Foods That Trigger Acne

Wellness
6 Min Read

Ever wake up with acne after a night eating greasy burgers and fries? Have you ever gone on a spree of only eating junk food? You probably noticed that once you started eating healthier again, your skin starts to clear up. Acne can be frustrating, painful and a confidence killer. One thing to consider when it comes to acne is your diet. Acne will come and go no matter your age, but there are some precautions you can take to help prevent it from showing up at the worst time.

CULPRITS TO WATCH OUT FOR

The food and beverages that you consume play a huge role in how you look on the outside. Typically, we don’t always think about how the items you take in will affect your skin. However, you should start paying attention to what you eat/drink and what they do to your skin.

We’ve compiled a list of the top foods that can cause acne:

DAIRY

It’s not ideal living in the dairy state when it is among the many culprits that can cause acne. The hormones in dairy may interfere with your natural hormones, leading to inflammation and acne.

Your choice of milk may be another leading cause of acne. Skim milk and low-fat milk might aggravate your acne, opposed to whole milk.

SPICY FOODS

You either love spicy food or hate it. Lucky for those who hate it, you don’t have to worry too much about this being a factor to your acne. However, if you love anything and all things spicy, there is a chance it is causing you to breakout.

On the bright side, spicy foods usually only aggravate existing acne. This happens because spice can trigger inflammation, which brings out your previous acne spots.

If you have noticed that you break out after eating spicy food, it’s best that you try to avoid it or limit your intake.

sugar

Trust us, we love Sweetarts as much as the next person, but having a sweet tooth is sadly not on your side when it comes to acne. When you eat a lot of sugar, your insulin levels rise. This leads to excess oil on your face, which later clogs your pores…you may know where this is going. Clogged pores = acne.

Though we all love eating candy, donuts and ice cream, we can all benefit from cutting back on eating these types of foods. In no way cut out something you love completely! While life can be stressful and getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of things, you deserve to sit back and enjoy a tasty treat. Just make sure you are balancing how much sugar you consume.

PROCESSED FOODS

In today’s society we are almost always surrounded by processed foods. Most items in the inner part of the grocery stores are often loaded with preservatives and additives which makes it difficult for us to not buy anything with preservers.

Just like sugar, processed foods can clog pores and cause breakouts. They can also be very tempting and addicting so, again, try limiting the number of processed foods you eat.

Examples of processed foods:

Breakfast cereals
Canned vegetables

Potato chips & pretzels
Bakery products
Fast food

SKIN LOVING FOODS TO ADD IN YOUR DIET

Now that we’ve covered all the foods to look out for, let’s talk about foods that you should be turning to that can help clear skin.

LEAN PROTEINS

PLAIN GREEK YOGURT :

Surprise, not all dairy is acne causing. Unlike regular yogurt, Greek Yogurt contains less sugar and more protein which can help with your complexion.

WHITE FISH :

Tilapia, cod, and flounder are all great sources of white fish. Consuming white fish has been known to help with acne and redness.

BEANS :

Beans are known to help with elasticity and hydration in the skin due to their high fiber and nutrients. We love adding beans in soups and on top of salads.

FRUITS & VEGGIES

Fruits & vegetables are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that our skin loves. Here are some of our favorites for a clear complexion.

RED PEPPERS : They are high in Vitamins A & B

KALE : High in Vitamin A

CHICKPEAS : Loaded with Zinc

BERRIES : Berries are high in antioxidants, which promote healing.

CITRUS FRUITS : A lot of citrus fruits are loaded with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a major component in brightening skin, particularly dark spots.

AVOCADOS : Many of the culprit foods mentioned earlier cause inflammation. Luckily, avocados do the opposite. They are great sources of fruit that are anti-inflammatory.

WHOLE GRAINS

Swapping your processed carbohydrates with whole grains can improve your complexion. Processed flour can cause a spike in insulin levels, which in result can encourage acne.

WHEAT BREAD :

A simple switch from white to wheat could make the difference in your skin!

WHEAT PASTA :

Replace your regular pasta for something healthier such as whole wheat or even chickpea-based pasta.

WATER

Last but not least, a very important thing you can consume for clearing acne and promoting glowing, hydrated skin – water. Proper hydration can help remove toxins that can affect skin conditions such as acne. Water overall is an essential component to promoting all around healthy and hydrated skin.

BALANCE

Life is all about balance, and so is your skin. Pay attention to what you consume and monitor what may cause your acne to flare up or improve. You’ll be surprised at how some of these small changes can effect your acne and overall health of your skin. Remember, what you eat is not the cure to acne, but it can absolutely help your skin care journey.