Aging is a natural process, but certain lifestyle choices can accelerate age-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline. One major contributor is a diet high in processed sugars, which can lead to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress—all of which speed up aging and increase the risk of diseases.
To learn more about the link between processed foods, age-related diseases, and discover some of the worst options you should consider cutting out of your diet, we spoke to Robert Iafelice, MS, RDN, Nutrition Expert at SETFORSET and Nancy Mitchell, registered nurse. They told us that foods high in processed sugars—donuts in particular—should be avoided as much as possible. Find all of their insights below!
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Foods high in processed sugars linked to age-related diseases
The reason many foods high in processed sugar contribute to premature aging and age-related diseases is because they promote inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress, which accelerate aging at the cellular level. Processed sugars add to glycation, a process where sugar molecules attach to collagen and elastin, making skin more prone to wrinkles, sagging, and dullness. These sugars have been associated with diabetes, heart disease, and even cognitive decline.
“A diet high in processed sugars may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease,” Mithcell warns. In fact, she points out that Alzheimer’s disease is frequently referred to as “diabetes of the brain” due to its link to high blood glucose levels and insulin resistance. “Studies suggest that chronically high blood glucose may contribute to cell damage throughout the nervous system, including the parts of the brain associated with this neurodegenerative disease,” she warns. Yikes!
Iafelice agrees, explaining that sugar is toxic to your body’s cells, and eating too much of it by consuming foods like donuts will lead to insulin resistance over time. “Chronic consumption of sugar can lead to elevated blood sugar over time, which is essentially diabetes. As we get older, our cells become more resistant to insulin, which lowers blood sugar,” he says, noting that insulin resistance leads to high blood glucose levels. As it turns out, research shows that brain cells can also become resistant to insulin, “and thus cannot use glucose to efficiently fuel the brain.” According to Iafelice, “This may be a key factor in the epidemic of Alzheimer's,” because “without energy, brain cells die off.”
“High sugar from the diet can lead to chronically high blood sugar. This is very favorable for the growth of cancer cells.”
Additionally, high blood sugar can raise your risk of heart disease. “High blood sugar is inflammatory, and inflammation promotes plaque formation and cardiovascular diseases,” he says. “There you have it… all the major age-related diseases linked to high blood sugar.”
To make matters worse, there’s also the issue of the unhealthy fats that donuts and many other sweet treats can pack in. “Bad fats (e.g., trans fatty acids and too many omega-6 fats) get into the membranes and make them more rigid and less responsive to insulin. This fosters insulin resistance. So, pair too much sugar with unhealthy fats, and you get accelerated aging,” Iafelice adds.
The bottom line
Iafelice suggests eating dark chocolate that’s at least 85% cocoa solids or dark chocolate-covered nuts. So, “basically something without a lot of sugar and/or unhealthy fats” will be a better choice. And while you may miss the sugary goodness of a donut, taking care of your body will be well worth it in the long run.
