Foods and Drinks Causing Dry Skin Issues

“We’re eating a lot of added sugars. It’s everywhere,” Anderson-Haynes said. If you overdo it, “you’re actually damaging the process of how your body repairs and creates collagen in the body,” she said — and collagen is essential for skin elasticity and skin health.

According to the American Heart Association, women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day and men no more than 9 teaspoons. But just one 12-ounce soda has more than 10 teaspoons in it.

Anderson-Haynes recommended being aware of how much sugar you’re consuming in drinks like sodas, teas, coffees and energy drinks, suggesting that you substitute in water and fruits (which have natural sugars) when possible. 

While the top source of added sugar may be drinks, there are other foods that added sugars can hide in, such as desserts, nut butters, tomato sauces, nutrition bars, cereals and breads.

If there is added sugar in the food’s ingredients list, make sure it is toward the bottom, Anderson-Haynes advised. Also be aware of the different words for sugar that may appear on the label, like dextrose, molasses, cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, maltose, agave nectar, sucrose and beet sugar.

Fried Foods