What’s your AGE?
Who doesn’t like a meal of burgers and vegetables fresh off the grill, as well as an occasional fried treat?
It’s time to tweak your taste buds and rethink the idea of a “treat.” Eating grilled or fried food items releases into your body a certain class of toxins and thereby contributes to rampant inflammation—the underlying cause of more diseases than you can shake a stick at. These toxins have been linked to insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and kidney disease. And it’s no coincidence that inflammation is the silent perpetrator in these diseases.
Scientists are targeting this class of toxins, called AGEs (short for advanced glycation end products), with a fervor reminiscent of their earlier attacks on trans fats and high cholesterol levels.
These toxins are byproducts of the grilling, frying, or broiling of animal products like meats and cheeses. Also, foods that are sterilized and pasteurized will produce AGEs.
A recent study looked at AGE levels in a group of 172 men and women who were healthy. The researchers divided them into two age groups: ages 18 to 45 and ages 60 to 80. In the latter group, AGE levels were found to be 35 percent higher than those found in the younger group.
That makes sense. The more toxins you are exposed to, the more your body will potentially accumulate.
But not only elderly people need to be concerned.
The study also pinpointed high AGE levels in some of the young, healthy adults. Worse, their levels were similar to the levels that had been found in diabetics in another study.
This led the researchers to correlate the rising rates of heart disease and diabetes with the increased availability and consumption of AGE-saturated foods.
And how fitting an acronym is “AGE”! These toxins can lead to aging, due to their wear and tear on your body. They’re easily absorbed, and your body’s normal defense mechanisms can usually eliminate them. But eaten in excess, they can build up, making it more difficult to clear them out of your system, especially as you age and your kidney function begins to falter.
The researchers found that reducing AGE levels by just 50 percent could not only affect your overall health in a positive way—but also extend your life span! They cut the AGE intake in animals by 50 percent while maintaining the same amounts of calories and fat, and they found that the animals’ life spans increased. There are no tests available—yet—to test your AGE levels. But you can get ahead of the crowd in combating this destructive toxin by changing the way you cook your foods. Try steaming and stewing them, and keep the heat down. Cooking in that way will preserve the water content in the food and will reduce AGE levels.
Carnosine is an antioxidant that can also help prevent the accumulation of AGEs—even when you take as little as 500 mg three to four times per week. Make sure you take it on an empty stomach. You’ll find it included in many anti-aging formulas.
