I agree, but how about if you create your own? Take the plain yogurt and add stevia and vanilla extract. Now you have vanilla yogurt with more protein and much less sugar! Add some nuts and/or berries and you will have a delicious light breakfast or snack.
Taking sugar out of your diet wherever you can will make a big difference in your health, in the way you look, and the way you feel!
