Low-carb diet has many anti-aging benefits. Yes, you read that right!
Although you are informed of the weight loss benefits of eating less carbs, you’re probably less familiar with its ability to promote longevity.
A recent study titled The Effects of Low Carbohydrate Diet on Metabolic Changes in Aging, published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine, claims benefits of carbohydrates restriction against metabolic changes related to aging. With balanced diet of adequate proteins, fats, and nutrients, low-carb diet can result to preservation of muscle mass, reduced inflammation, and increased longevity.
“My research shows that the restriction of carbohydrates during middle-age may assist people in better adapting to many age-related diseases and dysfunctions,” explained Dr. Saad Sami Al Sogair, the study’s author and dermatologist based in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Restricted carbohydrate positively affects the metabolic pathways in tissues and organs, which improves an individual’s lifespan and prevents aging.
Carbohydrate restriction significantly lowers blood sugar and insulin, which in turn as anti-aging effects. How does this work exactly?
Effects of Sugar on Your Body
As your blood sugar rises after a hearty meal, your pancreas releases insulin to process it into energy or store it as fat for later use. High levels of sugar in the blood can be toxic and lethal. That is why the pancreas regulates blood sugar levels.
We help our body with sugar regulation when we make a choice of healthy foods like meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, and seed, among others. But with the typical Western diet of refined carbs, sugar, and processed foods, blood sugar rises alarmingly. With prolonged negligence, the cells in the body become more resistant and even more insulin is needed.
Sugar can make you age faster!
What high sugar levels do is that they trigger the body to produce complex proteins AGEs, an acronym for advanced glycation endproducts. If you notice, after you sliced the apple into half and let it sit, a yellowing occurs. That is called glycation.
The injured plant tissue is exposed to oxygen, which reacts with the amino acids in the apple to cause oxidation and a change in color.
How Does This Relate to Aging?
Like free radicals, AGEs circulate in the blood and causes damage to the cells and DNA. As they build up in the skin, wrinkles start to become more visible and blood vessels get damaged. Worse, these are also implicated in the development of chronic diseases like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and metabolic syndrome.
It’s good to get a few reminders on how certain foods can affect our skin and overall health. Healthline suggested the following food swaps for a healthier diet:
- Sweet potato fries for french fries. Fried and salty, french fries satisfies your craving department and AGEs production. Try sweet potatoes instead. They are rich in anti-aging copper, which aids in collagen production for a more supple skin.
- Sprouted bread for white bread. Foods with high glycemic index such as white bread can cause inflammation which directly relates to aging. Sprouted grain bead has no added sugar and contains antioxidants known to benefit the skin.
- Honey or fruit for white sugar. Sugar may contribute to unwanted breakouts, as it contributes to formation of collagen-damaging AGEs. Again, high blood sugar levels cause aging!
- Olive oil or avocados for margarine. Because it’s high in hydrogenated oils, margarine makes your skin more vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation which causes skin damage and wrinkle. Yes, olive oil and smear avocados are rich in anti-aging antioxidants.
- Poultry over processed meats. Processed meats are just plain harmful to the skin. The high amounts of sodium, saturated fats, and sulfite in hotdogs and bacons, for example, dehydrate the skin and weaken collagen. Go for poultry instead. They are packed with protein and amino acids for natural collagen production.
It may be impossible to totally do away with these foods, but always remind yourself of a balanced diet. You have learned already the benefits of low-carb diet in fighting signs of aging and improving your lifespan. Always go for variety, and make it a habit.
More and more people now are looking into food supplements that help them stay healthy. LifeBotanica’s Age Defying-Genetic Nutrition is packed with ingredients that are clinically proven to slow the ageing process and helps you achieve overall wellness. The product specifically targets the SIRT1 gene, also called “longevity gene.” It has been shown to effectively fight aging, which results to a longer and healthier life.
You can definitely choose to be healthy and young-looking!
