Foods that contribute to ageing

As yet, no one has invented a way to stop time and prevent ageing from taking its toll on us. Every day it becomes more noticeable: wrinkles become more pronounced, blemishes and crow’s feet appear, the skin loses its natural glow and moisture, etc.

However, there are various ways to slow down and stop the effects of ageing. The most effective methods include following a balanced diet, doing sports and avoiding bad habits; this will keep you active, young and healthy.

If we focus on diet, if you want to combat and slow down ageing you should reduce your intake of/avoid eating certain foods that contribute to and accelerate the ageing process.

Foods that contribute to ageing

The following foods contribute to the ageing process due to their active ingredients, properties and effects on the body; it is therefore important to consume less of them and even, in certain cases, avoid them entirely.

• Coffee. Consuming too much coffee dehydrates your skin, leading to a dull complexion. It also stains your teeth and reduces the quality of your sleep, leading to puffiness and bags under your eyes.
• Sugary drinks, especially if they are carbonated. They lead to a build-up of gas, weight gain and health problems such as diabetes. Moreover, many of them contain high amounts of caffeine, which affects your sleep quality and, when combined with a lack of rest, reduces the elasticity of your skin.
• Processed meat.This contains additives that cause inflammation in the body, affecting collagen and skin elasticity. As a result, wrinkles are accentuated and expression lines appear.
• Simple carbohydrates such as rice cakes, white bread, etc. They have a high glycaemic index which reduces the elasticity of the skin and muscles. They can also cause insulin spikes, increasing blood sugar, which leads to weight gain.
• Salt. Consuming too much salt in your diet increases your blood pressure and decreases the amount of collagen you produce, leading to premature ageing. It can also cause dermatitis or dry skin as salt dehydrates you.
• Sugar. Consuming too much of this speeds up ageing by reducing the elasticity of the skin, which has a direct impact on your blood vessels, accelerating inflammation. It can also lead to diseases such as diabetes.
• Trans fats. These provide the body with empty calories and eating too much of them can clog your arteries.
• Alcohol. This causes very rapid dehydration, which is harmful to your health.
• Spicy foods. These dilate the blood vessels and cause them to rupture, which results in your skin losing its elasticity, firmness and natural colour.
• Red meat. This is high in carnitine. Too much of this substance hardens the capillaries and leads to premature ageing. So you should eat it no more than twice a week.
• Artificial preservatives. These contain sulphites that have a direct effect on blood vessels, leading to a loss of elasticity and the appearance of wrinkles in the skin.