A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco suggests that even when individuals consume a healthy diet, each gram of added sugar can age our cells. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends limiting added sugar intake to 50 grams per day, with sources of sugar including items such as a bar of milk chocolate or a 12-ounce soda. The study found that the average daily intake of added sugar for the participants was 61.5 grams, with most being around 40 years old. Researchers looked at biological age, which can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle habits, and diet. This age may be higher or lower than chronological age, which is simply the number of years lived.
The study found that a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, nuts, and seeds, was associated with a lower biological age. Even if added sugar was part of an otherwise healthy diet, it was shown to accelerate biological aging. High levels of added sugar have been linked to worsened metabolic health, early disease, and accelerated aging. Cutting just 10 grams of added sugar from the daily diet may reduce biological age by 2.4 months over time. Chronic inflammation from high sugar levels in the blood has been associated with diseases like heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, and cancer, and sugar consumption is also linked to obesity and tooth decay.
The findings of the UCSF study were published in JAMA Network Open, highlighting that the study population included a diverse group of Black and white women. However, the dietary information gathered was based on self-reported three-day food records, which could have led to some inaccuracies in nutrient estimates. Another separate study published alongside this research suggests that adopting a vegan diet for just eight weeks could slow biological aging. The vegan diet was lower in calories compared to an omnivore diet, and participants on the vegan diet also lost weight, which may have contributed to the diet’s cells-protecting effects. This analysis is part of wider research led by Stanford Medicine into the health outcomes of identical twins, some of which is featured in the Netflix docuseries “You Are What You Eat.”
In conclusion, the UCSF study emphasizes that even when following a healthy diet, added sugar consumption can have detrimental effects on biological aging. High sugar intake can accelerate aging by causing cell damage, chronic inflammation, and contributing to various diseases like heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, and cancer. On the other hand, adopting a Mediterranean diet can help lower biological age due to its emphasis on whole foods and healthy fats. Cutting back on added sugar, even by just 10 grams a day, can have a positive impact on one’s biological age over time. Additionally, the benefits of a vegan diet in slowing biological aging were highlighted in a separate study, showing that dietary changes can have a significant impact on cell health and overall well-being.
