While some of us age more gracefully than others, wrinkles are an inevitable part of life. You may already know that overexposure to sun, along with lifestyle factors like smoking, can lead to premature aging-but did you know that the foods and drinks you consume have the same effect?
While it’s not possible to turn back the clock, it’s easy to keep things off your plate and out of your cup so you stay younger-looking for longer. That’s also why we spoke with a dietician to determine one of the worst drinks for inducing wrinkles and sagging skin. Keep scrolling to learn more!
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Sugary Caffeinated Beverages
Sugar-laden caffeinated beverages are a big miss for those over 50, or anyone wanting to prevent sagging skin. That’s because your daily to-go order of iced coffee is actually a skin-aging double whammy. Yikes!
“First, caffeine can lead to dehydration by replacing hydrating water or other liquids, acting as a diuretic in the body and ridding it of excess water,” registered dietician Trista Best explains. “Lack of water causes the skin to become dehydrated and prone to wrinkles.”
During the day, we’re also exposed to skin-stressors like UV rays, but our cells repair themselves overnight while we sleep. Too much caffeine interferes with sleep quality, messing up this vital rejuvenation time and showing up as wrinkles on our faces.
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Beyond the dehydrating effects of caffeine, sugar also contributes to premature aging. “Sugar and artificial sweeteners can reduce the amount of collagen and elastin proteins in the skin,” Trista tells us. “This ultimately leads to the skin becoming more susceptible to sagging and wrinkles.”
When you consume sugar (whether in food or drink) it causes your insulin levels to rise, triggering inflammation in the skin. And since inflammation is a key component of acne breakouts, you could also see an increase in skin flare-ups, as well as wrinkles.
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But for those of us who enjoy sugary, caffeinated beverages-what can be done? It’s hard to cut out drinks that we love! Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious AND healthy choices to help fill the iced-coffee-shaped hole in your life.
Try switching out your morning coffee routine for a cup of hot green tea, which helps ward off wrinkles by fighting inflammation and improving the skin’s elasticity. As an added plus, green tea is highly-inflammatory and packed full of antioxidants. It protects the skin against free radical damage and stops wrinkles from forming for a more youthful appearance.
