Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a large and heterogeneous group of compounds that are biologically important because they have significant prooxidant and pro-inflammatory effects. AGEs form in the body at a constant physiological rate, which is markedly increased in the presence of hyperglycemia and/or increased oxidative stress (OS). Food cooked at high heat and highly processed foods are major sources of exogenous AGEs, which, once absorbed, have the same biological actions as their endogenous counterparts. These food-derived AGEs have been shown to be associated with the development of insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, dementia, kidney disease, and atherosclerosis in mice. More importantly, data from several clinical trials support an important role for the high dietary intake of exogenous AGEs in generating an increase in chronic oxidative stress and sub-inflammatory state, which overtime may lead to the pathogenesis of noninfectious chronic human disease. These trials have also shown that reducing dietary AGE content by simple modifications in culinary techniques is a safe and easily applicable intervention that decreases the high oxidative stress characteristic of many chronic diseases, and therefore raising a significant potential therapeutic intervention to prevent and/or treat these chronic conditions. Practical low AGE interventions include limiting animal protein and fat intake, cooking slowly without desiccation, marinating food to prevent desiccation and to lower pH, as well as the use of herbs and spices. The concept to emphasize is that the food content of AGEs is linked more to the way the food is cooked (culinary technique) rather than to specific nutrients.