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Lifestyle

7 Ways to Fight Acne by Switching up Your Diet

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at New Paltz chapter.

Acne is a common and complex skin disease that affects all of us. According to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, we spend over $3 billion on skin treatments each year.

While expensive skin care creams and trips to the dermatologist can be effective, you can actually keep your skin healthy and looking clear with some slight changes to your diet.

1. Eat more brightly colored fruits and veggies.

Foods Fight Acne carrot potato
Christin Urso

Fruits and vegetables rich in color like beets, purple cabbage and sweet potatoes are all high in antioxidants. “If you don’t have enough antioxidant vitamins and minerals it could cause breakouts,” says Emily Ferencik, SUNY New Paltz nutritionist. Grab a fruit or veggie with a pop of color to help repair skin damage and prevent acne.

2. Eat more oily foods like salmon and tuna.

Foods Fight Acne grilled salmon barbecue
Andrea Baysa

Acne is an inflammatory condition. To prevent flare-ups, we need to eat anti-inflammatory foods like salmon or tuna. “Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids which are known to lower inflammation,” Jennifer Pena-Trabucco, a licensed medical aesthetician at Essence MediSpa in Highland, NY, says.

3. Munch on seeds and nuts.

Foods Fight Acne pecan walnut
Kirby Barth

Pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cashews and almonds all contain high levels of zinc. “Zinc kills acne causing bacteria and helps to heal wounds and scars,” Ferencik says. “Almonds are also packed with vitamin E, which may protect the skin from sun damage.”

4. Eat more complex carbs.

how to build a salad cereal corn
Amy Yi

Ferencik says you should eat foods that balance your blood sugar. When blood sugar is high, insulin is released. When you have high insulin levels, it can cause worsen acne. Complex carbs like whole grains, quinoa, brown rice, and beans are all lower on the glycemic index, which releases glucose more slowly and steadily to keep your blood sugar balanced.

5. Drink lots of water.

Foods Fight Acne citrus juice
Danielle Gervais

Although this seems like a no-brainer, water plays an important role for your liver. The liver flushes toxins out of the body and if your liver is not able to detoxify your bloodstream adequately, toxins must find another route of excretion: the skin. “Try adding lemon to your water for an extra detox boost,” Ferencik suggests.

6. Eat less dairy.

Foods Fight Acne dairy dairy product
Aakanksha Joshi

Milk and dairy products have hormones and nutrients that aggravate breakouts and clog your pores, according to a study in the journal Acta Dermatovenerologica Croatica (ADC). They also produce a high insulin response and alter inflammation, which are main factors that contribute to acne. Some of us love eating various cheeses and drinking milk, but dairy has no benefits for your skin.

Try limiting dairy in your diet for a week, and you can see a difference.

7. Put down those processed foods.

pizza pizzazz candy frozen pizza
Amy Yi

We all know potato chips and pizza are hard to give up. But “simple sugars and starches in processed foods will unbalance your blood sugar and cause acne,” Ferencik says. Processed foods also contain compounds that promote stress and inflammation, which will lead to acne flare-ups.

Holly Lipka

New Paltz '16

Hi! I'm Holly Lipka and I'm journalism student and food enthusiast! I adore trying to new, delicious, and healthy foods, especially green smoothies. I'm just on my journey to my happy place and Spoon is the place to be!