The health and appearance of the epidermis is directly linked to the food that you simply eat, and therefore your diet might be accountable for your breakouts.

Want to know which foods you have to cut out?

Here are 10 foods which are common culprits with regards to triggering acne:

Dairy Products

The outcomes of dairy and acne is known about for quite a while now, there are progressively more studies available that prove the strength of this connection.

However, there's still so much more to learn…

Although it is understood that milk products can trigger acne, scientists continue to be to know precisely why this is.

Current theories include:

  • Hormones – milk contains growth hormones that create the skin’s sebaceous glands to go into overdrive when it comes to oil production. Those same hormones also trigger the skin to produce more skin cells. This, plus the extra oil, can easily block pores and result in breakouts
  • Insulin – when milk products are consumed, the body’s insulin levels rise. This results in increased sebum production, leading to breakouts
  • Blood Sugar – milk, as well as other dairy products, cause blood sugar levels to spike when consumed. This causes inflammation in the body, which in turn leads to acne

There is really much more research that needs to be done, particularly when it comes to the different types of milk and dairy products out there. Some research has found that skimmed milk is especially responsible when it comes to dairy-related breakouts.

Fortunately, with so many dairy-free products available these days, avoiding dairy is becoming incredibly easy. Here are some to test:

  • Dairy-free milks, such as almond, oat, hemp, cashew and rice
  • Dairy-free cheeses, whether this can be sliced, grated or creamed
  • Dairy-free desserts, from ice creams to cakes
  • Dairy-free yogurts and probiotics

Sugar

It can often be hard to determine whether sugar is behind your breakouts.

Why?

Because breakouts can often occur hours following the sugar has been consumed, meaning that you won't result in the immediate connection.

However, whenever you sit back and consider it, chances are that sugar plays quite a big role with regards to your acne.

How exactly does sugar trigger breakouts?

Whenever you consume something laden with sugar, be this a soda, a treat or another type, you result in a spike in your glucose levels. This results in a boost in your insulin levels, offering a number of different hormones and growth factors.

What do they do?

Some of these hormones stimulate your skin oil glands into producing more oil, causing blocked pores and breakouts. Others, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), also cause the skin to over-produce skin cells, therefore blocking up your pores.

Current research has shown that consuming added sugars gives you a 30% greater chance of an outbreak, meaning that cutting sugar out of your diet might be a significant simple way of treating your acne.

Of course, simple doesn’t mean easy, particularly with all of the sugar-filled foods that fill store shelves nowadays.

Fortunately, as people are becoming a lot more conscious of the negative impact that sugar is having on their own health, sugar-free versions of foods are also becoming more popular. However, if this means that you are replacing sugars with harmful sweeteners, you might be best off making a completely different food choice instead.

It takes quite a bit of resolve for cut back on sugar, however it will only have a small reduction every day for you to soon watch a improvement in your acne.

Refined Grains

When you are looking at acne, refined grains have the identical effect to sugar.

When they are consumed, the body doesn't take very long to digest them, and therefore they enter the bloodstream extremely quickly. This then leads to a spike in glucose levels, together with insulin levels, resulting in an increase in sebum production along with a higher possibility of breakouts.

Wondering what refined grains actually are?

They are processed grains which have pretty much been stripped of all of their fiber, minerals and vitamins. For this reason many people make reference to them as empty calories. While this may be the case, they're still a big player with regards to the modern day diet.

Some types of refined grains would include:

  • White flour
  • White bread
  • White rice
  • Pastries
  • Sodas
  • Breakfast cereals

Don’t get the wrong idea – some carbs are actually ideal for you. Go for wholegrain foods instead, rather than foods that have been heavily processed.

Fruit Juices

You are most likely thinking…

Fruit juice can’t be causing my acne! It’s healthy, particularly when it is fresh!

Yes, while there are many health benefits that come from drinking fruit juice, don’t forget that fruit is another source of sugar. Whenever you juice the fruit, you wind up concentrating all of the sugars from the fruits you have used into one drink, which you likely consume in one go.

Even though these sugars may have originate from a healthy, natural source, this still triggers an increase in your glucose levels. As previously mentioned, it doesn’t take long for this to lead to breakouts.

Don’t want to go without your fruit juices?

You might not have to! Just try cutting them out for a little while to ascertain if that makes any sort of impact on your breakouts. You could replace all of them with vegetable juices instead, as those don’t are usually as full of sugar.

Alternatively, try snacking on some whole fruit!

Fast Food

Just as with pretty much every other food on this list, there is still so much research that should be carried out around the connection between fast food and acne. Although it is thought that the connection exists, the reason why why this is are still unknown.

However, whether you like burgers, hot dogs, fries, nuggets, or another type, studies have found that fast food dramatically increases your odds of a breakout.

One study in China found that regular junk food eaters experienced a 60% increased risk of developing acne, while a Turkish study discovered that men who regularly ate sausages or burgers experienced a 24% increased risk.

Of course, there are several theories why this really is. Junk food contains from high levels of sugar and salt to particular oils and dairy products, all of which happen to be linked to acne themselves.

Corn and Soy Oils

You may not realize it, but a lot of the food that you eat likely contains corn and soy oils.

What’s wrong with this?

Both corn and soy oils are incredibly high in omega-6 essential fatty acids.

You’re probably thinking…

Hold on, I figured omega-6 fatty acids were ideal for your skin!

They are, but only when your body contains the right balance of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids.

Unfortunately, a lot of popular foods in the current day Western diet are full of omega-6 essential fatty acids, without containing any omega-3 essential fatty acids. Soy and corn oils are among the biggest culprits of this, and they're present in so many packaged foods.

What actually transpires with the body when its omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid levels are not balanced?

It results in inflammation. As you know, inflammation quickly triggers breakouts, along with other health issues.

So, what can you do relating to this?

A few things, such as:

  • Eating whole foods instead of packaged foods that contain corn or soy oil
  • Increasing your intake of foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as oily fish and walnuts
  • Taking omega-3 fatty acid oral supplements, which have been found to reduce inflammation, together with breakouts

Non-Organic Meat

You may think that spending more income on organic meat is pointless, however this is one thing that the skin will really appreciate.

Wondering how non-organic meat is related to breakouts?

It all comes down to the antibiotics that non-organic animals are regularly fed. They are also frequently given growth hormones in order to accelerate their growth. As said before, these hgh trigger your skin to create more skin cells and your skin oil glands to produce more sebum, each of which can bring about breakouts.

The hormones and antibiotics in meat can also result in the formation of bacteria in the body, another thing which can lead to acne.

Fortunately, nowadays there are so many options out there when it comes to organic meat, causeing this to be a simple dietary switch to implement.

Alcohol

Many people don’t understand that alcohol can indirectly cause acne, but, should you regularly drink, this could be the reason behind your breakouts.

How would be the two connected?

In a number of ways:

  • Alcohol decreases the quantity of protective cells in your defense mechanisms, making your weaker to acne-causing bacteria
  • Alcohol interferes with your body’s hormone levels, which them triggers your oil glands into producing more sebum
  • Alcohol causes inflammation in your body, which is one of many reasons for acne
  • Alcohol dehydrates the body, which in turn causes the sebaceous glands to produce extra oil to create up for that dryness. This results in an increased risk of breakouts
  • Binge drinking can result in liver damage, preventing your liver from properly filtering out toxins, therefore resulting in inflammation and breakouts

Of course, one small drink here and there isn’t likely to do much harm…

The danger comes from regularly and frequently drinking.

While all of the above may sound alarming, alcohol alone rarely is in the reason behind your acne, however it could still be contributing to breakouts greatly.

Shrimp and Lobster

Certain shellfish, particular lobster and shrimp, contain high amounts of iodine.

Iodine is an important mineral when it comes to the health of the body, along with your skin.

So, what’s the issue?

Some people have a sensitivity to iodine, with many of those sensitivities remaining undiagnosed. Even those who don’t have sensitivities but consume a large amount of shellfish could be vulnerable to breakouts because of the iodine.

The connection between iodine and acne is so strong that cosmetic researchers often utilize iodine to create acne for them to study.

How exactly does iodine cause breakouts?

When you consume more than your system needs, the body excretes the additional iodine through your sweat glands. On its way out, the iodine winds up irritating your pores, leading to inflammation and flare-ups.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to quit shellfish completely. Just regulate your use of it, and then try to opt for varieties which are lower in iodine. Occasionally swapping your shellfish with oily fish, for example salmon, mackerel or sardines, would do the skin even more good.

Whey Protein Powder

Whey protein powders have grown to be very popular, and they certainly are a fantastic way to give your body a boost of protein before or after a good work out.

However, whey is a byproduct of milk. Not just regular milk either, but skimmed milk. As previously mentioned, skimmed milk in particular has been strongly associated with breakouts.

There is another problem with pure whey protein powders too…

They are a source of amino acids, which wouldn’t usually be considered a problem. However, when it comes to your skin, these extra proteins cause the skin to create more skin cells, causing blockages in your pores and leading to breakouts. The amino acids also trigger a rise in your insulin levels, which, again, may cause a breakout.

The connection between the meals that you simply eat and acne breakouts are so strong that it only is sensible to look at your diet if you have been experiencing breakouts. Whether or not they may be right down to dairy, sugar, cooking oils, or anything else, knowing the triggers behind your acne, you can then go ahead and take necessary steps to cut those out of your life.