Acne Foods: Wise Ways to Fight Your Zits From the Inside Out

Is the food you eat associated somehow with your acne? It can be. If you deal with frequent or chronic acne breakouts, enacting a few simple changes to your daily diet may help alleviate the embarrassing condition for good. Food changes are certainly worth trying if you really want to get rid of troublesome acne once and for all.

Who gets acne?

Anyone in any age group can suffer an acne breakout, but generally, teenagers are the demographic who experience them most frequently. When tiny hair follicles get clogged with sebum and dead skin cells, acne can appear on the face, back, neck, shoulders, and chest, says Mayo Clinic.

Hormonal changes in adolescence and adulthood may also contribute to acne breakouts, but not all cases of acne can be blamed on hormones. Poor food choices may contribute to a far more significant portion of acne cases. If it turns out that the best treatment for acne is as simple as changing a few of the foods you eat, you’d be willing to try it, right?

Small dietary changes that may help alleviate acne

The iodine found in common table salt may serve to make acne breakouts worse. Some salty seafoods have a similar effect. Go for low-sodium versions of your favorite packaged foods, or better yet– skip processed foods altogether, recommends Prevention magazine. Endeavor to eat no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day for acne-free skin.

Try to get the majority of your calcium from nondairy sources. Leafy green romaine, broccoli, tofu, collards and soy milk deliver a healthful serving of the bone-building mineral without the cow hormones that may contribute to acne breakouts.

Avocados, seeds, nuts and other produce abundant in vitamin E may reduce the inflammation associated with acne breakouts. Vitamin A-rich foods such as fatty fish and beef liver and veggies that are deep orange in color are also known to reduce acne troubles in many people.

Manuka honey mixed with ground cinnamon powder may alleviate acne, but you don’t eat it in order to treat your skin. Instead, apply the paste to your face and let it remain overnight. Rinse with tepid water and blot skin dry.

Low glycemic diet to treat acne

A low carb diet can lead to rapid weight loss, and may also alleviate acne. Focus your carb choices on those with a low glycemic index (GI) to reduce insulin spikes that can cause skin breakouts. Carbohydrates with a relatively high GI are quickly digested, causing serum glucose levels to surge. Your body needs insulin to utilize glucose, but too much at once can wreak havoc on your complexion, advises Heal With Food magazine. Low-GI foods include leafy green vegetables, fruit, and legumes. Carb-heavy potatoes rank high on the GI list of foods to avoid for healthier, clearer skin.

If you suffer from acne, take hope. Make a grocery list, stock up on face-friendly foods and watch your skin become clearer by the day.