How to Eliminate Acne With an Anti-Acne Diet

Amber is a web writer whose articles focus on beauty, skincare, health, and wellness!

Possible Causes of Acne

There’s nothing fun about acne. Birth control can possibly cause acne (I’ve been there), puberty and acne seem to go hand in hand (my child has been there), and hormones can give you acne before or during your period. That doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with acne though.

Factors such as hormones can make you more prone to acne, but they are not the deciding factor in whether you develop acne or not. In fact, even genetics can’t determine whether your face will be covered in pimples throughout puberty. What you eat may play a major role in whether or not you have acne.

Hormones Don’t Mean You’re Destined to Have Acne

Hormones do play a role in acne, but they aren’t the only culprit behind a face full of pimples. Acne is caused by your pores being clogged with dead skin and oil. Hormones make your body produce more oil than it normally does, which can mean that your pores are more likely to get clogged.

That does not mean that you’re definitely going to have acne if your body is producing more oil. Instead, you’ll need to control what you can. Studies that have contributed to articles like this one show that there is a clear link between nutrition and acne development.

How Does Diet Affect Acne?

Diet affects acne in various ways. It helps determine whether you wind up with more pimples later on this month or not. Your diet can also have a drastic impact on the overall health of your skin in general.

Food Allergies Make You More Prone to Developing Acne

If you have a food allergy, acne might be because of that. Dairy intolerances have been linked to skin conditions like eczema, for example. If you have mild gluten intolerance but continue to eat it anyway, this food allergy can cause blemishes. Consider whether your acne flares up when you eat a food that you have a food allergy to. If it does, it’s time to eliminate that food from your diet.

Spikes in Insulin Make Your Body Produce More Oil

Hormones from puberty and periods aren’t the only things that can make your body produce enough oil to help pimples develop. Insulin can do the same thing, and this doesn’t just happen in diabetics. When you consume sugar, your body will release insulin to help your body remain in homeostasis. However, surges in insulin can make your body secrete more oil.

Your Body Gets Rid Of Toxins Through Your Skin

When we consume toxins, such as those in processed food, our body has multiple ways of getting rid of them. It comes out in our urine, bowel movements, and when we sweat. In fact, more toxins can make a person more likely to develop body odor than a person that eats a natural diet. When your body pushes those toxins out through your skin, you wind up with bacteria on your skin, which could be behind infected pimples or pimples in general.

What Foods Help With Acne?

An anti-acne diet involves eating specific foods that can help you combat pimples from the inside of your body. These foods work hard to produce healthy bacteria. They help your body fight free radicals, toxins and make sure that you’re healthy so your skin is healthy, too.

Foods High in Zinc

Diets that are high in zinc have been linked to fewer cases of acne. It’s believed that this is because zinc is known to reduce inflammation. Some foods that are high in zinc include:

• Oysters
• Lobster
• Beans
• Nuts
• Beef
• Chicken
• Tofu
• Mushrooms

Foods High in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are known for helping reduce the number of free radicals in our bodies, therefore limiting the damage that they can do. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help prevent acne by reducing free radical damage and reducing inflammation. (Inflammation alone can cause clogged pores.) Foods rich in antioxidants include:

• Green tea
• Red bell peppers
• Papaya
• Blueberries
• Sweet potatoes
• Avocados

Read More From Bellatory

How Much Do You Tip for Microblading?

How Much Do You Tip a Barber

How Much Should You Tip a Lash Tech?

This brief list is going to be a great place to start with your anti-acne diet. However, there are plenty of other foods that are packed with antioxidants to help you eat your way to clear skin. These foods are simply at the top of the list of foods based on how many antioxidants they contain.

A Mediterranean Styled Diet Can Clear up and Prevent Pimples

Acne is more prevalent in developed nations, particularly in Western culture than in other nations. This is not because of our geographical location. In fact, it’s believed to be because of our diet.

Most Western diets are packed with trans fat, sugar, and other processed junk. This is simply not healthy. Opting for a different styled diet can not only be healthier, but it can also help you get the clear skin you’re after. The key features of a Mediterranean style diet include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Olive oil
• Whole grains

As you can see, there is not a lot of refined sugar or even processed meat in this diet. Instead, it tends to be more natural than any other diet. Personally, I don’t think it would harm anything if you were to add some chicken but still were able to stay primarily on the natural side. You want an anti-acne diet that you can stick to, not one that makes you miserable.

Foods To Avoid If You Have Acne

It has been well documented that a Western diet can contribute to cases of acne. However, there are so many foods available, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly which ones to avoid on your own. Consider canceling these foods to prevent future breakouts.

Refined Sugar

Sugar is in almost everything that we eat. Even starches like pasta and white bread turn into sugar in our bodies. They make our body produce more insulin, which in turn makes it produce more oil. Try to say no to sweets, and eliminate a lot of starchy foods like pasta, white bread, and processed foods.

Processed Foods

Processed foods, like those you would find in the freezer section, are packed with things that are not good for us. They have toxic ingredients, sugars, preservatives, and far more things that are going to damage our bodies than ingredients that are good for us. They also have a lot more sugar than natural foods.

Processed foods contribute to the level of free radicals and chemicals in our bodies. They are unhealthy for our mind, body, and our skin.

Fast Food

Fast food does the same thing to our body that other processed foods do, but they also have more grease and unknown ingredients than processed foods you pick up at a grocery store. Most people don’t look at the ingredients on chicken nuggets before ordering a 20 piece, and that’s what makes them that much more dangerous. Check out this website for a glimpse at what the world of fast food offers you via chicken nuggets. (They actually have to use something as an “anti-foaming agent” in them.)

Not only do the toxic ingredients cause cancer, but they are also expelled out of the body through our skin, which can lead to acne and pimples. It’s better to remember that you have food at home than to put that toxic stuff in your body. Besides, it can help reduce breakouts!

In Conclusion

To help combat acne, eat plenty of foods that are rich in zinc and antioxidants. Avoid foods that are processed, full of sugar, and stay away from fast food. This will benefit your entire body, including your skin.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

© 2021 Amber Lynn