Acne is a skin problem that can cause various kinds of bumps to form on the surface of the skin. Acne is usually produced by hormonal changes in the body, so it’s most prevalent in adult kids and teenagers going through puberty. So what are the best anti-acne foods for healthy glowing skin?
What causes acne?
To learn how acne occurs, it can help to learn more about the skin: The skin’s surface is concealed in tiny holes that attach to oil glands, or sebaceous glands, underneath the skin.
These holes are called pores. The oil glands produce an oily liquid called sebum. Your oil glands carry sebum up to the skin’s surface through a thin channel called a follicle. The oil gets freed of dead skin cells by taking them through the follicle up to the surface of the skin. A thin piece of hair also grows up through the follicle.
Acne occurs when the skin’s pores clog up with dead skin cells, excess oil, and sometimes bacteria. During puberty, hormones usually cause oil glands to produce excess oil, which increases acne chances.
Types of acne
There are three main types of acne:
- A whitehead is a pore that gets jammed and closes but shoots out of the skin. These look as solid, whitish bumps.
- A blackhead is a pore that gets clogged but remains open. These appear as small dark spots on the skin’s surface.
- A pimple is a pore whose walls open, leaving oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells to get beneath the skin. These look like red bumps that sometimes have a pus-filled white top (the body’s response to the bacteria).
How diets affect the skin?
One thing that can change your skin is diet. Several foods increase your blood sugar more quickly than others.
When your blood sugar rises suddenly, it makes the body to discharge a hormone called insulin. Having excess insulin in your blood can make your oil glands to produce more oil, raising your chances of acne.
Because of their insulin-producing effects, these foods are deemed “high-glycemic” carbohydrates. That suggests they’re made of pure sugars.
Best anti-acne foods
Consuming low-glycemic foods made of complex carbohydrates may decrease your chance of getting acne. Complex carbohydrates are found in whole grains, legumes, and unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
Some skin-friendly food choices include:
- yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apricots, and sweet potatoes
- spinach and other dark green and leafy vegetables
- tomatoes
- blueberries
- whole-wheat bread
- brown rice
- quinoa
- turkey
- pumpkin seeds
- beans, peas, and lentils
- salmon, mackerel, and other kinds of fatty fish
- nuts
Bottom line
It is important to note that everyone’s body is different, and some people notice that they get more acne when they eat specific foods. Under your skin specialist’s guidance, it can be helpful to try with your diet to understand what works best for you.
