Let’s dive into the diet-skin connection. When we eat foods that don’t digest well, it knocks your body off balance, which can immediately result in inflammatory responses like acne, red skin and potentially rosacea if done repeatedly. When eating for your best skin possible, it’s best to stick with real, unprocessed foods. Go organic; just do it. If you eat anything packaged, a good rule of thumb is 5 ingredients or less. If you can’t pronounce it, try to avoid it. We have a blog post regarding this for those who’d like more of an explanation.
Foods For Clear Skin & Anti-Acne Diet Tips
Five tips to keep in mind when eating for healthy skin are:
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Mind your sugar intake - With eating low-glycemic foods. Veggies and meat fall into this category already!
Get enough healthy fats - Like Omega-3! Wild salmon, sardines, almonds, walnuts and other delicious fatty foods can be your friend here.
Drink a minimum of 3-4 liters of water per day - Especially if you exercise or drink coffee.
Eat your hydration - Foods like cucumber, apples, greens, berries, cantaloupe and tomatoes are all examples of hydration-packed foods that help fight dehydration throughout the day. Sweet.
Alkalize in the morning - Celery juice, wheat grass shots and powdered greens are options for achieving an alkaline body.
Trigger Foods To Avoid for Clear Skin
These Foods Trigger Acne, Breakouts, Skin Inflammation and Aging
Dairy and Whey: Dairy products contain Insulin-Like-Growth Factors or IGFs, which stimulate more oil in the sebaceous glands and trigger more inflammation. It actually changes the composition of your oil, making it thicker, stickier and harder to sweat out. Not cool. You may notice that consuming milk starts increasing your facial oil in as soon as 2 hours. You may likely notice chin acne within 24 hours of consuming milk (or whey) – it’s that acne-causing. You may notice that once you eliminate dairy, you see a drop in visible oil within 48 hours, along with a visible reduction in active breakouts. It’s simply that powerful.
Refined Sugar: Found in most processed & convenience-packaged foods, snacks and beverages. Sugar contains no nutrients. It is quickly digested as calories and can actually pull minerals from your body during digestion. Spikes in blood sugar can result in inflammation, increased sweat and oil and a subsequent spur of bacterial growth in our pores and hair follicles – it is truly the worst of the worst for acne. Remember that alcohol is sugar, so “drink responsibly” for yourself and your skin!
Trans Fat Foods: Trans fat is usually found in processed foods ranging from fried food, chips, cookies, cake, even some packaged foods label “healthy” and also comes from vegetable oil. Trans fat also causes blockages in the tiny blood vessels in the skin, which triggers inflammation and increases acne flares.
Milk Chocolate: Contains refined sugar, dairy and usually trans fat, which are the trifecta of acne triggers.
Non-Organic Meat: Meats that are not organic can contain high levels of antibiotics and inflammatory Omega-6. Continuous exposure to antibiotics can disrupt the good bacteria in your body. This unbalance leads to increased breakouts.
Alcohol: Many cocktails are loaded with sugar, which causes inflammation and blood sugar spikes. Alcohol is also a diuretic that can dehydrate the skin, which can lead to more breakouts. We prefer agave-based tequila as it 1. does the job, and 2. is lower-glycemic due to the slower burn rate of the agave sugar. Happy Cinco de Mayo.
Foods That May Help Improve Acne
Our skin is like a megaphone for our bodies, and if we don't treat it right with healthy food choices, it'll shout out its dissatisfaction with a flare-up of redness. So, to ensure you eat good food, make sure you follow an anti inflammatory diet for acne that can help reduce the inflammation and relaxes your skin, After all, it is all about how you can lower the inflammation and take gentle care so that there are no new breakouts.
Before we do anything else, let's go ahead and dive into the world of anti acne foods. You see, you can improve your skin's health from the inside out by eating a varied diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The following are a few examples of meals that may help those of you who suffer from acne:
- Leafy greens: Green veggies are good for many reasons, and helping your skin is one of them. Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens are loaded with various vitamins and minerals. The best foods for acne scars and acne reduction are rich in vitamins A and C. And since leafy greens carry most of the required vitamins, you should make them a priority in your diet.
- Probiotics: Both a healthy gut microbiota and a strong immune system are essential for clean skin, so you should reach for foods that are high in probiotics. Both kimchi and kombucha (for example) can be foods for clear skin, may help support and improve both of these, and will keep your gut in check as well. After all, a healthy gut means clearer skin!
- Antioxidant-rich foods: Not everyone likes green veggies, but did you know that adding some yummy foods to your diet can do wonders for your skin? Berries, green tea, and dark chocolate are packed with antioxidants and can help protect your skin against free radical damage and reduce inflammation.
- Foods high in zinc: Zinc is vital for keeping your skin healthy and happy. It helps regulate oil production and soothes any irritation. If you're looking for some zinc-rich foods to add to your diet, oysters, steak, chicken, and pumpkin seeds are all great options.
Are bananas good for acne?
While delicious, bananas can be both good and bad for your complexion. As they ripen, the starch converts to sugar, which means that they can be higher on the glycemic index scale. If you are determined to include bananas in your anti acne diet plan, despite the potential for breakouts, you should only consume greener bananas – rather than the spotty, super-ripe varieties that are very sweet and may irritate the skin.
How do you know if your diet is causing acne?
What we put on the inside of our bodies can sometimes show up on the outside. If you detect a correlation between what you eat and a worsening of your skin condition, then eliminating certain items from your diet to see if your skin condition improves may be a good idea. Keeping a food diary as you experiment with an anti acne diet might be useful if you suffer from acne but are unaware of the underlying reason.
Foods that cause acne around mouth and the body include dairy, sugar, processed foods, and alcohol. Narrowing this might be useful in determining whether or not a certain meal is triggering your symptoms. Of course, you should also see a dermatologist for expert advice, especially if your breakouts don’t get better even after an elimination diet and eating the recommended best foods for clear skin.
How long does the acne diet take to work?
Everyone's skin is unique, so it can be difficult to give a definite answer. However, some people may see results in as little as a few weeks, while for others, it could take several months when following an anti acne diet. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was clear skin! It takes time and consistency to see results from dietary changes. So be patient, and let your skin soak up all the nutrients it needs to glow like a star.
How To Put Together An Anti-Acne Diet
There is no need to struggle to create a diet that is kind to your skin. Healthy foods for clear skin go hand in hand with good health, and enjoying things like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats are all great places to start when trying to improve your diet's overall nutritional density.
Bear in mind that some individuals find that eating processed foods, sugar, and dairy items are triggers. Therefore, keeping an eye on these foods to avoid for clear skin is another option. It's always a good idea to talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian to get personalized advice and recommendations, too, just in case you’re confused and don’t know where to start.
More Ways to Improve Your Acne
It's not just about what you eat; there are additional steps you may take to better manage your acne. A mild skincare program, such as that provided by CLEARSTEM skincare products, may aid in maintaining clear, healthy skin. We recommend building a rock-solid skincare regimen, including:
- A gentle acne wash. Our GENTLECLEAN Vitamin Infused Calming Wash can rinse off all the grime of the day and remove bacteria and sebum from your face.
- An exfoliating serum. Formulated with alpha hydroxy acids, our CLEARITY "The Blackhead Dissolver" can unclog pores and give you smooth and radiant skin.
- A hydrating, non-comedogenic moisturizer. Using our HYDRAGLOW Stem Cell Moisturizer is great for all skin types and can help you maintain a healthy acid mantle.
- A reliable mineral sunscreen. UV rays can destroy your skin, but our SUNNYSIDE Brush-On Mineral Sunscreen has an impressive SPF 50 to help ward off photodamage!
Your skin is like a baby and must be treated with tender love and care at all times, whether you're soaking up the sun (with enough SPF, of course!) or simply strolling down the street. It deserves pampering and protection! Remember, taking care of your skin is a journey, and it's important to be kind to yourself and give your skin the time and care it needs.
