Ageing before your time ? It could be a sign of excessive sugar intake. Most people attest to being moderate when it comes to sugar intake, as evidenced in the rising demand for kopi or teh tarik kurang manis. However, this does not stop some people from taking in excess sugar (or carbohydrates in nutrition terms) without even realizing.
Too Much Of A Good Thing
Over the years, the kinds of foods with hidden sugar have risen tremendously. At the same time, there are also changes in lifestyles, where people in the new generation are more sedentary than before. As a result, the need for energy has gone down, but this decrease is not being balanced by a decrease in intake of high-carbohydrate foods.
Although we see people walking about seemingly healthy and normal, what we do not knows is that meal of nasi lemak or fried noodles has just caused a rise in blood sugar levels. So what is the big deal?
Well, excess sugar in the blood actually damages body tissues. This happens when excess sugar binds or attacks body proteins through a process called glycation. For example glycation causes excess sugar to bind to collagen under the skin resulting in premature ageing - wrinkling and age spots. Sugar molecules also attacks protein which constitutes blood vessels, the eye and nerves leading to damage at these sites (diabetic aging). The alarming thing is that glycation not only affects diabetics but occurs in everyone, causing varying degrees of tissue damage. So one can actually be young yet have “old” skin or eyes or nerves!
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