Foods that make you look older

There's a reason why your skin feels a little off after a series of holiday parties, BBQs, or mojito-filled beach days. What you eat affects your skin—for better or worse. While a few indulgences won't age you overnight, a continuously poor diet can accelerate the aging process of your skin (and teeth) over time. Here is a list of foods to consume in moderation in order to look as young as you feel

Sweets

Sugar overload may kick-start a process called glycation. The theory: When you eat more sugar than your cells can process, the excess sugar molecules combine with proteins, creating advanced glycation end products. Unsurprisingly, too much sweet stuff is also bad for your smile. Sugar sticks to your teeth, encouraging bacteria, decay, and discoloration. If you treat yourself to something sweet, swish water around your mouth afterward to remove any buildup.

Alcohol

A healthy liver means healthy skin. When your liver is functioning well, toxins that could potentially affect the skin are expelled naturally through your body. But if toxins build up in your liver, and aren't broken down properly, your skin can develop a variety of issues, like acne, sallowness, and wrinkles. Drinking can also trigger rosacea outbreaks. To top it off, alcohol is dehydrating and bad for your sleep. Inadequate sleep is linked to wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, and reduced skin elasticity.

Charred Meat

That black char on your burger? It may contain pro-inflammatory hydrocarbons, which could present a problem since inflammation breaks down the collagen in your skin. You don't necessarily need to banish BBQ from your vocab, but at least make sure you scrape off the black stuff, and clean the grill afterward so you don't contaminate your next meal.

Energy drinks

Energy drinks may make you feel like you have the pep of a kid, but they have a not-so-youthful effect on your teeth. In fact, teeth exposed to energy drinks were stripped of more enamel than sports drinks. Energy drinks were also found to be more acidic—no coincidence there. (Remember: Acidity makes your teeth more vulnerable to stains.) If you really need your energy drink fix, sip from a straw: "The less contact with your teeth, the better.”