There are different causes of acne, like sebum production, hormones, lifestyle, clogged pores, genes, and inflammation. But there’s a study that suggests the link between acne and diet. So, if you don’t want to worsen your acne try to avoid some of these foods for more clear skin:
Does dairy (milk, ice cream,…) cause acne?
First, we have a dairy associated with acne, as some studies suggest, like this from Norway or this from Malaysia. Although, correlation doesn’t mean causation. So, more research is needed it.
Although, some research suggests that cow’s milk increases IGF-1, which is linked to acne, as this study, or this other research suggests.
Meanwhile, another study only found a connection in skim milk.
As you can see, it’s unclear whether all dairy causes or not acne. So, try to avoid some or all dairy products and look if it’s an improvement or not.
Avoid foods rich in omega 6, which help to get rid of your acne
After, we have some foods rich in inflammatory fatty acids: omega-6, like soy, corn, or avocado. These type of fatty acids helps to lead to acne if there’s a lack of anti-inflammatory fatty acids: omega-3. So, try to keep a balance between the two fatty acids.
Thus, try to avoid some foods high in omega-6 and eat more omega-3 fatty acids, like walnuts, or salmon, to help improve your acne.
Does chocolate cause acne?
Continuing, in this list of foods to avoid for acne, we have to discuss chocolate, which has some mixed results if it causes acne or not.
As you know, milk is associated with acne, so it’s better to choose a bar of dark chocolate.
Avoid foods with refined carbs to help clear your acne
On the hand, we have another everyday food group to avoid for people with acne: refined carbs such as pasta, white rice, bread, sodas, maple syrup, or honey.
That happens because this type of food raises insulin levels, which leads to the growth of IGF-1, as this study said.
Does egg cause acne?
Next, we have eggs that can trigger acne because it has a lot of progesterone, a hormone.
When consuming an excess of hormones from food can disrupt the balance of your hormones.
Thus, increased levels of progesterone can lead to acne. Although, it can vary from person to person because everyone has a different tolerance of levels and reactivity.
Plus, it contains a challenging protein to digest: albumin. If it’s not correctly broken down, it can deposit in your lymphatic system. So, it leads to inflammation. Thus, it may lead to acne, too.
Does whey protein powder cause acne?
At the end of this list of foods to avoid for acne-prone skin is a popular nutritional supplement: whey protein powder, which some studies link to causing acne.
The first one is a study that suggests the link between acne and the amino acids of this supplement protein: leucine and glutamine. That’s because these amino acids can stimulate mTor activation.
On the other hand, another study says that the amino acids of this dietary supplement increase the levels of insulin, which it links to causing acne.
The bottom line of foods to avoid for acne-prone skin
The bottom line is that refined carbs and omega 6 fatty acids help in causing acne. So, it’s best to avoid them.
Meanwhile, are mixed results with dairy and chocolate, so avoid them for some time to see if your skin reacts or not.
On the other hand, if you want to know how to take care of your acne with skincare, you can go to my other post about the best ingredients that help get rid of your acne to look for in your skincare products.
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