4 Foods That Cause Acne Flare-Ups And How To Handle Acne

In a world of instant gratification, we often need an off-the-counter meal because we have a super busy schedule, and really, who still fries chips at home, right? But we forget that our skin is the largest organ in our body and what we eat directly affects it either in a good or bad way.

It’s true that you’re what you eat and it’s also true that there’re some foods that cause acne, so it’s necessary to always take extra attention to what you eat. While a good skincare routine is the most popular arsenal for battling acne, aka pimples, an equally effective method is watching your diet. As your skincare routine fights acne outwardly, your diet counters it from the inside, which is good teamwork if ever there was one.

A substantial percentage of people with acne notice a connection between their diet and acne breakouts. So if you want to seriously reduce your acne breakouts and get bright, glowy, and healthier-looking skin, then pay more attention to what you ingest as food. While these food items do not affect everyone the same way, the key is to give attention to your skin and watch its reaction to these food items, then cut back or eliminate the culprit from your diet.

Check out 4 major foods that cause acne breakouts…

#1. Diary products

Diary products rate as one of the top foods that cause acne. (Aha!!! I can imagine the vegans putting on their “I told you so” smirk for this one). Dairy cows are often treated with artificial hormones that affect their milk supply. These fake hormones may throw your hormones off balance when you consume milk products, thus triggering acne.

Dairy is not only present in milk, chocolate, and cheese but also in a lot of foods we eat. Therefore, do well to check the dietary information on food packs so you can better keep track and try to regulate how much milk you’re consuming daily.

While cow milk supports acne flare-ups, you don’t have to give up your milk and chocolates completely. Opt for dark chocolates instead which contain antioxidants that rid the skin of free radicals. Also, plant-based milk products are a pretty great alternative. Best believe the likes of almond and cashew milk are really nutritious and taste great as well.

#2. Fast foods

The next time you want to call up a friend for a double-decker pizza and ice cream moment, run your hands through your face and maybe you’ll think of a more nutritious option. This is because fast foods come packed with not-so-good-for-you fats from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Many fried fast foods cause acne and yes, we know they smell awesome and taste sumptuous but just like it’s called, fast foods are prompt to arrive and so are the breakouts. So, stay away from them!

#3. Sugar

How tempting it is when you’ve been out in the sun and you spot a super chilled soda can calling your name. That’s right, we can totally relate but that unlooking game shouldn’t be exclusive to your selfies. The sugar in things like soda, cake, doughnut, and white bread travel fast into the bloodstream, [and to save you all the medical terms and processes,] to quickly increase your blood sugar. While your body starts fighting this, hormones that increase oil production in the skin are activated. And we know it’s never a good gathering when oil clogs up on your skin.

#4. Chocolate

Okay, you probably didn’t see this coming — neither did I. However, experts agree that chocolate has been linked with incessant acne flare-ups. While you don’t need to eradicate the sweet treat altogether (unless you want to), you do need to cut down on your intake if you’re consuming a lot. Rather than munch on 10 bars a day, why not reduce that to two bars every other day? Your skin will thank you. 

General tips:

• Try keeping records of the foods that make up your diet and take note of how these foods affect your skin’s health after you consume them.
• Adhering to a more nutrient-dense diet like low-sugar and more plant-based meals is not just advantageous to the skin, but also to your overall health.

Featured image: Ron Lach | Pexels

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