Do Carbs Age Your Body Faster?

How to still enjoy carbs, but SLOW the aging process in your body (All explained below)

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist & Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN
Authors of the best seller: The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging


Do carbohydrates accelerate aging in your body?

Well, the answer in general terms is no, because it all depends on the type of carbs and the quantity...  The reason is because excess blood sugar over time DOES indeed age you faster , and this is something I'm sure you want to avoid!

Let me explain why...

This all relates to something called "glycation" in your body, and substances called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).  These nasty little compounds called AGEs speed up the aging process in your body including damage over time to your organs, your joints, and of course, wrinkled skin.

So with that said, what is one of the biggest factors that increase production of AGEs inside your body?  This may surprise you, but high blood sugar levels over time dramatically increase age-accelerating AGEs in your body.  This also includes each individual spike of blood sugar from high-carb meals, eating too much grains from bread and cereal, too much sugar, sweetened drinks, etc.

As unusual as it may sound, wheat-based foods such as bread, bagels, muffins, and cereals (yes, even whole wheat) can actually be some of the WORST foods that spike your blood sugar the highest, leading to faster aging.  The type of starch found in whole wheat is unique from many other grains in that it spikes blood sugar even more than table sugar in some instances.

If you don't believe me, here's something you should know... I ran personal blood sugar tests on myself using a blood glucometer about 45 minutes after eating 2 slices of whole wheat bread vs eating a bowl of oatmeal, with equivalent grams of carbs.

The blood sugar test results:

2 slices of whole wheat toast:
45 minutes after consumption:  Blood sugar spiked from 86 fasting level to 155.

1 Bowl of Oatmeal (equivalent grams of carbs to 2 slices wheat toast)
45 minutes after consumption:   Blood sugar raised from 86 fasting level to 112


So how do you prevent accelerated aging from high blood sugar related AGEs?

Well, the first thing that might come to mind is going on a very low-carb nutrition plan most of the time to keep average blood sugar levels consistently low.

Unfortunately, going too low on carbs for too long can have some negative consequences such as Thyroid hormone problems and also Leptin hormone levels going too low, which can slow your metabolism.

That's why I NEVER follow extreme low-carb plans like Atkins... Instead, I like to follow a more balanced paleolithic nutrition approach that focuses on proteins, healthy fats and veggies, while eliminating most grains (except cheat days), but still keeping small to moderate amounts of carbs from fruits and berries, potatoes or sweet potatoes, and occasional legumes.

So with that said, and knowing that you still want to enjoy at least some moderate carbs in your life, here are 2 tricks you can use below that help to fight aging...

The first one targets using specific herbs and spices to keep your blood sugar lower and more controlled any time you eat carbs:


Trick #1 to FIGHT aging: 

Powerful herbs and spices to use before or with meals

This is one of those little-known facts, but there are certain herbs, spices, and other ingredients that you can use before any carbohydrate-containing meal to dramatically reduce the blood sugar response from that meal...

One of those powerful substances is cinnamon.  In a study published in 2003 in the medical journal Diabetes Care, moderate doses of cinnamon taken daily for 40 days reduced blood sugar levels by 18-29%.  And yes, lower blood sugar means lower levels of those nasty age-accelerating AGEs in your body!  I like to add cinnamon to any sweet dishes or just take a couple capsules before a carb-containing meal.

A second and lesser known substance for controlling blood sugar response from meals and lowering your overall blood sugar is something called alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).  ALA is a powerful antioxidant that helps to control blood sugar levels and increase your insulin sensitivity (a great thing!).

Aside from the anti-aging effect you could expect from ALA, any substance that helps you control your blood sugar, can also help you to lose body fat... a side-effect that I'm sure you will enjoy as well!

A third powerful herbal substance that helps to control your blood sugar from meals is a specific phytochemical found in the herb fenugreek . This works in a similar, but slightly different fashion than cinnamon and ALA, but is equally powerful for controlling blood sugar and thereby slowing aging with consistent use.  Fenugreek can be used as a supplement and is also found in many curry dishes.

Trick #2 to FIGHT aging:  

Use the potent superfoods, herbs, teas and spices shown on the next page . These superfoods also help lower blood pressure, improve brain health, protect your joints, fix digestion problems, and BOOST your metabolism!

You will also discover over a dozen surprising tricks you can use daily to FIGHT aging, helping you to look 5-10 years YOUNGER... click the button below to go to the next page to discover the unique and delicious anti-aging foods, spices, herbs, teas, and other potent youth-enhancing nutrients: