What are AGE’s?
Advanced Glycation End Products are referred to as AGEs. The most common formation of AGEs are when sugars and proteins combine, however it also happens when sugars combine with fats. They are associated with every chronic disease including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. AGEs bind to blood vessels and create blockages and make tumors grow more quickly. (1) In diabetes, elevated glucose levels are what create the development of AGEs in the body and with over 25.6 million adults being diabetic and 79 million more that are pre-diabetic, this development of AGEs is critical to understand. (5,6) AGEs age the skin by combining with proteins which dries the skin out and promotes wrinkles. This same process happens to all organs and tissues in body. AGEs can mutate organs and DNA thus altering the way the cells in your body work. (1) Increasing evidence is building and showing that AGEs derived from food increase oxidative stress and inflammation, these factors play a major role in the causation of the chronic diseases previously mentioned. (3) While no one can avoid AGEs altogether, knowledge is power and knowing what foods inherently have higher AGEs and how to cook your favorite foods in a way that produces less AGEs is key!
How to Reduce AGEs?
Everyone can benefit from a diet lower in AGEs. Unfortunately, our Western diet includes too many processed foods, many of which are high in AGEs. The buildup of AGEs is due to the heating and processing of foods and gives a new understanding to the adverse effects correlated with the Western diet. (2) 15,000 is the daily recommended limit of AGEs. (1) Cooking methods that can reduce the generation of AGEs are poaching, steaming, stewing, and boiling. As a general rule, animal proteins cooked at high temperatures for longs period of time, especially under dry conditions, will have the highest AGE content – think broiling, grilling, frying and roasting. (3) Cooking food in smaller pieces cooks it more quickly and reduces the number of AGEs as well.1 In addition, the use of acidic marinades with lemon or vinegar can limit the generation of AGEs. (2)
It has been well documented that aerobic exercise improves insulin resistance in all ages, some studies have also shown aerobic exercise can also reduce the concentration of circulating AGEs. (3) While results are mixed in this area of study, aerobic exercise is good for overall health and should be part of our weekly habits anyways, so until more research has been done, it’s a good idea to continue this habit.
Phytochemicals found in plants have many positive effects on our bodies and the polyphenols found in them play an important role in the compounds that have shown their ability to prevent AGE development. Their antiglycation ability is a great alternative to synthetic compounds and their side effects. (3) Check out the list below, spices appear to have the highest polyphenol amounts, however remember they are eaten in small quantities. It was surprising that many fruits have larger polyphenol contents than vegetables.
Foods and Their AGE Content: (2)
Food, AGE kU/serving
- Unsalted Butter – 1,167 / 5g
- Cashews, raw – 2,019 / 30g
- Cashews, roasted – 2,942 / 30g
- Olive Oil – 595 / 30g
- Beef, broiled 450°F, 5 min – 10,143 / 90g
- Beef, boiled in water, 212°F, 7 min – 6,736 / 90g
- Beef, steak, pan fired w/ olive oil – 9,052 / 90g
- Beef, steak, strips, 450°F, 15 min – 6,166 / 90g
- Chicken, skin, thigh, roasted then BBQ – 16,668 / 90g
- Chicken, skin, thigh, roasted – 10,034 / 90g
- Chicken, thigh, roasted – 4,631 / 90g
- Bacon, fried 5 min no added oil – 11,905 / 13g
- Salmon, pan fried in olive oil – 2,775 / 90g
- Salmon, smoked – 515 / 90g
- Egg, fried, 1 large – 1,237 / 45g
- Egg, poached, below simmer, 5 min – 27 / 30g
- Carrots, raw – 10 / 100g
- Vegetables, grilled (broccoli, carrots, celery) – 226 / 100g
Common Foods with the Highest Polyphenol Amount: (4)
Food, Polyphenol Content (per 100g)
- Cloves – 15188 mg
- Cocoa Powder – 3448 mg
- Dark Chocolate – 1664 mg
- Flaxseed Meal – 1528 mg
- Black elderberry – 1359 mg
- Wild Lowbush Blueberry – 835 mg
- Highbush Blueberry – 560 mg
- Green Olive – 346 mg
- Red Onion – 168 mg
- Spinach – 119 mg
- Shallot – 113 mg
- Yellow Onion – 74 mg
- Broccoli – 45mg
Summary:
This new information on AGEs is meant to educate you and put the power in your hands to lower your AGEs consumption as they do contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation that can lead to many chronic diseases. Don’t let this new knowledge burden you, simply incorporate one thing at a time. Maybe this week you choose to cook with olive oil over butter. Next week you choose to experiment cooking animal proteins in your steam cooker, or you poach an egg instead of frying it. Small decisions add up overtime!
References:
- TEDxTalks. Do you know what ages are? | David Turner | tedxcharleston. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvwMXqyrKG0. Published July 31, 2019. Accessed November 20, 2021.
- *Uribarri J, Woodruff S, Goodman S, et al. Advanced glycation end products in foods and a practical guide to their reduction in the diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110(6):911-16.e12. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.018
- *Uibarri J. Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Role in Health and Disease . Advance in Nutrition. 2015;6(4). doi:https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.008433
- Joseph M. The top 100 foods high in polyphenols. Nutrition Advance. https://www.nutritionadvance.com/nutrition/top-food-sources-polyphenols/. Published December 20, 2019. Accessed November 20, 2021.
- Mohd Dom NS, Yahaya N, Adam Z, Nik Abd Rahman NMA, Hamid M. Antiglycation and Antioxidant Properties of Ficus deltoidea Varieties. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020;2020:6374632. Published 2020 Aug 7. doi:10.1155/2020/6374632
- Brown JE. Nutrition through the Life Cycle. Boston, MA: Cengage; 2020.\
- Botella M. Spices. https://unsplash.com/photos/uaHShoIDGeo. Accessed November 20, 2021.