Genetics is only part of the equation for a person to have more longevity: the lifestyle they can follow plays an important role in living longerstay healthy and be able to continue doing the things you like.
Researchers of the University of California, San Franciscoin the USAdiscovered that there is a relationship between following a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, especially without adding a lot of sugar, and having a Younger biological age at the cellular level.
They published it in the magazine JAMA Open Network. They analyzed how different measures of healthy eating affected an “epigenetic clock,” which is a biochemical test that can approximate both health and life expectancy.
They discovered that the better people ate, the younger their cells looked. Even when people followed healthy diets, every gram of added sugar that they consumed was associated with an increase in their epigenetic age.
It is known that the added sugar It is present in 74% of packaged foods, even in foods that are considered common “healthy” such as yogurt and energy bars.
The researchers examined sugar intake separately and found that consumption of foods with added sugar was associated with accelerated biological aging, even in the presence of a healthy diet.
“As epigenetic patterns appear to be reversible, it may be that eliminating 10 grams of added sugar per day is similar to slowing the biological clock by 2.4 months, if sustained over time,” said the co-senior author. Barbara Laraiaprofessor of the UC Berkeley in the Food, Nutrition and Population Health program.
“Focusing on foods rich in key nutrients and low in added sugars may be a new way to help motivate people to eat well for longevity,” he said.
“Excessive sugar consumption is a public health problem. It has been proven that the intake of food and beverages becomes a source of free sugars that provide unnecessary calories at all stages of life,” he told Infobae Gabriela Saadgraduate in nutrition and coordinator of the food research group of the Argentine Nutrition Society (SAN). In general, these sugars do not contain essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
Several scientific reports have concluded that a high intake of free sugars, above the recommendations, increases the risk of increased body weight, obesity, type 2 diabetes and its complications, such as stroke and coronary heart disease.
If we talk about the added sugarswhich can be found in sweets, pastry mixes or soft drinks at critical levels, their consumption must be moderated at any age.
It is good to start with healthy habits from childhood. But of course the consumption of added sugars should be moderated at age 50, as well as salt. It is never too late to do it, and prevention is better than cure, said the lawyer. It also has to do with taking care of excesses of critical nutrients such as sugar and salt.
Many people come to nutrition consultation for obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases. It is noted that the pace of life influences whether they consume not so healthy options and are sedentary. You should pay attention to the eating pattern, and not stop eating a specific food, as happens with flour.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting free sugar intake to less than 10% of total dietary energy to prevent excess body weight and tooth decay, and less than 5% for additional health benefits.
Sugars are carbohydrates. But do not be confused: you should not eliminate all carbohydrates that are in foods such as cereals, fruits and vegetables. 50% of the calories in a balanced diet should come from foods such as cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
The restriction cannot be generalized for everyone, Saad said. “But it is worth clarifying that if a person does not consume sugar, nothing may happen to them. Even if you have a disease like diabetes, simple sugar is not convenient,” he added.
We must also include pleasure in meals, which is related to palatability. There are some foods and preparations that require the inclusion of sugar. “Simple sugar is not essential, but it should not be prohibited either,” he emphasized.
When talking about longevity and life expectancy, it should be taken into account that not only food is important.
“It is never too late to work on improving your lifestyle. The ideal would be to start as children and moderate the consumption of foods with excesses of critical nutrients, such as salt, sugar, and saturated fats. The concept of good or bad, allowed or prohibited is not related to a healthy eating pattern,” he said.
Therefore, foods that do provide nutrients should be added, including fats from essential oils.