The last post showed that advanced glycation end-products (AGEs):
- initiate and promote chronic disease
- create oxidative stress and inflammation
- worsen memory and thinking skills
Many AGEs that we eat are from meats, cheese, processed, fried foods and roasted nuts.
Uribarri, et al., 2010 found
- the average person ate 14,700+-680 CML (carboxylmethyl-lysine) daily. CML is a type of AGEs.
- in animal studies, when AGEs were decreased by half of usual intake, lowered AGEs result in decreased oxidative stress, improved insulin sensitivity, increased kidney function and longer life span.
- concluded consuming less than 7,500 CML is a reasonable goal.
Let’s take a look at the tables below which lists one advanced glycation end-product, CML. These are partial lists taken from a study completed by Uribarri, et al 2010. Follow the link to review all 549 foods sampled.
Meat is a Major Source of AGEs
Foods that have higher amounts of CML including meats, cheese, nuts, as well as foods are processed at a high temperature. Meat is a major source of AGEs for many people. Cheese is also high in AGEs. Higher fat, aged cheese, such as parmesan has three times the amount of AGEs as compared to cheddar cheese. Even avocado has significant amounts of AGEs.
| Foods | kU/100 g AGE | Serving Size | AGE kU/serving |
| Avocado | 1,577 | 30 g | 473 |
| Bacon, fried, 5 min no added oil | 91,577 | 90 ml | 11,905 |
| Bacon, microwaved, 3 minutes | 9,023 | 90 ml | 1,173 |
| Cheese, cheddar, | 5,523 | 30 ml | 1,657 |
| Cheese, feta, Greek, soft | 8,423 | 30 ml | 2,527 |
| Cheese parmesan, Kraft, grated | 16,900 | 15 ml | 2,535 |
Uribarri’s database uses metric measurements. Below are rough conversions.
| Metric | American Standard |
| 5 grams/milliliters | 1 teaspoon |
| 15 grams/milliliters | 1 tablespoon |
| 30 grams/milliliters | 2 tablespoons |
| 90 grams/milliliters | Slightly more than 3 ounces |
Eliminating AGEs is Impossible
While eliminating AGEs is not realistic, the method of preparation has large differences in the amount of AGEs. For instance, fried bacon has nearly 12,000 AGEs ku/90 ml serving, whereas bacon that was microwaved for 3 minutes has under 1,200 AGEs Ku/90 ml serving. When we fry foods, it develops a crispness which is associated with glycation. Microwaving bacon reduces AGEs by 1000%.
Frying Increases AGEs
A fried egg has eight times more AGEs than a scrambled egg. The additional moisture in the scrambled egg reduces AGEs. Anytime we add moisture during the cooking process it reduces AGEs.
| Food item | AGE kU/100 g | Serving size (ml) | AGE kU/serving |
| Egg, fried, one large | 2,749 | 45 | 1,237 |
| Egg, scrambled, pan, high, 45 seconds | 337 | 30 | 101 |
Roasted, Grilled, Broiled Meats are High in AGEs
Lamb and fish are lower in AGEs as compared to beef and chicken. Not surprisingly, fish does not have as many AGEs. However, broiling salmon increases AGEs by 6 times. Similarly, sautéing and broiling tofu has 5 times greater AGEs than raw.
When we roast, grill and broil, we increase AGEs. High temperatures result in significantly higher AGEs especially for meats.
| Food item | AGE kU/100 g | Serving size (g) | AGE kU/serving |
| Lamb, raw | 826 | 90 | 743 |
| Lamb, broiled 450℉ 30 min | 2,431 | 90 | 2,188 |
| Chicken, ground dark meat with skin, raw | 1,223 | 90 | 1,101 |
| Chicken, dark meat, broiled (inside portion) 450℉ 15 min | 8,299 | 90 | 7,469 |
| Beef, steak, raw | 800 | 90 | 720 |
| Beef, steak, broiled | 7,479 | 90 | 6,731 |
| Salmon, raw | 528 | 90 | 475 |
| Salmon, fillet, broiled | 3,347 | 90 | 3,012 |
| Tofu, soft, raw | 788 | 90 | 709 |
| Tofu, broiled | 4,109 | 90 | 3,696 |
Roasted Nuts are Higher in AGEs than Raw Nuts.
Choosing raw nuts over roasted is a wise choice. Roasted cashews have 2,942 CML for 30 g and are 45% higher in AGEs than raw nuts. Similarly, roasted pumpkin seeds and roasted sunflower seeds have approximately twice the AGEs that raw has.
Peanut and almond butters are usually roasted, and, as a result are high in AGEs. Skippy peanut butter has 2,255 CML for 30 g.
| Food item | AGE kU/100 g | Serving size (g) | AGE kU/serving |
| Cashews, raw | 6,730 | 30 | 2,019 |
| Cashews, roasted | 9,807 | 30 | 2,942 |
| Peanut butter, smooth, Skippy (Unilever) | 7,517 | 30 | 2,255 |
| Sunflower seeds, raw, hulled | 2,510 | 30 | 753 |
| Sunflower seeds, roasted and salted | 4,693 | 30 | 1,408 |
Fast Food and Pizza Have Lots of AGEs
Fast food, frozen dinners, pizza and sandwiches can be a significant source of AGEs, as can condiments, including cream cheese and mayonnaise.
| Food item | AGE kU/100 g | Serving size (g) | AGE kU/serving |
| Big Mac (McDonald’s) | 7,801 | 100 | 7,801 |
| Hot Pocket, bacon, egg, cheese, oven 350℉, 20 min (Nestle) | 1,695 | 100 | 1,695 |
| Pizza, thin crust | 6,825 | 100 | 6,825 |
| Sandwich, toasted cheese | 4,333 | 100 | 4,333 |
| Shrimp frozen dinner, microwaved 4.5 min | 4,399 | 90 | 3,959 |
| Cream cheese, Philadelphia soft (Kraft) | 10,883 | 30 | 3,265 |
| Cream cheese, Philadelphia original (Kraft) | 8,720 | 30 | 2,616 |
| Mayonnaise | 9,400 | 5 | 470 |
| Mayonnaise, low fat (Hellman’s Unilever Best Foods) | 2,200 | 5 | 110 |
Snack and Processed Add Up
Similarly, snack and processed foods are usually prepared at elevated temperatures. If you eat crackers, chips and cookies throughout the day, you can eat a significant quantity of AGEs. Not surprisingly, potato chips have 865 CML for 30 g.
| Food item | AGE kU/100 g | Serving size (g) | AGE kU/serving |
| Breadsticks, Stella D’oro hard (Brynwood Partners) | 127 | 30 | 38 |
| Cheez Doodles, crunchy (Wise Foods, Inc) | 3,217 | 30 | 965 |
| Chips, potato (Frito Lay) | 2,883 | 30 | 865 |
| Pretzel, stick | 1,600 | 30 | 480 |
| Cookie biscotti, vanilla almond (Starbucks) | 3,220 | 30 | 966 |
How to Prepare Foods to Decrease AGEs
Decreasing our AGEs consumption is easy. Take a look at the next post showing ways to lower the AGEs that you eat!
