6 Foods to Avoid for Healthy Skin
They say you are what you eat and when it comes to the appearance of our skin, it’s true.
From conquering acne to fighting fine lines and wrinkles, wearing sun protection to boosting vitamin D absorption, our battle to healthy skin is never ending.
One way to approach skincare is from the inside out.
A well rounded diet will better support a healthy immune system. This will show in our skin.
What you eat and drink can affect the appearance of your skin. There are food to keep skin hydrated and soft and foods that help protect against aging, but there are also foods to avoid.
Foods and drinks that can do more harm to skin are:
Shellfish & Iodine
Lobster, crab, prawn and certain leafy greens high in iodine, like seaweed and spinach are best avoided to maintain healthy skin. A diet with too much of these foods can lead to acne and breakouts. Over time, an accumulated amount of iodine in our systems can cause pimples. There’s no relationship between eating high iodine foods one day and breaking out the next. If you’re acne-prone, it’s best to limit these foods to a couple of times a month.
Salt
When it comes to salt, I have two words for you – Water Retention. I’m talking waking up with puffy eyes, face and more. Too much salt can cause water retention that can lead to swelling. Especially around our eyes. Because the skin around our eyes is so delicate and thin, the area swells up easily and leave you cursing the salty popcorn from last night. Salt is aging and consuming salt becomes more and more of a problem as we age.
High GI Foods
Starchy high glycemic foods like white bread, pasta and cakes are best avoided for dewy youthful skin. The properties of these foods cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and have been known to increase weight. A 2007 study found that eating a low GI diet reduced acne in young men. Need any more reasons to remove high GI foods from your diet?
Sugar
Given high GI foods that break down to sugar stands between you and healthy skin, it’s no wonder consuming straight sugar is bad. High blood sugar can weaken the skin, eroding collagen and introducing fine lines and wrinkles. Your skin needs antioxidants to boost collagen and keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay. Next time you need a sweet treat, opt for antioxidant rich fruit. I hear berries are the way to go that that vitamin C hit, my favourite antioxidant of all!
Milk
A 2012 Italian study found a connection between skim milk and acne. This is likely because of a higher amount of bioavailable hormones in skim milk, since they cannot be absorbed in surrounding fat. In people prone to rosacea, the consumption of dairy can trigger red skin flare ups in. Dairy products are high in casein and whey protein which have been known to increase the levels of growth hormones. For calves, drinking cows’ milk is needed to help them grow. For us, when we digest these proteins a hormone similar to insulin, called IGF-1, may trigger acne breakouts. In addition, milk contains a natural sugar, lactose, that may also cause breakouts. If you’re one of the 65% of people who are lactose intolerant, drinking milk is not so great for your skin. A drink best avoided when you’re looking to maintain healthy skin.
Alcohol
As a natural diuretic, the more alcohol you drink, the more dehydrated you become. Plus, as it contains sugar (and is high GI), it’s not surprising it’s not great for maintaining healthy skin. It saps the natural moisture from your skin making fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced. In some people, it can trigger rosacea as well. If you’re looking for a drink that will boost your skin, making it appear healthy, hydrated and youthful, you can’t go past water. Drink 8 glasses of water every day to keep your skin vibrant.
While Kadee Botanicals skincare, made with antioxidant rich plants, can hydrate your skin when applied topically, avoiding consuming six food can help your skin stay healthy. Drink plenty of water and swap those sugary snacks for antioxidant rich foods can help you on your path to healthy skin.