Acne and Diet

Pepperoni pizza. Dark chocolate, hazelnut brownies. Buttermilk battered fried chicken.

molten dark chocolate cake

Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about what you eat and how it affects your skin.

Diet alone isn’t the cause of skin problems like acne, but it can clearly exasperate its symptoms. The good news is, it can also help in eliminating them.

Acne is a manifestation of an internal imbalance that makes our sebaceous glands go “bonkers” and produce too much sebum (skin oil) that, together with dirt, creates an inviting  “playground” for bacteria, and results in inflammation (cysts and pimples) or less dramatic, but still unwelcomed, whiteheads and blackheads.

If you suffer from acne, avoiding foods that are “hot” (spicy) and excessively rich and fatty is key. Also, limit creamy cakes, cookies, excess alcohol, fried/greasy foods and too much coconut and peanut products. These are all fatty and difficult for the body to break down.

To return our glands to a happy and balanced state, we need to feed our bodies right, avoiding those foods that may shake this imbalance.

If you suffer from acne, avoiding foods that are “hot” (spicy) and excessively rich and fatty is key. Also, limit creamy cakes, cookies, excess alcohol, fried/greasy foods and too much coconut and peanut products. These are all difficult for the body to break down. Even shell fish and citrus fruits such as mandarin oranges and clementines may exasperate formation of pimples and acne.

Scared your fridge will be empty? Don’t be. The key to feeding your skin right is BALANCE.  Moderation is king and cheating every now and again is allowed.

On the other hand, even healthy foods such as milk (for those who aren’t lactose intolerant), or some fruits, if eaten excessively, may actually exasperate acne. A glass of milk can be good for your skin and bones – a gallon is not (unless you want to bath in it!).  The same applies to some fruits such as bananas or lychees (my favorite), as they have high content of sugar. I still remember how my face looked the next day after gorging on two pounds of lychees during one of my trips to Beijing…oh vey!

So, what do you put on your “skin friendly” list? Fresh vegetables (especially green and leafy ones), fresh fruits (berries are excellent choice), chicken and fish (especially those high in Omega 3), tofu and legumes. If you don’t have wheat allergies, whole grains are recommended. And for dessert, a small amount of dark chocolate (80% cocoa) is allowed!

Be sure to take into account how food is cooked. For example, foods that are roasted, curried, barbecued, baked, smoked or deep-fried may exasperate your acne, while steaming, quick boiling, blanching, poaching, braising, stewing or quick stir-frying using very little oil is great for acne sufferers.

And lastly, a big bottle a day keeps a pimple away (a bottle of water of course!).