Is your diet ageing you?

It's common knowledge that eating lots of unhealthy foods will impact overall health - affecting not only the internal organs, but how you look and feel on the outside as well.

If you are consuming unhealthy foods on a regular basis, you are exposing your body to numerous toxic ingredients that could be making you feel and look older than you are. Your energy levels are probably very low you will be lacking vital nutrients that help keep skin, hair and internal organs healthy.

So in order to give your body the boost it needs to act and look your age, here’s five key ingredients to consider cutting from your diet:

Hydrogenated oils (trans fats)

Hydrogenated oils (trans fats) are found naturally at low levels in a number of foods, but are most prominent in processed varieties such as cakes and biscuits to give them a better shelf life. Heavy consumption of trans fats is linked to a number of health problems, including high cholesterol, heart disease and strokes - all of which can make you feel and look older than you are. We recommend avoiding products that mention hydrogenated fats on the label and use vegetable oils to fry your food.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

A large number of drinks and processed foods contain this artifical sweetener, which is considered to be a contributing factor in rising obesity rates. Heavy consumption of HFCS is also linked to liver disease and tooth decay, which are guaranteed to make your look and feel older than you are. The main issue with HFCS is that it contains an average of 80% fructose in comparison to table sugar, which has only 50%.

Refined salt

Having too much salt in your diet will not only cause heart problems, kidney stones and raised blood pressure, but it is also linked to water retention which can lead to heavy bloating and discomfort. Adults are recommended no more than 6g (one teaspoon) of salt a day, but many do not realise salt features in a number of everyday foods such as bread and cereals - not just junk food varieties. Checking nutrition labels is crucial to cutting down on this ageing ingredient.

Processed meat

Bacon, sausages, ham slices in your sandwich - these all contain high levels of preservatives which can cause skin irritations and inflammation, among other problems. Processed meat can also interrupt the body's ability to produce collagen - which is what keeps skin looking firm and youthful - and numerous studies have shown the ageing impact of processed meats on internal organs, particularly the heart.

Alcohol

When you consume alcohol, your liver is responsible for eliminating the toxins you are putting into your body. After this process, the liver needs time to recover, but if you are an excessive drinker it will not be able to repair itself effectively. Whatever contaminants your liver cannot process will come out on your skin. Acne, rosacea and wrinkles are all thought to be linked to built-up toxins in the liver. Furthermore, alcohol makes your body crave fatty foods and can cause dehydration - both of which are linked to feeling and looking older than you are.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Nutritionist Resource are reviewed by our editorial team.

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