Nutrition plays a major role in the health of our skin, and it’s incredible the benefits you can see in your complexion when eating a well balanced diet. You may already be familiar with foods that are particularly good for your skin – carrots, dark green veggies and dark chocolate all contain beneficial antioxidants, for example – but were you aware that some foods could actually be detrimental to the health of your skin? In fact, there are three commonly consumed foods that could be having a serious impact on your complexion.
Soft Drinks
We’re all well aware of the damage that alcohol can do to the skin, particularly in terms of causing redness and rosacea, but how many of us turn to soda in an effort to avoid harmful liquor? Unfortunately, this could be doing untold damage to our skin.
Sodas and soft drinks are typically contain unbelievably high quantities of sugar. A large Coke, for example, contains an astounding 86 grams of sugar – that’s around 20 teaspoons in just one simple soda!
So, what’s the problem with sugar? Well, sugar causes our blood sugar levels to peace, which can wreak havoc on our skin. Healthy, radiant skin relies on balanced blood sugar levels, so when we regularly consume sugar, our bodies react with a whole host of side effects. For the skin, this includes acne outbreaks, dryness and irritation.
We’re not saying you have to cut soft drinks out of your diet completely, but make them an occasional treat, and stick with water the majority of the time which will keep your skin hydrated and healthy.
Milk
Although calcium is an essential part of our nutritional needs, consuming too much milk can be problematic for the skin.
Milk is strongly linked with an increased risk of acne. This is because the majority of milk – around 90% of it – is obtained from pregnant cows and therefore contains lots of hormones that typically cause acne breakouts.
Not everyone reacts to milk with acne breakouts, but for those who do, eliminating milk, cheese and ice cream from their diet can do wonders for the clarity of their skin. If you find yourself dealing with pimples regularly, consider cutting these foods out of your diet to see if your skin improves.
If you’re worried that your calcium intake will suffer, you could eat yogurt instead. The fermentation process involved during yogurt production eliminates the hormones which stimulate acne. Aim to remove dairy from your diet completely for around 3 weeks, then gradually reintroduce yogurt.
Processed Meat
Processed cold cuts like salami and bologna have been linked with inflammation throughout the body. It is believed that this is caused by the chemicals used to process the meat.
Inflammation across the skin can cause damage to collagen, which in turn causes skin to lose its volume and leads to an increase in fine lines and wrinkles. It is believed that only excessive consumption is likely to cause skin problems, so those who eat lunch meat every day are more at risk than those who have it as an occasional treat.
To minimize inflammation, you could replace cold cuts with unprocessed meats such as chicken or turkey breast, both of which make for great lunchtime sandwiches.