Sugar is the enemy.
I know this because I’ve been battling my cravings for over six months. It’s harder to beat than heroin. Not that I’ve done heroin, mind you; I’d rather mainline chocolate than heroin. But that’s what got me into trouble in the first place.
Last year, I was diagnosed with diabetes. As soon as my endocrinologist informed me flatly I should avoid sugar at all costs, I felt like an anvil had fallen on my head.
“But with all the drugs now, I should be able to have some chocolate, right?”
“No,” she said, “not right.”
After telling me that refined sugar was on my no-eat list, my doctor recommended I avoid any high-glycemic foods that rapidly convert to sugar. White carbs (white bread, pasta and rice for example), processed foods (candy, chips, chocolate, basically everything you love), soda and packaged beverages are just some of the culprits.
According to skincare guru Dr. Nicholas Perricone, these simple carbs deliver an insulin spike, which causes inflammation. These inflammations can manifest in various ways: wrinkles, sagging skin—due to collagen and elastin breakdown; and for those with acne, it can also cause breakouts.
A study by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that, in a trial among healthy young men, “low to moderate sugar-sweetened beverage consumption impairs glucose and lipid metabolism and promotes inflammation.” In a span of three weeks, the subjects drank one or two cans of soda daily. The results? A can per day resulted in an 87 percent increase in inflammation, while those who ingested double that experienced a 105 percent rise. And the study was quick to clarify that these were otherwise healthy specimens. Most of us have no qualms having soda, sugary iced tea or packaged fruit drinks with every meal.
The change
About a week or two after skipping sugar, I already noticed a difference.
“Your skin looks brighter,” I remember my friend Ria telling me. “I guess your skin used to be gray.”
It’s true. Sugar can dull skin, as well as increase pore size and sebum production. If you have oily, greasy skin, the answer may lie with your sugar consumption.
It’s been six months since I’ve quit sugar and I discovered that healthy skin isn’t built on skincare products alone. While my pores haven’t really changed (and probably never will), the quality of my skin has improved markedly. The dull sheen is gone, and am less prone to an oily T-zone.
Thanks to my new diet, I’ve minimized my skincare regimen, skipping pore refiners and toners. Now it’s simply three steps: cleanse, moisturize, SPF. A tinted moisturizer from Dr. Perricone (available at Rustan’s) cuts it down to two, which in this humid heat is really for the best.
What you can do
Not every diet needs to be as drastic as mine. If you’re lucky enough to eat chocolates without your doctor committing hara kiri over your lack of discipline, then by all means indulge. But choose dark chocolate which contains less sugar than milk chocolate.
If carbs are a necessary evil, then aim for a healthier compromise: complex carbohydrates like black rice and dark breads. Better yet, spend your appetite on vegetables. Cucumbers have zero calories so you can munch on as many as you like. I eat mine with hummus, made fresh from Rustan’s Deli or from Hummus Elijah who delivers (check him out on Food Panda) or Beni’s Falafel on Makati Avenue.
Opt for whole grains, legumes and nuts as a main course. Proteins like beans can make a meal. I do a mean lentil salad with raw bell peppers and a mustard vinaigrette. Or a bean stew with plenty of slow roasted onions and hearty seasonal vegetables.
High fiber ingredients help with digestion and aid in lowering inflammation, so look for broccoli and cauliflower during your next trip to the supermarket.
Sugar hides in most foods. Even at restaurants that claim to offer “healthy” options, sometimes sugar makes its way via the dressing or sauce. The safest route is to prepare your own food. That way you can be sure it’s devoid of sugar and other additives.
Trust me, your skin—and doctor—will thank you.
