Your biological age - the age of cells and tissues – is mostly influenced by your genes and lifestyle habits like diet
As you age, the foods that you eat begin to affect your health in a different way. What was accepted by your body in your 20s can give you severe allergies in your 40s. And so, according to experts, it is important to stick to a healthy diet all through to help you retain a fit body, and glowing, youthful skin.
Your biological age - the age of cells and tissues – is mostly influenced by your genes and lifestyle habits like diet. And so, studies believe that at least 15 per cent of your daily calories from ultra-processed foods make you biologically older than your chronological age.
Ultra-processed foods have also earned a bad reputation – as they are packed with calories, sugar, fat, and sodium. A few of these that you must for a healthy living include:
Sugar
According to studies, added sugar spikes biological ageing along with the risk of various life-threatening diseases like heart attacks and diabetes. High amounts of sugar in the blood damage your cells causing chronic inflammation – that causes obesity and liver damage in the long run.
Experts say ultra-processed foods comprise around 60 per cent of daily caloric intake in the US.
Processed meats
Processed and frozen meats are delicious yet loaded with preservatives and salt. And so, your bacon, sausage, ham, and deli cuts, which are smoked and cured so that they would last longer without going bad, make them dangerous for your health and skin.
According to experts, sodium and chemical preservatives cause inflammation that wears your body down inside and out. While doctors support a little inflammation as good for your body cells to heal, too much leads to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Alcohol
Alcohol heightens the risk of normal ageing and causes premature ageing of the brain as well. Chronic alcohol abuse causes extreme dehydration which dries your skin along with damage to the DNA in telomeres, which are repetitive DNA sequences that protect the ends of chromosomes. Telomere length is an indicator of biological ageing.
While heavy drinkers are more likely to have cirrhosis of the liver – which is permanent damage - even moderate drinking causes issues like fatty liver disease. It also can make it harder for your kidneys to work properly.
Sodas and energy drinks
Drinking sweetened soda beverages at least twice a week ages your body the fastest along with raising the risk of diseases and early death.
According to experts, fizzy drinks contribute mainly to obesity and type-2 diabetes – that speed up ageing. People who reported drinking a 350ml bottle of fizzy drink per day had DNA changes typical of cells 4.6 years older.
Spicy foods
While you may like your food hot, your body may not be able to take the heat. Experts say spicy food makes your blood vessels swell and even break – leading to purple marks on your face. If you have rosacea – a common skin condition in women after menopause, the heat from spice triggers a flare-up.
Spicy foods can also raise your body temperature, so you sweat to cool back down. When sweat mixes with the bacteria on your skin, it can cause breakouts and blotches.
According to a study, hot and spicy food intake is linked to Alzheimer-related cognitive decline as well.
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