Get Rid of Acne – Which Foods Should You Avoid to Prevent Acne?

Foods and acne: which foods can cause your skin to breakout? Let’s take a look at what foods can cause acne and what you can start doing to prevent those breakouts. Common foods in western diets do in fact cause acne, but which ones? Well that just it–there are several misconceptions about which foods cause your skin to break out and which don’t.

Chocolate, for instance, is not supported by scientific studies as a cause of acne–although most people might believe that chocolate does make your skin break out–it actually doesn’t.

Then there’s milk, something you probably drink at least twice a week. Partially skimmed milk, instant breakfast drink, cottage cheese, and cream cheese have been known to cause acne flare-ups; the current thought is that certain sex hormones and bovine (cow) Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1) could be partly responsible.

What kind of Carbs can cause breakouts? Refined sugars and processed foods could definitely be the culprits responsible for your breakouts. These foods all have a high-glycemic load, (they’re rapidly digested by your system) which results in an overload in blood sugar (blood glucose)–this stimulates secretion of insulin–which then causes a release of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor). And IGF-1 itself, has direct effects on several skin processes that result in acne.

When an experiment was done to see if a low-glycemic load diet would improve acne and lower weight, scientists found that the avoidance of high-glycemic load foods such as junk food and fast food resulted in improved, clearer skin and the added benefit of decreased weight.

Another cause has been seen to be poor intake of Vitamins A and E. Low levels of vitamin A and vitamin E have been seen in persons with moderate to severe acne. So eating foods that are high vitamins A and E could help naturally treat your acne.

So now you know what foods to avoid to keep acne away. Also remember that it is important to maintain a good cleansing regimen so that you reduce the bacteria on your skin, which will also help you avoid acne breakouts.

To learn more about which over the counter acne treatment you should use, and how to get rid of acne visit Dr. M’s site or blog by clicking either link.

Arturo Marroquin, M.D. writes about teenage acne, organic diet and nutrition, and other issues that impact your health and well being. His goal is to provide you with information to improve your quality of life.