The best food for acne
“I have acne, what can I do?” is a complaint made by men and women, across all ages, globally. It is a complaint that unites us all. Unfortunately, breakouts happen to everyone at some point in their life. In fact, acne is the most common skin condition in Australia affecting up to 85 percent of people at some point in their life. For some, it’s minor; for others, it’s debilitating. So what can you do about acne?
What is acne?
Human skin has pores that connect to oil glands under the skin, which connect to follicles that contain little hairs. The glands produce and secrete an oily liquid called sebum. The job of sebum is to carry dead skin cells through the follicles, to the surface of the skin. Often, the skin cells, sebum and hair combine together to form a plug, causing the follicles to get blocked and infected with bacteria. This causes a buildup of oil under the skin’s surface and acne starts developing.
So essentially, acne is the result of clogged pores infected with bacteria. This bacteria can come from external pollutants in the air, touching your face with unclean hands, unwashed bed sheets, greasy hair touching the face and a range of other lifestyle, environmental and genetic variants. Typically, acne begins in puberty, affecting predominantly adolescents and young adults, but can affect people of all ages.
How to improve acne with your diet
If you’re constantly touching your face, using the wrong products, not taking off your makeup… you may still have acne regardless of your diet composition. But if you feel like you’re doing everything right and you still aren’t seeing improvements - the issue might be your diet.
Here are the best foods for acne:
1. Fatty fish
The essential fatty acids in fatty fish like salmon improve the skin by reducing the body’s inflammatory response to excess sebum and bacteria. Fatty fish also helps to regulate the main acne-causing hormones, like testosterone and androgen.
2. Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil has been cold pressed from the raw olive fruit and has no chemicals added, so retains all of the naturally occurring acne-friendly properties including: vitamin E, phenolic compounds, and other antioxidants. Polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, helps protect your cells from damage and fight inflammation. Vitamin E is one of the most important vitamins for skin health, protecting the squalene in your skin’s oil against free radicals.
3. Berries
Berries are lower in sugar, low calorie and nutrient dense. Due to this, you are able to enjoy all the benefits of nature’s candy, and your skin will thank you. A diet rich in antioxidants can decrease mild to moderate acne, and berries are powerful antioxidants. Plus they are great sources of vitamin C which help support collagen production.
4. Matcha
Switching your coffee to matcha can have a profound effect on your skin health. Caffeine can cause a stress response, spiking your cortisol levels which increases the amount of oil produced by your sebaceous glands, meaning you can be more prone to breakouts. Matcha on the other hand is a powerful antioxidant. It contains catechins, a type of polyphenol, that help to fight free radicals and reduce sebum and bacteria.
5. Brown rice
Switch your white refined carbs to complex carbs to avoid the blood sugar spike! Containing strong antioxidants, magnesium, and vitamins, brown rice can provide protection against acne breakouts. Also, this rice is known to have astringent and cooling properties. This is what helps in reducing and soothing the redness surrounding the acne.
6. Eggs
Eggs are great for acne-prone skin. They have been shown to soften, firm and hydrate the skin. This is because they contain all nine essential amino acids and fatty acids that help to support the generation of new skin. They are also anti-inflammatory!
Want to learn more about how you can heal acne with your diet? Get in touch for health coaching with a focus on gut and skin health.