It’s no secret that if you want to lose weight, it makes sense to lighten up on the white stuff. But sugar’s impact on your body goes way beyond gaining a few extra pounds.

Sugar has a ripple effect that can impact your memory, cause your liver functions to go haywire, and make your cells pay a steep price…

You may not know that there’s a link between sugar and aging skin. Yes, those fine lines and wrinkles on your face could be partially due to genetics and UV rays. But there’s another villain in the equation…. sugar.

Here’s why…

When sugar enters your skin, it binds to protein in a process called glycation. Collagen and elastin are both proteins and building blocks of the skin. During glycation, toxic compounds called Advanced Glycation End Products or AGEs are produced.
Even small amounts of excess processed sugar can cause wrinkles, dark circles, and dehydrate the skin. It can fast track the aging process!

According to Health Magazine, when you indulge, it impacts almost every system in your body.

“Your Brain Suffers –
Fructose…the sugar that naturally occurs in fruit and is a component, with glucose, of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and table sugar — lights up the brain’s reward center, says pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig, MD, of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. But over time, a diet packed with fructose (especially from HFCS) can make it tougher to learn and remember, animal research suggests. To stay in peak mental shape, try sticking with savory snacks.

You Want To Eat More –
By revving the brain’s reward and appetite center, fructose can interfere with feelings of satiety, research reveals. Translation: That extra cookie may not curb your craving after all!

Skin Ages Faster –
Too much sugar can hinder the repair of collagen, the buzzed-about protein that keeps kin looking plump, studies show. A steady diet of sugary treats can result in reduced elasticity and premature wrinkles. Indulge your sweet tooth with fruit instead. Experts stay it’s A-OK to eat two to four servings of the natural sugar source each day.

Excess Sugar Is Stored As Fat –
Pause before you slip that additional packet into your a.m. coffee. The liver has an innate capacity to metabolize sugar and use it for energy…but only to an extent, explains Dr. Lustig. The fructose that’s left over is converted into fat in the liver, raising your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Your Cells Pay A Steep Price –
Fructose accelerates the usual oxidation process in our cells, says Dr. Lustig. The result? Proteins, tissues, and organs can become damaged, and our risk of health conditions, including liver disease, kidney failure, and cataracts, rises.

You Get Hooked –
Eating sugar leads to the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that makes us like something and want more of it. ‘As dopamine receptor neurons get overstimulated, the number of receptors to bind to decreases, so you’ll need a bigger hit of dopamine to get the same rush,’ explains Dr. Lustig.

Energy Surges, Then Bottoms Out –
Refined carbs, like those in white bread and pasta, quickly cause a rise in glucose in the bloodstream so you might feel extra energized…for a while. But this short term fix can actually leave you more sluggish later on (when you eventually crash). Instead, opt for protein-rich snacks between meals, such as Greek yogurt with fresh berries or fresh veggies and hummus. They help stabilize blood sugar and keep you going longer.”