11 Foods That Cause Acne

Find Out What Foods Are Making Your Skin Breakout!

Happy Wednesday Golden Divas!

A couple of weeks ago I talked to you about “Face Mapping.” According to some alternative medicine practices, where your acne shows up can give you important clues about your internal health. The practice, called “face mapping,” examines the location of skin diseases on the face to diagnose internal diseases.

Golden Divas we all know what’s going on inside of our bodies can lead to what comes out of our bodies and sometimes the journey to our health challenge may display itself right on our FACE!!!

Today’s post is part II from the “Face Mapping” we’re going to talk about the connection between diet and acne? Let me tell you it is real! Although it has been heavily debated for a while now, studies have claimed sugary, greasy, and fatty foods such as chocolate, burgers, fries, and many other (delicious) foods can cause acne. 

We’ve also heard that it’s all a myth. Many dermatologists will tell you there is no link between food and acne. They dismiss the idea because so much research is inconclusive.

“For years, the relationship between diet and acne has been controversial,” says New York City dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco. “But there is no doubt in my mind that there is a connection.

Okay, ladies let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the lumps and bumps. For those who have never been plagued with acne, God bless you! However, for the ladies that have experienced acne during puberty and even now on the other side of fifty keep on reading.

There are four key factors that influence acne production, including inflammation and increased sebum, and other known causes of acne

1. Hormones
2. Drugs
3. Genetics
4. Stress.

While many of the studies are small and point to associations instead of definitively saying that food will or will not increase acne production, this information is invaluable. If you suffer from moderate or severe acne, why not try to isolate a potential trigger and eliminate it? Fixing the root problem is how you’ll avoid breakouts, by watching what you eat is a natural, risk-free way to improve your skin actively.”

Oil production and hormones have more of an impact on acne than diet, but I don’t dismiss dietary intake when I treat patients,” says Roopal Kundu, M.D., associate professor in dermatology at the Feinberg School, corresponding study author, and an attending physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.  

What Is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition that is known to affect teenagers, though it can occur at any age, even during menopause. The primary symptoms of the condition include red lumps on the skin that are filled with pus and can cause severe irritation. The pimples occur as a result of hair follicles becoming blocked and clogged full of oil and dead skin cells.

These symptoms may also be accompanied by generally greasy skin, blackheads and whiteheads, and skin irritation. When these pimples go away, they often leave scars on the surface, and in some cases leave quite prominent craters in the skin.

It is thought that around 80% of cases of acne occur as a result of genetic reasons, but in many cases, the diet can play a part. Cigarette smoking and food appear to play some role in the condition, whether it’s causing the condition or causing the symptoms. So, if you want to ensure that you reduce your acne symptoms, it’s crucial you know which foods can cause you problems.

1. Chocolate

You probably grew up listening to your parents telling you that chocolate

gives you spots, only to grow up and realize that it wasn’t true and was simply an effort to stop you from eating too much of it.

It seems, however, that they were right. According to numerous studies, including a survey by Los Angeles dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban, chocolate fan, in fact, play a role in causing acne. This is not specifically a problem with cocoa, however, but more to do with the fact that chocolate is fatty food.

When you consume a lot of fat and sugar in your diet, your skin will produce more sebum (oil). This oil can then quickly become clogged and cause an inflammatory response throughout your body.

2. Dairy

Most dairy products, if consumed in excess, can cause problems for your skin. The American Academy of Dermatology has confirmed that milk can cause acne breakouts and cause problems for your skin. There is a direct link between breakouts and milk consumption, making using dairy alternatives is an excellent idea for acne sufferers.

So why does this happen? It turns out it’s the hormone found in the milk. When you consume dairy products, it gives your body more hormones which are known to cause pimples. So, instead of having milk with your coffee and cereal, try using almond or rice milk. There are also lots of vegan and dairy-free alternatives for many traditionally dairy-based products, meaning you don’t have to miss out simply because you have acne troubles!

3. Soy

If you’re trying to avoid dairy because it can cause acne breakouts, be sure not to use soy alternatives. Soy is one of many ingredients that can cause an increase in the severity and length of acne breakouts.

Specifically, it has been found that soy foods can cause a breakout in spots around the mouth and along the jaw. Amazingly this occurs as a result of the estrogen from plants found in the beans. These phytoestrogens from plants are very similar to the estrogen produced by our bodies, meaning our hormone levels are thrown ‘out of whack.’ So if you suffer from acne, be sure to check the labels of any vegetarian food you might consume, as it’s quite a common ingredient in meat-free meals.

4. Sugar

As mentioned in the segment about chocolate, sugar can have a significant effect on your skin. Sugar promotes inflammation within the body, and acne is an inflammatory condition. The skin becomes inflamed as a result of sebum getting stuck in hair follicles. This is what causes the red appearance around acne pimples.

Whether you struggle with acne, or you have occasional bad skin breakouts, you should

undoubtedly cut back on the amount of sugar you eat – assuming you eat a lot of it already.

There are lots of alternatives to sugary foods out there, so you don’t have to go on a strict and boring diet. Instead of chocolate and candy, choose fruits, honey or maple syrup. There are lots of natural sweeteners for the likes of tea and coffee out there, too.

5. Spicy foods

Like getting a bit of a sweat on when you eat? Well, it might be time to cut back on the number of spicy foods you’re eating! It turns out that spicy foods, like curry or red chilies, could affect your skin. This is much more than merely a matter of the spice making you sweat, though. In fact, the chemicals that make food taste spicy in the first place are to blame, and some studies have suggested quite a strong correlation between acne breakouts and the consumption of spicy food.

6. Coffee

Love your first cup of coffee in the morning? Well, unfortunately, it could be giving you spots! Amazingly, inside of coffee, there is an organic acid that is known to raise the body’s cortisol levels naturally. Cortisol is a stress hormone which does two terrible things for an acne sufferer – cause inflammation and increase the amount of sebum produced by our sebaceous glands. So, the more coffee you drink, the more inflamed your skin will become.

Unfortunately, decaffeinated coffee is no different. This is simply one of those things that we have to accept, but you can still switch your coffee out for tea!

7. Bread

Out of all the things that might cause acne, you probably wouldn’t guess that bread would be on the list. If you’re a fan of eating croissants in the morning and having sandwiches for lunch, you might want to consider reducing the amount that you consume.

The reason why bread can be so bad for acne is that it’s made of wheat, and what causes inflammation. If you’re trying to get rid of your acne symptoms, you start with the inflammation problem. Some bread products are worse than others, too – for instance, bread products that also contain dairy and sugar can be even worse for you. An English muffin, for example, should be avoided!

8. Nuts

Generally, nuts are healthy – but if you struggle with skin problems, they’re certainly not the best thing you can eat. Some studies are showing that consumption of nuts has an effect on your skin, and while we’re still not entirely sure how it works, it seems like they can cause some problems.

9. Sushi

Sushi can be a healthy option for lunch or dinner, but the rice in it can cause your skin problems. When you have a high glycemic diet, your insulin levels increase. This increase in insulin, if regular enough, can have quite a substantial impact on the appearance and health of your skin.

As rice is a high glycemic food, sushi can be a problem. Almost all sushi is served with rice, and if this is a standard part of your diet, you might be causing problems for your skin. White rice, which is the kind of rice used in sushi, is high on the glycemic index. Just a half cup of cooked white rice hits 17 on the glycemic index. So, to keep your skin healthy, be sure to avoid particularly high glycemic foods, and try and limit the amount of white rice that you consume.

10. Pizza

Pizza is on the list for several reasons, but it likely doesn’t come as a surprise. It

might be delicious, but it’s hardly considered a health food.

Pizza is made up of many components. Firstly there’s the bread base. We have already established that bread can be bad for the skin and should, therefore, play only a small part in an individual’s diet if they suffer from acne. There’s also the cheese on top, which is a dairy product and therefore bad for the skin. Combine this with the amount of oil and grease that is found on a typical takeaway pizza, and you have a recipe for oily skin!

11. Fries

French fries might be made out of a vegetable, but that doesn’t mean they’re good for you. The average French fry is packed full of fat and grease (unless you make your own freshly cut fries and bake them without oil).

The amount of oil found in fries causes problems as your body is unable to get rid of all this grease quickly. It ultimately comes out in the skin in the form of sebum, and if your diet is rich in high-grease foods, your skin will show it.

Golden Divas let’s start paying more attention to what we are eating that may cause us to break out. I hope this list help! 

Source: https://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/diet-and-acne-app/
https://dailynaturalremedies.com/11-foods-that-cause-acne/11/