Foods To Avoid For Clear Skin

If you suffer from acne, especially as an adult you may be struggling with getting clear skin. just having “1 week when you don’t have a breakout” It can be that severe, at least for me it has been. While it might seem impossible to get that acne-free skin you so desire, you may want to look into your lifestyle, health, skincare practices, and diet as these are all factors that can trigger acne. For today, how about we look closely at foods you need to avoid for clear skin.

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So as always grab a cup of coffee, tea, or something … and let’s dive in

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For a long time, it’s been argued whether our diet had a role to play in acne formation.

Some were of the opinion that some types of food we eat could cause the oil glands to produce more oils while others felt Naa that there was absolutely no correlation between our diet and our propensity to develop acne.

Thankfully those controversies have been laid to rest as several studies have shown that YES!!! Diet does play a role and a huge one at that in the formation of acne.

What Causes Acne?

Acne is arguably the most common skin condition out there and is characterized by pimples on the face, chest, and back. It is found more commonly in teenagers due to a surge in androgen levels in adolescence. But adult acne is increasingly becoming common due to stress, medical conditions, skincare practices, and a poor diet.

Androgens are primarily known as male hormones but they are also present in women. In males, they are formed in the testes and adrenal cortex and are responsible for their reproduction and development of secondary sexual characteristics. In females, they are produced by the ovaries and adrenal cortex and are precursors of estrogen which in turn is responsible for secondary sexual characteristics.

Acne arises when there is a rise in androgen levels causing the pores to get clogged from any of the following:

Dead skin cells
Excess oil(sebum)
Bacteria ( Cutibacterium acne)

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5 Worst Foods For Acne You Need To Avoid

Now for a lot of people, taking a closer look at their diet and taking off these acne-causing foods has been the singular most important reason they now have clear skin. But for others, it may take getting their skincare routine in order, getting your stress levels down, getting that medical condition treated, and eating healthy.

What foods cause acne? You may ask. Let’s take a look at them:

1. Milk and Dairy Products

Milk and dairy products have been implicated in the causation of acne.

During pregnancy, cows produce progesterone and this hormone supports their pregnancy. This causes an increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). When we take in milk this IGF-1 causes an increase in the synthesis of androgens.

These high IGF 1 levels and androgen levels both stimulate the sebaceous glands which are the oil-producing glands to produce more oils and cause excessive shedding of dead skin cells which both clog the pores and cause acne.

2. Refined Sugars

Foods high in refined sugars such as bread, pasta, carbonated drinks, white rice, and chips have a high glycemic index (GI).

This simply means they are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels.

These high sugar levels, in turn, cause high insulin levels and Insulin is the hormone that signals the cells to take up glucose from the blood. However, when the level of insulin is too high they stimulate the production of androgens which we know is the driving force for acne formation.

The high levels of insulin in conjunction with high androgen levels, cause an increase in IGF-1 which causes excessive shedding of skin cells and oil production which both clog the pores and trigger acne.

3. Fast Foods

Fast foods as their name implies are just fast foods!

They were not intended to replace our home-cooked meals. Eating junk food has been linked to acne. These foods are prepared with vegetable oils that are high in trans fats.

Trans fats are bad for the body. They are pro-inflammatory and so can cause acne or exacerbate your acne. Fast foods are also high in refined sugars which cause a rise in the blood glucose levels kick-starting a cascade of events all culminating in acne formation as described above.

4.Non-Organic Meat

Non-organic meat has also been linked to acne formation. Non-organic meat is high in hormones and antibiotics and when we take these in for an extended period of time, it can alter our normal gut flora. When these good bacteria are reduced there is an imbalance that causes an overgrowth of the bad bacteria which are pro-inflammatory leading to acne formation.

5. White Chocolate

Cocoa which is the key ingredient in chocolate is been suspected to trigger acne. However, there are controversies surrounding this. It is speculated that the milk and sugar could be responsible for the high incidence of acne with people who take chocolate, seeing that dark chocolate has antioxidant properties. Several studies are still ongoing, so more clarifications are yet to come.

Best Foods For Clear Skin

Now we’ve got the bad guys out of the way, what are the best classes of food you should be incorporating into your diet to help heal your gut and get rid of those pesky breakouts.

1. Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that are known for their anti-inflammatory properties.Since acne is an inflammatory condition, taking foods high in omega 3 like salmon, oysters, walnuts, chia seed, flaxseed, canola oil, and soybean oil can slow down this process.

2. Green Tea

Green tea is an antioxidant and has awesome skin benefits. Antioxidants prevent skin damage by fighting free radicals that cause oxidative stress at the cellular level. This is usually evident as signs of premature aging such as age spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties and so can calm the skin from within.

3. Foods with a low glycemic index

Since it has been proven that foods with high glycemic index cause acne then I guess its time to reverse engineer things. Let’s switch up a large portion of our meals to foods with a low glycemic index. Examples of foods with low glycemic index are brown/basmati rice, couscous, carrots, apples, strawberries, brown bread, and baked beans.

4. Non- Dairy Milk

Although we don’t have to totally get rid of dairy, switching to non-dairy milk can hugely impact positively on the health of our skin especially when you are oily and acne-prone. Opt for coconut milk, soy milk, and almond milk.

Final Take Home

Our skin is a reflection of our gut health so when you are prone, paying attention to what you eat could be the game changer in your fight against acne.

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Hope you found the post helpful, see ya on the next one.