3 Foods to Avoid When Battling Acne

Let’s face it- acne is the bane of our existence. The presence of acne in any part of our body immediately makes us feel conscious and uncomfortable in public. Severe acne can make us less confident in ourselves and in dealing with people.

An effective skin care regimen is not the only way we can lessen the presence and formation of pimples. This goes hand in hand with a clean diet and regular exercise in order to properly fight acne.

Eating foods that are clean and nutritious is an important factor of a blemish-free and glowing skin. However, there is a possibility that we unconsciously consumer food that, instead of fighting acne, can only worsen it.

We give you the lowdown on food that you should avoid eating if you’re struggling with acne.

Time to break up with dairy.

Milk and other dairy products contain hormones from cows that can be absorbed by the body. When this happens, the body’s own hormones are stimulated, resulting to clogged pores and oilier skin.  Oily skin serves as a breeding ground for bacteria. Furthermore, the growth hormones present in dairy can make your pimples grow bigger.

If you just can’t let go of dairy, opt for the healthier options like almond and soy milk. In consuming cheese and yogurt, products that are made mainly from dairy, choose the organic non-fat versions. Dairy products made from skim milk contain a lesser amount of cow hormones, a skin-friendly alternative to regular milk.

Take time away from white carbs.

Eating too much food containing white carbs can impede your progress in battling acne. Food such as white bread, sugary baked products, potatoes, white rice and pasta increase the androgen levels in the body after just a week of consumption. This causes a stimulation of the oil glands and increases severity of your acne.

Swap these refined carbohydrates with whole grain products such as brown rice and wheat bread. If you can’t avoid eating carbs, pair these with protein-rich food such as chicken and fish. When we pair carbs with protein, we tend to eat less of the former.

If possible, steer clear of sugary foods.

Most of us have a sweet tooth. Research suggest that eating too much sweets can worsen hormonal acne. Consuming too much sugary food can increase the insulin levels in the body. Insulin hormones increase the production of sebum in the skin, making it oiler and increasing the size of the pores. When this happens, the skin is more prone to breaking out.

Try to cut your sugar intake into half to see positive results in the skin. The results may not come instantly, after 12 weeks of taking part in this form of diet, you can see a big difference.

On a positive note, there are also substitutes to sugar that you can incorporate into your diet. Stick to adding “good sugars” to your diet. Examples of good kinds of sugar are coconut sugar, agave nectar, honey, birch tree extract and date sugar.