What Foods Cause Acne?

Each time you eat a pizza or a burger, will you see a new pimple pop up? Or have you been tracking your consumption of fried food because you know the next morning it will lead to a zit? If your answer to these questions is yes, in order to prevent acne, you may want to avoid those foods. To find out what they are and how they work, read on.

You must realize before getting to the list that food is not specifically responsible for acne. The following foods will only cause a reaction if you have acne-prone and overly oily skin, or poor gut health and a lack of a proper washing routine.

Sugar

Sugars in our homes and in other ways such as sodas, tetra pack juices, honey, etc that we eat as refined white sugar are rich in refined carbs. These are absorbed into the bloodstream rapidly increasing the levels of sugar. The rise in the levels of insulin often drives the excess sugar into your cells, causing acne in turn.

Milk and Dairy Products

The more milk you drink, the more acne you are more likely to have—especially if it’s skim milk. Scientists are still trying to find out why, but when they are pregnant, it may be the hormones that cows generate that end up in their milk. People who have higher blood levels of those hormones tend to get more acne.

Chocolate

It was noticed in a study conducted on males that a substantial rise in acne was caused by those who ate 100% unsweetened cocoa. The study concludes that the immune system reacts strongly to acne causing bacteria by consuming chocolate (which normally includes milk – a dairy product and sugar).

Whey Protein Powder

Whey protein is a popular nutritional supplement. It is a rich source of leucine and glutamine amino acids. These amino acids help the cells of the skin expand and divide faster, which can lead to acne formation.

Whey protein amino acids can also stimulate the body to produce higher levels of insulin that has been correlated with the production of acne. A link between whey protein intake and acne in male athletes has been documented in several case studies.

A direct association between acne incidence and the number of days on whey protein supplements was found in another study. A correlation between whey protein and acne is supported by these studies, but much further research is required to establish whether whey protein causes acne.

Foods Rich In Omega-6 Fats

As they contain Omega-6 fats that are inflammatory in nature, a western form of diet with cornflakes, soybean oil, etc is known to increase the risk of acne. Eating these foods can make you more susceptible if you already have acne-prone skin.

Lean Meat And Animal Protein

Some individuals have pimples that are fairly wide and dark red in color; besides the lips, they also occur along the jawline and the neck. These are caused by the excessive consumption of meats such as chicken and mutton. These pimples can be caused by red meat, but the connection is unclear.