Wrinkles to dull skin; how too much sugar can harm your skin health, expert explains

Poor diet not only leads to diabetes or high cholesterol levels, it also affects your skin in a number of ways. Here's how too much sugar can impact your skin.

Skin problems are not just caused by allergies, weather or diseases. Nutrition to a great extent affects your skin and thus your appearance. The better you eat, the better you will look and need less make-up to hide your flaws. While eating nutrient-dense foods rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins can work wonders for your skin and makes it shiny, eating excessively sugary foods can do the reverse. Overeating sugar-laden foods can cause inflammation and one may experience more acne, pimple and damaged skin. Your sweet tooth can also rapidly increase wrinkles and lead to sagging of skin. (Also read: Diabetes: 5 things you should do to manage post-lunch sugar spikes)

Overeating sugar-laden foods can cause inflammation and one may experience more acne, pimple and damaged skin. (Shutterstock)

Consuming fresh vegetables, fruits, coconut water, fish, citrus fruits, spinach, nuts and seeds, seafood can also contribute to healthy skin.

Nutritionist Nmami Agarwal says everything sweet can turn everything bitter for your skin and explains how excess sugar can harm your skin.

Here are 3 reasons why sugar consumption harms your skin:

Inflammation and acne

Consuming excessive amounts of sugar can lead to increased inflammation in the body, which can manifest as acne on the skin. High sugar intake can cause a spike in insulin levels, leading to the production of excess sebum, clogged pores, and the growth of acne-causing bacteria.

Increases wrinkles and sagging

Sugar can promote a process called glycation, where sugar molecules attach to collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, making it less resilient and more prone to wrinkles and cause premature aging. The advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formation is increased by increased insulins. These AGEs can damage collagen and elastin fibres, leading to loss of skin elasticity, increased wrinkles, and sagging.

Increased sebum production

Consuming high amounts of sugar can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels, leading to a spike in insulin production. Elevated insulin levels can stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. This excess sebum can contribute to oily skin and potentially clogged pores, increasing the likelihood of acne breakouts or tired and dull skin.