1. Refined Sugar, Refined Carbohydrates / White Flour

Research indicates that sugars can damage your skin by forming a harmful waste that can prematurely age skin. When you consume too much sugar, excess sugar molecules stick to the protein fibers, binding them together, producing harmful wastes and free radicals that will effect the elastic ability of protein fibres.

High levels of refined sugar in the bloodstream can cause the inflammation of the skin and excessive amounts of free radicals leading to cell damage and reduce of collagen. Since collagen is necessary for firm skin, this will lead to wrinkles and other skin blemishes.

Sugar can also lower the body’s immune system leading to various illnesses, and can even directly lead to conditions such as diabetes, fatigue, anxiety, tooth decay, heart disease, cancer, hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

Reduce the amount of sugar you eat and you will soon notice a positive change in the way your skin looks. The reason for this is that refined carbohydrates such as white bread and other white flour products, are high in sugar and will cause an inflammation of the skin.

2. Alcohol

Your liver works overtime when alcohol is consumed. The more alcohol you take into your body, the greater the chance of damaging your liver.  Without a properly functioning liver, your body will have a difficult time absorbing the nutrients required for healthy skin. Large consumption of alcohol will also dehydrate your body, making you skin dull and lifeless as well as causing dilated capillaries. Over a period of time, these dilated and broken capillaries becomes permanent.

As with all foods and drink – drink in moderation

3. Salty Snacks

A pack of salty chips is delicious, but what is it doing to your skin? Salt causes tissues to swell, and the subsequent deflating results in less elastic skin. This results in bloating, puffy eyelids, and bags under your eyes. Have you noticed how your face gets puffed up if you’ve eaten too many salty snacks the previous day?

4. Fried Foods

The Chinese believe that acne and blemishes are tied to inefficient and incomplete digestion, which results in toxic metabolites that show up on the skin. Fatty fried foods inhibits normal digestive and filtering functions for the liver and gallbladder making it harder for the body to clear unwanted waste. The accumulation of this waste leads to unwanted skin conditions like acne and wrinkles. Also oils that are heated to very high temperatures (deep frying temperatures), a nasty compound which kills skin cells called 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal is released.

5. Excessive Caffeinated Drink

Caffeine is also a diuretic, so it saps your body and skin of moisture. Another problem with caffeine is that it activates your adrenal glands, raising your levels of stress hormones.