The food that you eat and the many different things composing those foods directly affect your body and how you look. Eating is the most controllable thing we can do to look out for our health, weight and looks, yet ironically it is something we are sometimes unable to control. It’s perfectly normal. Who does not love eating, right? Even when you are on a strict diet, a cheat meal every once in a while can be a reward for your sacrifices.
Acne, as we all come to believe, is caused by dirt in the air, hygiene problems and dead skin cells. However, did you know that the food you eat, as innocent as they may seem, can actually cause an acne breakout? More than just excessive oil in the food or any allergic reaction, many food products and mostly their ingredients can cause acne and spread it like wildfire. Be careful with what you eat. Here are 7 foods that may lead to acne and pimples.
- Bread
A type of food that is innocent and light, bread is widely consumed by many people from different parts of the world, as a staple food or a snack. Bread is a go-to food that is common in anywhere and can be paired with anything, whether it is meat or jam, a sweet dessert or a full meal. Bread is considered a diet staple, to replace heavy carbs such as rice and potatoes. However, studies have shown that bread, as seemingly guiltless as it may be, can be a cause of acne if you are not careful.
Bread contains sugar and carbohydrates that increase blood insulin levels. (1) While this is a common and normal body process, it can be a different story from those who are prone to acne and those who already have a pre-existing bout with acne. Increase in insulin levels from too much sugar and carb intake, specifically white sugar, is inflammatory and can lead to acne breakouts.
- Dairy Products
The common knowledge is that dairy products can only be risky to those with lactose intolerance as it can lead to stomach and digestive issues. In a deeper study, dairy products such as milk, ice cream and cheese can also lead to acne breakout and severe acne or skin problems. Like bread, dairy products especially cow’s milk have high sugar levels. The effects of it on the insulin levels of the blood depend on the pre-existing blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that dairy products are more reactant on blood sugar levels to teenagers, and second on young adults.
Consumption of dairy products do not directly lead to acne, but it can trigger the excess production of hormones that can lead to it. Dairy products intake triggers the over production of skin oils and can increase sebum production. It also leads to increased production of skin cells which can block the pores and can lead to acne.
- Pizza
Fast food are widely known to be quite an unhealthy choice for many reasons. However, because of its convenience and easy-access, many of us choose to look the other way. Plus, many of these fast food types are friendly on the taste buds. However, looking into the unhealthy functions of eating fast food, apart from the long terms effects it can bring to the body such as high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels, fast food can also lead to acne breakouts.
Not just pizza, but other food choices you can see on any fast food menu such as burgers, French fries, hotdogs and chicken nuggets, though they may smell good and taste good, they may paint a different picture for your skin, literally. These food types contain refined carbs, trans fat and saturated fats that can cause a disorder in the production of healthy hormones in the body, therefore leading to acne breakout, among other things.
- Oily Junk Food
Let’s put it simply: oil is not your friend. It is not your friend when it comes to food and cooking – of course when we are taking about a healthy diet – and it is not your friend when it comes to skin care. Although there are types of oil products that are preferable for a healthy meal, many types of oil such as corn and soy can trigger acne. These types of oil have high omega-6 fats content that are not friendly to the skin. Other types of oil that can be bad for the skin are canola, sunflower and margarine oil because of their high omega-6 fat content.
Junk food such as chips, nachos and French fries, or any type of food that are deep fried, can be highly inflammatory to skin and cause acne breakout or severe acne problems if regularly consumed. (2) Basically, avoid fast food and oily junk food for a clearer, cleaner and healthier skin.
- Spicy Food
Eating spicy food do not exactly have a direct impact on acne growth on your skin. However, it can trigger acne by opening the sweat glands of your skin and increasing skin oil production. The most hazardous combination would be spicy and oily food, which by chance is also a common combination in these food types. Some people enjoy adding spiciness to the food, to take out the excessive taste of fat and oil for many oily food types. However, there are also those spicy food that are not necessarily oily. The effect is the same on the sweat glands, and if you are one to have an oily skin, then this is not a good combination for you.
Best way to prevent acne breakout when eating spicy food is to wash your skin and face with water or keep yourself cool after eating to prevent the heat from opening the sweat glands.
- Non-Organic Meat
Going organic is not only going on a healthy choice of lifestyle and overall health. Organic products also have a direct correlation to your skin health, especially when it comes to cooking and eating meat. Meat products that have been fed with antibiotics and scientific growth can have effects on the meat, which will then have a direct effect on the hormones when consumed. (2) On the other hand, meat products that have been fed with organic grass have gone through natural growth and do not have chemicals in their contents that are not only bad for the skin, but can have long term unhealthy effects to the body.
- Peanut Butter
It’s a staple when eating peanut butter and jam. Peanut butter alone can be a mood shifter because of its deliciousness that you won’t be able to put it down. However, we all know that peanut butter is a call for acne.
It may be too obvious for peanut butter to be included on this list, but here’s a breakdown of why exactly peanut butter causes acne and pimples. First off, peanut butter is made from peanuts, which can increase sebum production that worsens acne breakouts. Peanut butter contains hydrogenated oil which increases skin oil and skin cells production. Also, it contains high levels of sugar which can increase insulin levels of the blood. To sum up, peanut butter contains a triple threat when it comes to skin protection. Affecting the hormones, excessive oil and skin cell production and increase in blood sugar levels can only mean not so good things for the skin, and for your overall health.
- Sugar and Chocolates
You may have noticed that most food types on this list has mentioned sugar as the main culprit in triggering acne breakouts. So it is only fitting to include sugar and chocolates on this list, which are two food types that have the highest sugar contents. Anything sugary such as concentrated juices, cakes, and candies, milk chocolates and all other types of chocolates contain high sugar levels that can totally disrupt the sugar and insulin levels of the blood, therefore affecting hormones, cell reproduction and skin care.
While we are being told to avoid sugar and chocolates because of risks of sugar-ridden lifelong illnesses, you now have another reason to add to your list on why you should avoid these two: acne and pimple breakout.
Acne and pimples are quite common dermatological conditions. This is why acne control and acne treatment are also quite common and can be bought over-the-counter. However, a severe case of acne will require assessment and treatment of a specialist. Be sure to seek help when you think you pass the category of severe acne and pimple condition.
While this list of food may cause acne, it does not necessarily mean you should stop eating them completely right away. It still depends on your body’s reactions to the food and the ingredients therein. Of course, you can still eat some of your favorites, as long as you do it in moderation and to avoid eating it if you notice a bad reaction to your skin. Eat healthy, stay acne free.