Eating 10g less of 'this' per day can delay aging by 2.4 months

A study has shown that reducing sugar intake by just 10 grams daily can lower biological age.

A research team at the University of California, San Francisco analyzed 342 adult women. The average BMI of the participants was 32.5, indicating that most women were obese. The participants' average daily sugar intake was 61.5 grams, exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended daily sugar intake of 50 grams.

Participants randomly consumed either a Mediterranean diet rich in vitamins and minerals or a high-sugar diet. The research team analyzed how diet intake affected the participants' epigenetic biological clocks. Epigenetics refers to changes in gene function that occur without alterations in the DNA nucleotide sequence. In other words, it explores how environmental factors such as exercise, lifestyle, and stress influence genes. The epigenetic biological clock reflects the impact on biological aging.

Analysis showed that women who followed a Mediterranean diet had a lower biological age compared to women who consumed a high-sugar diet. Reducing sugar intake by 10 grams per day was associated with a biological age that was 2.4 months younger. Ten grams of sugar is roughly equivalent to one large spoonful, such as ▲ four sugar cubes ▲ two sticks of sugar ▲ one pump of syrup ▲ one donut ▲ three cookies.

The research team explains that since sugar causes cell aging, reducing sugar intake improves metabolism and lowers the risk of various diseases, making the body biologically younger. As cells age, the likelihood of damage increases, raising the risk of diseases such as cancer.

Dr. Dorothy Chiu, who led the research, stated, "The results of this study align with the existing recommendation to reduce sugar intake for health promotion," and added, "Adhering to these guidelines is a desirable lifestyle habit that can make cellular age appear younger."