How Sugar is Making You Look Older

Everyone knows that sugar is one of the biggest-if not the biggest-obstacle when it comes to controlling weight. But it's also a major, and often underestimated, factor in aging, thanks to glycation.

Glycation is a process in which oxidized glucose covers the surface of proteins in the body, such as collagen, making them work less efficiently. The visible effects of glycation are premature wrinkles, puffy-looking skin, inflammation of the skin, and excess body fat near the waistline.

Obviously, reducing sugar-intake can curb this effect. Aside from checking how many grams of sugar a food item has in the Nutrition Facts section of its label, look in the ingredients for words like fructose, corn syrup, glucose, dextrose, maltose and sucrose. These are all other names for sugar and sugary ingredients, so do your best to limit or avoid them.