You Might Be Eating Too Much Sugar If This Happens To Your Skin

Whether you're capping off a great meal or looking for a little stress relief, sugar often hits the spot. It triggers feel-good chemicals in your brain, making it all too easy to reach for more. That rich mousse topped with ganache? One bite is never enough. You'd happily order another dessert if only it weren't so embarrassing.

But sugar isn't just hiding in desserts. It sneaks into everyday foods like ketchup, pasta sauce, and salad dressing. Even seemingly healthy foods like cereal, granola bars, and plant-based patties can be loaded with added sugar. 

Eating too much sugar doesn't just increase your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It can also show up on your skin. Sugar disrupts your hormone balance and increases the production of androgens, a type of hormone that causes your skin to produce more oil. Combine that with inflammation, and you've got a recipe for breakouts.

Acne tends to occur if you have a combination of factors such as excess oil production, clogged hair follicles, bacteria, and inflammation. You typically associate acne with your teenage years, but adults may suffer occasional breakouts due to hormonal changes, stress, and things that may rub against your skin (think a hat, cell phone, or backpack). Yet diet can also factor into your risk of adult acne, according to a 2020 study in JAMA Dermatology. Older adults (average age of 57) who had acne were 54% more likely to consume foods high in fat and sugar and 18% more likely to drink sugary drinks.

Even if you've never had acne, sugar can lead to other skin issues. Sugar affects your body at the level of your DNA, accelerating the aging of your cells. According to UnityPoint Health, sugar binds to collagen and degrades it, causing your skin to lose its elasticity. As a result, you may see more wrinkles and sagging skin. Sugar may also cause dark spots and slow the healing of your wounds.

When you consume too much sugar, your body digests it quickly and releases it in the form of glucose into your bloodstream. To handle that blood sugar spike, your body releases insulin to send the glucose to your cells for energy. What your cells don't need is stored as fat, which increases your risk of obesity. Yet your liver stores some of this fat, so these fat cells in the liver could replace your liver cells, making it more difficult for your liver to eliminate toxins from your body.

Your brain needs glucose to function, but too much sugar can also lead to cognitive decline and aging of your brain cells, according to Harvard Medical School. Ever notice your anxiety or depression worsens when you eat too much sugar? Sugar increases the level of dopamine, making you feel happy for a few moments. As the dopamine wears off, you're left feeling cranky. For every 100 grams of sugar you consume each day, your risk of depression increases by 28%, according to a 2024 study in BMC Psychiatry.

Don't think that you have to give up your favorite fruits, which have naturally occurring sugars. The sugar in whole foods such as fruit, grains, and dairy is digested more slowly to fuel your cells. What's most concerning to your health is the added sugars found in processed foods. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest limiting your added sugars to 10% of your daily calories. That comes to 50 grams of added sugar for a 2,000-calorie diet. To put it into perspective, a 12-ounce can of Coke has 37 grams of sugar.