Swagatalakshmi Roychowdhury
Sugar
If you suffer from acne breakouts often, your diet may contain too much refined sugar, especially white sugar.
When you eat a lot of sugar, some of it sticks to the proteins (like collagen and elastin) that keep your skin firm and elastic. This forms harmful compounds, which make those proteins stiff and hard to repair. As a result, skin ages faster. Instead of white sugar, you can try jaggery powder, honey or good old fruits to curb those cravings!
Soda
Soda is bad, both in terms of its sugar and caffeine content. It can cause premature cellular aging and impact your lifespan.
Studies suggest that regular soda intake, particularly sugary drinks, can accelerate the shortening of telomeres (protective units at the ends of chromosomes) and cause biological aging.
Alcohol
Alcohol, even a glass of it, can do more harm than good. It causes bloating, redness, puffiness, loss of collagen and wrinkles. It can also deplete your nutrients, hydration and vitamin A levels— so much for a night of drunken haze!
Dairy
There are mixed results on dairy constituting a part of our diet. It may increase inflammation for some. It can also raise oxidative stress, which is one of the biggest components leading to premature aging.
Swap dairy products with plant based substituents where possible.
Red meat
Red meat may not be bad inherently, but too much of it can be harmful, especially when consumed in processed formats like sausages, hot dogs, pepperoni and bacon on pizza.
Processed meat contain sodium, saturated fats and sulfite, which can all dehydrate the skin and weaken collagen by causing inflammation. Try chicken and turkey instead.