Home Link

updated November 20, 2009

Acne and Diet

If you are anything like the common consumer, you have read more than one report on acne and diet. Some would say that diet plays a huge part in your fight against acne, and others would tell you that the connection between acne and diet is nothing more than a big and unfortunately prevalent myth. This being said, both sides have a point. On one hand, diet does not cause acne, nobody knows what causes acne. But on the other side of things, you cannot say that diet does not contribute to acne.

The first thing to know about diet and acne is that oily and greasy foods will contribute to greater acne breakouts. More experienced skin professionals who I've consulted with would not hesitate to tell you to eliminate most fatty foods from your diet. This means that you should not eat as many fried foods, steaks, pork, you get the basic idea. By eating these foods, you are actually creating more excess oils, and your skin may even take on an inflamed and red nature according to some professionals. This being said, you should not avoid all fats and oils. Good fats such as omega 3 fatty acids will actually help to balance out oils and give your skin a healthy glow.

Second, avoid milk products. There is a reason why many would blame chocolate for sudden and persistent acne breakouts. While the chocolate bean is actually quite helpful, most chocolate bars are laden with milk and sugar. Milk products are good for you in the fact that they provide your body with needed calcium. But you can get calcium from other sources, and unlike milk, those sources are not filled with harmful and degrading hormones often found in milk products.

Third, remember to get all your essential vitamins and minerals. They are called essential vitamins and minerals for a reason. Your body quite literally cannot function without them. And while you may not die or become deathly ill, small deficiencies will manifest themselves, often in the form of acne. If you get all your vitamins, you may also find that your skin will achieve a healthy glow. It should also be noted that certain vitamins including vitamins A, C, & E as well as zinc have been known to improve skin, even when used in greater amounts than your body actually needs.

Finally, remember to eat high fiber foods. High fiber foods will keep your digestive tract moving, regulate heart health, and provide various other benefits, even promoting some weight loss in some individuals. However, fiber is also extremely important to the skin. When you don't have enough fiber in your system, nothing functions quite right. Toxins are more likely to build up, weigh you down, and ultimately cause acne as bacteria also clogs the pores. So stay regular and use fiber in order to improve the condition of your skin and eliminate your acne.

Diet plays a substantial part in your fight against acne. Many would choose to deny it, call it a myth, etc. And if somebody tells you that a bad diet causes acne, they would be wrong. In most cases, they would not do it on purpose. It's just an unfortunate choice of words. But you cannot deny that diet plays a role in acne, and therefore to successfully eliminate or fight against acne, you always need to control and regulate your diet.