Carbs: Bad for your skin?

Carbs are an important source of energy, but we tend to eat too many of them and not enough protein. In addition, some of us go for more than a few hours without eating a meal, then eat a lot in one sitting. This is bad because eating a lot of carbs can lead to sharp spikes in your blood sugar level, which can then wreak havoc on your skin.

High blood sugar can trigger oil production and worsen acne. For example, in one study, volunteers who were fed a diet consisting of 55 percent carbs, 15 percent protein, and 30 percent fat (a typical modern diet) had a 20 percent increase in their levels of androgens (the acne-causing “male” hormones that stimulate oil glands) after just one week. Meanwhile, a group of volunteers who ate a diet that was 25 percent protein, 45 percent carbs, and 30 percent fat had balanced blood sugar and lower levels of androgens after seven days.

We also know that high blood sugar can lead to premature aging. Elevated blood sugar interacts with proteins in the skin, stimulating enzymes that break down collagen and elastic tissue, the supporting structures of skin.

The solution: Avoid refined grains, such as white toast, pastries, white rice, and white pasta. Instead, choose whole-grain products, which are digested more slowly and so result in a less dramatic blood sugar elevations. In fact, the most important aspect of keeping your blood sugar balanced is the composition of the carbs you eat. In other words, it’s good to add chicken to your pasta, or peanut butter to your toast, but it’s much more important that your pasta be made of whole wheat and that you choose brown instead of white rice, and whole-wheat bread instead of pastries or muffins.