After being off sugar for 30 days, this is what happened when Masaba Gupta ate a ‘fair bit’ of her wedding cake

Further blaming “high stress, erratic eating hours, and going off my circadian cycle” as the triggers, the 33-year-old shared a photo of her face with visible spots. “This is my skin post high stress, erratic eating hours, and going off my circadian cycle. Stress is not a joke either – especially the subconscious kind. Stay cool. Stay cold where and when needed,” she signed off.

Masaba Gupta shares skin issues post deviating from the sugar cleanse routine (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)

How does sugar affect the skin?

Dr Jaishree Sharad, internationally renowned cosmetic dermatologist, and founder of Skinfinitii Aesthetic Skin and Laser Clinic, Mumbai said that foods with a high glycemic index, such as sugar, jaggery, refined flour (maida), and potatoes are rapidly absorbed by the body, leading to higher serum glucose levels and corresponding elevated levels of insulin and IGF-1 hormone.

“Insulin and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1 is a hormone that manages the effects of growth hormone) have been shown to augment sebum production, stimulate adrenal androgen synthesis, and increase male hormone i.e androgen bioavailability, all of which play a role in the pathogenesis of acne. Hence, if you have acne, you should avoid food with high glycemic index,” Dr Jaishee told indianexpress.com.

Blood sugar levels that are too high for our insulin to handle can lead to glycation, a natural chemical reaction, which occurs when there is an excess of sugar in the blood, pointed out Dr R R Dutta, HOD, Internal Medicine, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram.

“Collagen and elastin, which give our skin its “springy” quality, are impacted by glycation. These two proteins weaken when they link with sugars, and as these vital skin-building blocks are compromised, the signs of ageing become more pronounced. The skin gets drier and less elastic, resulting in wrinkles, drooping, and a dull skin tone. Our skin ages more quickly since glycation occurs more frequently in our bodies,” Dr Dutta told indianexpress.com.

According to Dr Jaishree, foods with low glycemic index and high-fibre content should be included in the diet. “Sprouts, beans, lentils, cauliflower, red leaf lettuce, bell peppers, broccoli,  tomatoes, spinach, almonds, walnuts, olive oil, fruits, such as blueberries and strawberries, and fatty fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon are great food options for those suffering from acne,” said Dr Jaishree.

What can help you?

When purchasing processed foods, read the nutrition facts and choose a more wholesome option, said Dr Dutta while listing out some essential pointers to keep in mind.

*Honey, fruit juices, and alcohol all contain significant amounts of sugar, so be aware of this.
*Drink water instead of juice, energy drinks, and carbonated beverages.
*Be mindful that flavour-enhanced waters frequently contain additional substances that aren’t readily apparent.
*Get enough shut-eye because the sleep hormone melatonin can cut down glycation damage by up to 50 per cent. “The consequences of glycation are increased by up to 20 per cent while under stress because it causes cortisol levels to jump,” said Dr Dutta.

Previously, the fashion designer had opened up about completing her resolution to stay off refined sugar in all forms for 21 days.

Masaba Gupta shares a note (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)

“Just completed 21 days off refined sugar. And I cannot believe I did it — day 17/18 gets very hard because your body is literally addicted to this nonsense. But fight it. Dessert/chocolate etc was my biggest weakness but more importantly messing with my gut. You kinda have to cut the cord overnight. Not even a piece of dark chocolate or substitutes like honey/jaggery cakes. Nothing. You gotta go cold turkey on this s**t. I even deleted food delivery apps from my phone,” Masaba wrote on Instagram Stories.

She went on to list the changes that she saw in herself.

Here’s some inspiration coming your way (Source: Masaba Gupta/Instagram Stories)

*Better brain function
*More focus at work
*More energy for workouts
*No skin breakouts
*No bloating
*Steady weight on the scale
*Lesser mood swings
*Dry, inflamed patch on my knee – gone
*Close to ‘0’ anxiety

“Of course, I miss cake but I don’t miss the s**t it put me through. Please try it”, the Masaba Masaba actor added.

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