{"id":3188,"date":"2020-03-31T11:15:31","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T05:45:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/?p=3188"},"modified":"2025-07-14T11:38:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T06:08:47","slug":"food-for-thought-and-acne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/food-for-thought-and-acne\/","title":{"rendered":"Food for thought (and acne)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Acne &#8211; a four letter word that most of us feel shouldn\u2019t have ever existed in the dictionary. While we know about acne and have experienced it sometime or the other, it is one skin problem that affects both men and women alike, but it befriends women more often.<\/p>\n<p>More often than not, you find girls trying to sign a no-acne pact with the almighty and end up singing <i>\u2018Mirror mirror on the wall, nahi chahiye acne, not at all!<\/i><b><i> <\/i><\/b>several times a month.<\/p>\n<p>Acne decides to barge in at the wrong time, to be honest. You have to head for a party, wedding, or reception, and boom! There\u2019s a pimple knocking on the wall of your skin to pop up and say hello.<\/p>\n<p>Acne is frequently seen within the age group of 12-24 years starting with puberty, but some women may also experience it in their 30s and 40s as well.<\/p>\n<p>With so much being spoken about acne, once you\u2019ve understood <a href=\"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/the-faults-in-our-skin-acne-yes-acne\/\">what it is<\/a>, let\u2019s talk about how food can affect your skin, as they say, \u2018You are what you eat\u2019. While food isn\u2019t the cause of acne, there are certain foods that could definitely worsen it.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s a list of foods that you must avoid if you have acne prone skin:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Refined grains, sugars, and eat carbs in moderation<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Refined grains and sugars have the capability of raising your blood sugar levels, thereby leading to an\u00a0increase in the insulin levels that are required to shuttle glucose out of the bloodstream into the cells. Increased levels of insulin can boost the activity of male hormones or androgens and IGF (Insulin-like\u00a0growth factor) which hastens the sebum production, leading to Acne.<\/p>\n<p>So, avoid (or ensure you eat in\u00a0moderation): bread, pasta, noodles, cakes, pastries, cereals, sodas, cane-sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Dairy<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dairy products have a bad rep when it comes to acne. Dairy can cause a rise in the insulin levels that\u00a0would ultimately increase the severity of acne. Moreover, cow\u2019s milk is known to have hormones and\u00a0certain amino acids that could lead to an increase in IGF levels thereby aggravating your acne.<\/p>\n<p>So, avoid (or ensure you eat in moderation): milk, curd, cottage cheese, cheese, lassi, and buttermilk.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Fast Food<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Fast foods have been known to be a major cause of acne. Laden with calories, refined carbohydrates, fats\u00a0and sugars, fast foods can further lead to inflammation and increase the risk of acne.<\/p>\n<p>So, avoid (or ensure\u00a0you eat in moderation): burgers, pizzas, French fries, hotdogs, nuggets, sausages, sodas, milkshakes, etc.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Chocolates<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Studies conducted on certain chocolate consumers showed that people who consume chocolates are at\u00a0higher risk of suffering from acne. While the main ingredient cocoa isn\u2019t to be blamed, sugar and milk\u00a0in chocolates could be the topmost contributors of acne.\u00a0As they say, there are 2 sides to every coin, so while certain foods could worsen your acne, some foods\u00a0can help clear your skin.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nuawoman.com\/blog\/Untitled.002.jpeg\" alt=\"Food to avoid for acne - Nua\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s a list of foods that are good for you if you have acne prone skin:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>High-Fiber Foods<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While the exact reason behind high-fiber foods benefiting acne-prone skin isn\u2019t known, individuals who\u00a0consume a fiber-rich diet have definitely seen a decline in the pimple count. It is said that high-fibre foods\u00a0can control your blood sugar levels and hence should be added to the diet if you have history with acne.<\/p>\n<p>So, eat: oats, brown rice, daliya, barley, fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Fatty Fish<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Fatty fish are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation in the\u00a0body and keep acne at bay. In fact, Omega 3 fatty acids can lower the production of 1GF (Insulin-like\u00a0growth factor), therefore providing much-needed relief from acne.<\/p>\n<p>So, eat: salmon, tuna, mackerel, and\u00a0sardines.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Leafy Green Vegetables<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Green vegetables are loaded with nutrients like Vitamin A, C, K, E and B complex vitamins coupled with\u00a0minerals like iron, calcium, folate, magnesium, potassium, and manganese that can reduce inflammation,\u00a0keep your blood sugar levels in check and provide an antioxidant-rich glow to your skin. Say bye-bye to\u00a0acne by adding green leafy veggies to the diet. Hurray!<\/p>\n<p>So, eat: broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage, etc.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Nuts &amp; Seeds<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Nuts and seeds are a great source of Vitamin E, selenium, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Individuals who\u00a0suffer from acne usually have low levels of Selenium and Vitamin E in their diets and hence adding a\u00a0handful of these to your daily routine can work wonders. Protect your skin from damage and infections\u00a0within no time!<\/p>\n<p>So, eat: almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds,\u00a0pumpkin seeds, etc.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Berries<br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Berries don\u2019t just look beautiful; berries are loaded with skin-healthy nutrients. Loaded with antioxidants\u00a0like Vitamin C and fiber, berries can regulate insulin production and keep your blood sugar levels in check\u00a0owing to lower glycemic count.<\/p>\n<p>So, eat: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mulberries and so on.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nuawoman.com\/blog\/Untitled.001.jpeg\" alt=\"Good Foods to Eat For acne control - Nua\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>In a nutshell, here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Drink at least 12-15 glasses of water every day for glowing skin<\/li>\n<li>Opt for complex carbohydrates (oats, barley, brown rice, fresh fruits, and veggies) rather than simple carbohydrates<\/li>\n<li>Consume fresh fruits rather than canned ones<\/li>\n<li>Add Omega 3 rich foods to the diet (almonds, walnuts, fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds)<\/li>\n<li>Keep your sugar and salt intake in check<\/li>\n<li>Try and keep stress at bay &#8211; meditate!<\/li>\n<li>Go slow on the consumption of dairy<\/li>\n<li>Get enough sleep &#8211; 7 to 8 hours<\/li>\n<li>Sweat it out in the gym &#8211; working out can do wonders<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t pop pimples and avoid touching your face<\/li>\n<li>Say no to refined flour (maida) products<\/li>\n<li>Avoid outside food, packaged and fried foods<\/li>\n<li>Minimize screen time as phones and laptops emit radiations that aren\u2019t good for the skin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By Huda Shaikh<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Acne &#8211; a four letter word that most of us feel shouldn\u2019t have ever existed in the dictionary. While we&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":3190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":3,"_editorskit_typography_data":[],"_editorskit_blocks_typography":"","_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[864,704,707,217,863,867],"tags":[272,271],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3188"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3188"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10592,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3188\/revisions\/10592"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nuawoman.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}