A low AGE (Advanced Glycation End Products) diet focuses on minimizing the consumption of foods high in these compounds, which are formed when protein or fat combines with sugar in the bloodstream through a process called glycation. This article explores the benefits and risks associated with a low AGE diet, drawing upon available research and dietary guidelines.
What is a Low AGE Diet?
A low AGE diet aims to reduce the intake of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are harmful compounds formed when fat and protein combine with sugar in the bloodstream. The body also produces AGEs naturally as it processes sugars. The formation of AGEs is a part of normal metabolism, but if excessively high levels of AGEs are reached in tissues and the circulation they can become pathogenic. High levels of AGEs have been linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, heart disease, and renal failure.
The pathologic effects of AGEs are related to their ability to promote oxidative stress and inflammation by binding with cell surface receptors or cross-linking with body proteins, altering their structure and function. The formation and accumulation of AGEs is a characteristic feature of tissues in aged people, especially in patients with diabetes mellitus, and these products have also been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related and diabetic complications.
Potential Benefits of a Low AGE Diet
Reducing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
Animal and human studies suggest that limiting dietary AGEs helps protect against many diseases and premature aging. AGEs harm the body’s cells, promoting oxidative stress and inflammation. High levels of inflammation over a long period can damage every organ in the body. Restricting dietary AGEs in both healthy people and those with diabetes or kidney disease reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation.
Improving Insulin Sensitivity
A 1-year study investigated the effects of a low-AGE diet in 138 people with obesity. It noted increased insulin sensitivity, a modest decrease in body weight, and lower levels of AGE, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Protecting Against Chronic Diseases
Several animal studies have shown that eating a low-AGE diet results in a lower risk of heart and kidney disease, increased insulin sensitivity, and lower levels of AGEs in blood and tissues by up to 53%. High levels of AGEs have been linked to the development of many diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, and Alzheimer’s, as well as premature aging. Studies have found that harmful compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may also have a powerful effect on your metabolic health - regardless of your weight.
Potential for Increased Lifespan
In animal studies like in mice, reduction of dietary AGE intake is accompanied by significant reduction of circulating AGEs levels as well as reduction of diseases related to inflammation and oxidative stress. A low-AGE diet has been associated with a significant increase in mouse lifespan.
Risks and Considerations
Lack of Specific Guidelines
Although a reduction in dietary AGEs has been shown to offer health benefits, currently there are no guidelines regarding safe and optimal intake. The average AGE consumption in New York is thought to be around 15,000 AGE kilounits per day, with many people consuming much higher levels.
Potential for Nutrient Deficiencies
Focusing too heavily on avoiding AGEs could lead to an unbalanced diet if not carefully planned. It’s important to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients from a variety of sources.
Impact on Food Palatability
Many modern foods contain relatively high amounts of AGEs. This is mostly due to popular methods of cooking that expose food to dry heat. These include barbecuing, grilling, roasting, baking, frying, sautéing, broiling, searing, and toasting. These cooking methods may make food taste, smell, and look good, but they may raise your intake of AGEs to potentially harmful levels.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
How to Implement a Low AGE Diet
Choose Healthier Cooking Methods
The most effective way to reduce your intake of AGEs is to choose healthier cooking methods. Rather than using dry, high heat for cooking, try stewing, poaching, boiling, and steaming. Cooking with moist heat, at lower temperatures, and for shorter periods, all help keep AGE formation low. In addition, cooking meat with acidic ingredients, such as vinegar, tomato juice, or lemon juice, can reduce AGE production by up to 50%. Cooking over ceramic surfaces - rather than directly on metal - can also reduce AGE production. Slow cookers are thought to be one of the healthiest ways to cook food.
Limit Foods High in AGEs
Certain foods, such as animal foods, also tend to be higher in AGEs. These include meat (especially red meat), certain cheeses, fried eggs, butter, cream cheese, margarine, mayonnaise, oils, and nuts. Try to eliminate or limit these foods and instead choose fresh, whole foods, which are lower in AGEs. For example, foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have lower levels, even after cooking.
Incorporate Antioxidant-Rich Foods
In laboratory studies, natural antioxidants, such as vitamin C and quercetin, have been shown to hinder AGE formation. Moreover, several animal studies have shown that some natural plant phenols can reduce the negative health effects of AGEs. One of these is the compound curcumin, which is found in turmeric. Resveratrol, which can be found in the skins of dark fruits like grapes, blueberries, and raspberries may likewise help. Therefore, a diet full of colorful fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices may help protect against the damaging effects of AGEs.
Increase Physical Activity
Aside from diet, an inactive lifestyle can cause AGE levels to skyrocket. In contrast, regular exercise and an active lifestyle have been shown to reduce the amount of AGEs in the body. One study in 17 middle-aged women found that those who increased the number of steps they took per day experienced a reduction in AGE levels.
Dietary Sources of AGEs
Foods with High AGE Content
Certain foods are known to contain higher levels of AGEs, particularly:
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
- Meat (especially red meat)
- Certain cheeses
- Fried eggs
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Margarine
- Mayonnaise
- Oils
- Nuts
- Fried foods
- Highly processed products
Foods with Low AGE Content
On the other hand, many foods are naturally lower in AGEs, including:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Low-fat dairy products
The Role of Cooking Methods
Cooking methods significantly impact the formation of AGEs in foods. Dry heat cooking methods, such as frying, grilling, and roasting, tend to produce higher levels of AGEs compared to methods involving moist heat.
Dry Heat vs. Moist Heat
Dry heat may increase the amount of AGEs by 10-100 times the levels of uncooked foods. Cooking with moist heat, at lower temperatures, and for shorter periods, all help keep AGE formation low.
Acidic Ingredients
In addition, cooking meat with acidic ingredients, such as vinegar, tomato juice, or lemon juice, can reduce AGE production by up to 50%.
How AGEs are Formed
Glycation Process
AGEs form when sugar interacts with proteins or fats in the bloodstream. This process is called glycation. The body also produces AGEs naturally as it processes sugars.
Thermal Processing
Thermal processing is an important part of modern food preparation that can increase palatability, prolong shelf-life, and reduce food-borne diseases. Generally, there are three stages in the non enzymatic glycation process in vivo. First, glycation is initiated by the covalent attachment of reducing sugars to amino groups of proteins, lipids, or nucleic acids to produce reversible and an unstable Schiff base. Then, the Schiff base may undergo Amadori rearrangement and change to a more stable Amadori product. Subsequently, Amadori products undergo dehydration and rearrangement to form highly reactive carbonyl species (RCS) including 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO).
Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are harmful compounds that are formed when protein or fat combine with sugar in the bloodstream. This process is called glycation. AGEs can also form in foods. Foods that have been exposed to high temperatures, such as during grilling, frying, or toasting, tend to be very high in these compounds. In fact, diet is the biggest contributor of AGEs. Fortunately, your body has mechanisms to eliminate these harmful compounds, including those involving antioxidant and enzymatic activity.
Yet, when you consume too many AGEs - or too many form spontaneously - your body can’t keep up with eliminating them. Thus, they accumulate. While low levels are generally nothing to worry about, high levels have been shown to cause oxidative stress and inflammation.
AGEs and Musculoskeletal Diseases
Many chronic diseases, including heart diseases, diabetes and both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are associated with inflammation. It has been reported that AGEs are involved in musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA), which is the most common chronic disabling disorder for aged people. Accumulation of AGEs in the articular cartilage in OA patients biochemically affects cellular characteristics and increases stiffness and brittleness of the tissue. Accumulation of AGEs increases stiffness of the collagen network in the bone as well, which may explain some of the age-related increase in skeletal fragility and fracture risk.
How to Promote Healthy Diets
Diet evolves over time, being influenced by many social and economic factors that interact in a complex manner to shape individual dietary patterns. balanced and healthy diet - requires the involvement of multiple sectors and stakeholders, including government, and the public and private sectors.
Governments have a central role in creating a healthy food environment that enables people to adopt and maintain healthy dietary practices. Effective actions by policy-makers to create a healthy food environment include the following:
- Creating coherence in national policies and investment plans - including trade, food and agricultural policies - to promote a healthy diet and protect public health
- Promoting appropriate infant and young child feeding practices
- Implementing policies and practices to promote protection of working mothers; and Promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding in health services and the community, including through the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative.