Foods That Cause Acne. Diet That Helps with Acne

Foods that cause Acne: Here is the type of foods to eat and avoid

Also for acne, in support of dermatological treatments, it can be effective to follow correct nutritional indications. Some foods should be consumed more frequently mainly those rich in fiber and omega-3s because they help regulate blood sugar and reduce or prevent skin inflammation.

Zinc, a mineral contained in various foods, such as nuts, helps reduce oiliness and promotes skin healing.

What food should you eat to avoid acne?

The foods that should be included in the daily diet to reduce acne are: 

• Cereals rich in fiber: brown rice, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal flour, quinoa, oats;
• Foods rich in Omega-3: sardines, tuna, salmon, flax seeds;
• Nuts: hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios;
• Lean meats: chicken, turkey, rabbit;
• Foods rich in vitamin A: carrots, papaya, spinach, egg yolk, mango;
• Natural yogurt: do not take yogurt with added sugar;
• Vitamins C and E: lemon, orange, broccoli, and avocado.

In addition to enriching the diet with these foods, it is essential to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day so that the skin is hydrated.

Foods that favor the onset of acne

Foods that favor the onset of acne are mainly foods rich in sugar and fat: white bread, corn flakes, puffed rice, French fries, white potatoes, donuts or other sweets, sugary drinks such as milkshakes and white rice.

When the diet is high in fat and rich in simple sugars, the sebaceous glands produce more sebum and the pores tend to become clogged more easily. Both inflammation and excess sebum can promote the onset of acne.

Cow’s milk can cause acne breakouts

Although cow’s milk is a low-glycemic drink, some studies suggest that cow’s milk consumption may be linked to increased acne breakouts. In these studies, all types of cow’s milk (whole, low-fat, and skimmed) were linked to acne.

The reason why cow’s milk can increase or worsen acne is still a bit of a mystery. One theory is that some of the hormones in milk cause inflammation within the body. Inflammation can clog pores, causing acne.

Here is a menu example that you should consume

At breakfast:

white yogurt + wholemeal bread or almond milk and cereal bread toast with peanut cream or orange juice + scrambled eggs

Snacks:

Fruit + plain yogurt or Avocado + nuts or White yogurt + oat flakes

Lunch and dinner

Fish + rice + raw or cooked vegetables

White meat + brown rice + salad

Wholemeal pasta + broccoli or legumes

In addition to dietary changes, practicing daily physical activity helps control acne, as it improves blood sugar control, hormone production and reduces the greasiness of the skin.

Respect for the ‘true’ Mediterranean diet is the first step to warding off the risk of acne. Enemies of the skin also alcohol and smoking. To fight acne, it is better to avoid dairy products, sugars, and saturated fats.

Pimples are the first cause for turning to dermatologists: between 79 and 95% are tormented by ‘bad skin’ and its aesthetic (but also psychological and emotional) implications

The first rule at the table

Against acne, specialists recommend first of all to follow the ‘real’ Mediterranean diet, a habit that thanks to the different culinary fashions are undergoing personal interpretations, characterized by high consumption of olive oil, vegetables, legumes, wholemeal products, fruit, and nuts.

Much ‘vegetable’, therefore, and little ‘animal’ – low intake of meat and cured meats – while the exception is fish provided in good quantities. Cow’s milk and its derivatives, which may contain pro-sebum hormones, very sugary foods, or foods rich in saturated fats, identified as among the most recent ‘risk factors’ for pimples and increasingly present in the diet, should also be avoided. daily.

Added to these are alcohol and smoking already implicated in the onset of various pathologies, including those of a non-cutaneous nature. of young people. Not even adults are exempt: 40-45% of men and women over 25 know it.

Often the origin of the problem is a genetic predisposition or hormonal alterations, which can be buffered with targeted treatments, but on which dietary factors also act.

The influence of a bad diet on the skin was already partly known, which was confirmed by a 2012 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, which specifically correlates the intake of hyperglycemic foods or an excessive intake of milk. and derivatives that stimulate the production of sebum with an increased risk of acne.

The glycemic index

It is the value that expresses how much food or meal is able to raise the blood sugar level. And hyperinsulinemia is an unfavorable condition for the whole organism, including acne, since it seems to stimulate the bioavailability of androgens and levels of IGF-1 (growth hormone), which combined together and present in high concentrations at the level of the sebaceous glands of the skin, activate the hyperproduction of sebum. That is, more pimples and pimples lurking.

Milk and dairy products

The most recent studies have also associated the consumption of dairy products with the onset of acne. Leucine, an amino acid very present in these foods, seems to be able to stimulate a particular enzymatic complex (mTORC1) capable of interacting with the stimuli underlying the onset of acne.

Food that should not eat

Also in consideration of the latest scientific evidence, specialists to prevent the onset of acne or reduce its manifestations, suggest:

• Completely eliminate milk and milk-based creams such as bechamel, custard, ice cream, mousses, and preparations that involve the use of cooking cream in both the sweet and savory versions.
• Eliminate cheeses, hard ones such as parmesan or parmesan but also softer ones such as robiola, crescenza cheese, mascarpone, mozzarella, ricotta, fontina or to limit consumption to a minimum.
• Avoid snacks, which are high on the glycemic index. If you have a craving for chocolate, a square of dark chocolate is better than a bar; while the milk and/or white one should not be consumed.
• Exclude from the condiments margarine, vegetable oils, especially if cooked, because they are rich in trans fatty acids which are related to a worsening of acne.
• Consume excessively sugary fruit in moderation, that is dehydrated fruit (figs, plums, apricots), but also bananas, persimmons, grapes, mandarins, tangerines, figs. Fruit in syrup and candied fruit should be avoided.

Food that you should eat

What, on the other hand, must not be missing on the table to prevent the onset of acne? Vitamins and foods rich in omega-3, first of all, antioxidants, but also magnesium and selenium, little sodium, and a lot of water. Here are some dietary recommendations:

Follow a low glycemic index diet. Avoid sweets, starchy foods (bread, pasta, crackers, and the like), and sugary drinks.

Prefer low sugary cereals, such as barley, spelled, brown rice, millet, buckwheat. Even better if eaten in grains and not in flour in the form of spelled bread, rice flour, spelled pasta, and so on.

Use only raw extra virgin olive oil which also excludes fried and fried cooking. Cold-pressed linseed oil is allowed to be stored in dark bottles and in the refrigerator because it deteriorates very easily.

Among the foods, favor those with Omega-3 fatty acids: For example, salmon, flax seeds, nuts, and fresh fruit drinks can help reduce inflammation. 

• Recipes Antioxidants: such as cherries, berries, green tea, and spinach which attack free radicals.
• Vitamin C: melons, oranges, tomatoes, and strawberries are rich in them which helps to repair damaged or irritated skin. 
• Recipes: Vitamin E: contained in hazelnuts, soy, almonds, green leafy vegetables, eggs that protect the skin from scars. To improve the daily intake of this vitamin, you can dress the salad with olive oil or use it for cooking.
• Vitamin A and beta-carotene, found in carrots, peppers, melons, and sweet potatoes amplify the benefits of selenium, a powerful antioxidant. 
• Recipes Selenium: Brazilian nuts, almonds, garlic, onion, and whole grains are rich in them, which help to preserve the elasticity of the skin and reduce inflammation.
• Magnesium: Artichokes, oats, brown rice, and figs in which the mineral is present, help to rebalance the hormones that favor the onset of acne.
• Water: greatly increase the water intake with at least 8 glasses of water a day and the integration of watery foods in the diet such as watermelon, cucumbers, and parsley which help rid the body of toxins.
• Essential fats: contained for example in walnuts (three a day are enough), in fish including salmon, sea bass, natural anchovies, mackerel, egg yolk, and unroasted dried fruit (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts) which reduce inflammation.
• Low sodium: limit as much as possible the use of prepared or industrial foods that cause you to swell due to water retention and damage the skin. Also, replace canned or frozen vegetables with fresh ones.