Your health isn’t solely influenced by what you eat but also by what you cut off from your diet. Researchers have now identified a specific item in your daily diet that, when reduced, could potentially reverse the signs of aging.
Fruits, veggies, and a diet rich in vitamins and minerals are all essential for healthy aging. However, a recent study identified that even when people ate healthy diets, each gram of added sugar could increase their biological age.
The study published in Jama Network Open examined the link between added sugar and epigenetic aging, which assesses an individual’s aging through DNA methylation patterns. The findings revealed that cutting back on sugar had a profound effect, potentially reversing biological aging at the cellular level.
“We knew that high levels of added sugars are linked to worsened metabolic health and early disease, possibly more than any other dietary factor. Now we know that accelerated epigenetic aging is underlying this relationship, and this is likely one of many ways that excessive sugar intake limits healthy longevity,” said study co-senior author Elissa Epel in a news release.
Co-senior author Barbara Laraia said, “Given that epigenetic patterns appear to be reversible, it may be that eliminating 10 grams of added sugar per day is akin to turning back the biological clock by 2.4 months, if sustained over time. Focusing on foods that are high in key nutrients and low in added sugars may be a new way to help motivate people to eat well for longevity.”
The study examined dietary records of 342 Black and white women with a mean age of 39 years in Northern California. To understand their epigenetic scores, they assessed the saliva samples of the participants, which were then compared against the dietary records.
The researchers also compared the diet scores of the participants against a Mediterranean-style diet rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods and a diet linked to reduced risk for chronic…
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