Combating Acne
You are what you eat, believe it or not. Expensive scrubs, masks, and creams won’t fix breakouts if it is the inside that’s trying to get you to know it’s in the red zone alert.
What goes on internally usually shouts out from the outside and skin is a channel for which our bodies are trying to tell us that we are not paying enough attention to what we put in our bodies. Studies have shown that our food intake can play an important part in promoting our skin health.
Here are some tips on food that you should avoid and food that actually promotes skin health!
Food with a low-glycemic index are great and typically made of complex carbohydrates such as
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Unprocessed fruits and vegetables
Other vital ingredients such as mineral zinc, vitamin A and E, and antioxidants are also great in reducing inflammation.
Do note that everybody is different, some may react more to certain food that they eat as compared to others. It is great to experiment with your food intake under a doctor’s supervision to see what works best for you.
Whilst there isn’t a one-plan for all, there are some helpful guidelines that have shown to help your skin.
Low-glycemic food and high protein diet
One that is low in simple sugars with a balanced amount of healthy protein has shown to improve acne issues while aids in weight loss.
Zinc
A key mineral in your food that can help treat and prevent acne. Is also important for skin development as well as embolism and hormonal regulation. Food rich in zinc includes
- Cashew nuts
- Lentils
- Seafood such as oysters and crab
- Beef
- Turkey
- Pumpkin seeds
- Quinoa
Omega-3 fatty acids
Typically found in certain plant-based food and animal protein sources. These includes
- Fish
- Nuts and seeds
- Plant oils
- Fortified food
Antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E are great to protect and neutralize damaging toxins.
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Cherries
- Goji berries
- Green tea
Food that Promotes Skin Health
Below is a small sample of the fantastic foods that not only taste great but do wonders for your skin (and HELP FIGHT ACNE)
Almonds Apples Artichokes Asparagus Barley Beans (dried and fresh) Bean sprouts Berries (Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc) Bok Choy Brazil nuts Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cataloupe Cauliflower Celery Cherries Chickpeas Chinese cabbage Cucumbers Eggplant Endive Escarole Fish & Shellfish Flaxseed Green bell peppers Hazelnuts | Honeydew melon Kale Kidney beans Lentils Macadamia nuts Mushrooms Oatmeal (regular. not instant) Oats Olive oil Olives Oysters Pears Pecans Pinto beans Pomegranate Pumpkin seeds Red bell peppers Romaine lettuce Salmon Snow peas Soy products Spinach Sunflower seeds Tofu Tomatoes Turkey Turnips Yogurt |
Food you should avoid
Acne Alert! Inflammation – inducing foods to avoid.
Bagels Bananas Breads, rolls Cake Candy Cereals (except slow-cooking oatmeal) Cookies Corn Cornbread, corn muffins Cornstarch, Corn syrup Crackers Cream cheese Hot dogs Ice cream, frozen yogurt, Italian ice, sherbet Jam, jelly, preserves Mango Margarine Molasses Muffins Noodles Pancakes Papaya Pasta Pastry Peas | Croissants Doughnuts Dried fruits Egg rolls Flour French fries Fried food Fruit juices Granola Hard cheese (except Romano and Parmesan) Honey Pizza Popcorn Potatoes Pudding Relish Rice Snack foods (eg., potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, rice and corn cakes, etc.) Soda Sugar (white and brown) Tacos Tortillas Waffles Pie Pita bread |
