A leading U.S. dermatologist claims that by ditching sugar from your diet, you can look ten years younger in ten days.

And it isn’t just by losing weight but because : “In a nutshell, sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, both key skin proteins. In other words, it actively ages you,” he says.

In his new book, 10 Minutes/Ten Years: Your Definitive Guide to a Better and Youthful Appearance, Dr Fredric Brandt says he saw a remarkable change in his own skin when he dropped sugar from his diet. He lost 20lb in weight, but also saw a new glow, radiance and elasticity in his face. Within a year, his body had changed as well.

“I’m really lean and have the body of a teenager, although I’m in my 40s. … Believe me, it’s cheaper than a facelift.”

He continues, “The sugar triggers a process in the body called glycation. This is where the sugar molecules bind to your protein fibres — those wonderfully springy and resilient collagen and elastin fibres — which are the building blocks of skin.”

But it gets worse. Just by overheating starchy foods or grilling them, the sugar content mutates producing Advanced Glycation End products, AGEs, which do immense harm to the skin.

A word to the wise.