Acne-causing foods to avoid

Acne is quite common in anyone. This skin disease is generally caused by clogged pores by dead skin cells, bacteria, and excess oil. However, not a few people believe that there are types of foods that cause acne.

Is it true that food, including the cause of acne?

The cause of acne generally occurs due to clogged pores in the skin. The clogged pores eventually become inflamed and cause pimples on the skin.

The true relationship between food and acne is not yet certain. Numerous studies have reported that certain foods can affect hormones and trigger an increase in sebum (oil) production.

This condition is more common when adolescents enter puberty. During puberty, the body produces more hormones called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Several studies have shown IGF-1 can increase oil production and worsen acne conditions.

In fact, certain foods can also increase IGF-1 levels. Therefore, many people believe that food can cause acne if consumed in excess.

Types of foods that cause acne

After identifying what makes certain foods cause acne, know what types of foods you need to avoid. Some of the foods below are better to prevent than to cause pimples that are annoying.

1. Dairy products

Milk and dairy products are foods that have been known to cause acne for a long time. Why is that?

A number of studies have shown that people who consume a little more dairy products are more likely to develop acne. Even so, consumption of processed milk is more often the mastermind behind this problem than whole milk.

Dairy products are more likely to trigger an increase in the hormone insulin and IGF-1 as a cause of acne. The reason is, consumption of processed milk, such as yogurt, ice cream, and low-fat milk usually contains more sugar.

If the mentioned dairy products are consumed together with other sugary foods, an increase in the hormone insulin can occur. When the levels of insulin and IGF-1 in the blood are high, it will trigger a reaction to increase the production of sebum.

However, both of these things may occur due to factors that trigger facial acne. For example, hormonal changes at puberty, bacterial infections, the quality of the overall diet, to skin conditions.

Consumption of dairy may not be the main cause of acne when you have oily skin types that are more prone to acne.

2. Chocolate

You may have often heard that chocolate can also be a food that causes acne. In fact, there have been many studies that have addressed this issue, but the results are still inconclusive.

Research from journals Cytokine suggests that chocolate can make skin conditions worse and more acne breakouts. This is because chocolate can increase the release of interleukin-1B (IL-IB) and IL-10 proteins.

The release of this protein which later creates acne-causing bacteria (P. acnes) can infect the skin. Even so, it is not certain what makes chocolate trigger the growth of acne on the skin.

3. Foods and drinks high in sugar

Eating too many foods and drinks that contain sugar and carbohydrates below can actually increase the risk of skin breakouts.

• White rice
• Bottled drinks and sodas
• White bread and cake (cake)
• Instant cereal
• Candy
• Pasta and noodles made from wheat flour

You see, foods that contain refined carbohydrates and sugar tend to be high glycemic load. Foods with a high glycemic index usually cause the body to produce more insulin and increase blood sugar levels rapidly.

When this happens, other hormone levels will be affected and chances are that the oil production in the skin will also increase. If the oil is overproduced, some types of acne can easily appear.

4. Fast food

Fast food generally contains high sugar, salt and dairy products. This is what makes people suspect that fast food is the cause of acne.

This is evidenced by research from Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology . The study reported that participants who regularly ate fast food, especially sausages and burgers, had a 24% higher risk of developing acne.

However, researchers do not know with certainty, whether fast food actually contributes to acne. The reason is, the content of milk, sugar, salt, and animal products in it is quite suspicious.

Apart from that, mostly fast food contains high oil. The more oily foods you eat, the more likely it is that the fat content in sebum will also be higher.

Keep in mind that most studies on fast food only show dietary habits and risk of acne. It doesn't matter fast food is a trigger for acne that must occur every time you consume it.

5. Whey protein

Whey protein is a type of protein that is often used in food and sports supplements. This type of protein is also a rich source of leucine and glutamine acid.

However, whey protein, which is commonly found in milk protein, can cause acne. This statement is related to the hormone that also causes milk to cause acne, namely IGF-1.

IGF-1 is a growth hormone that can accelerate muscle growth. On the other hand, this hormone can also cause acne. High levels of IGF-1 can lead to increased sebum (oil) production.

The IGF-1 hormone also reduces the FOXO1 derived factor in skin cells. Acne skin usually lacks FOXO1 and is closely related to acne trigger factors, such as hormonal changes and sebum production.

As a result, getting used to drinking protein milk can reduce FOXO1, so that skin health decreases and tends to be prone to acne.

6. Foods high in omega-6

Foods rich in omega-6, such as corn and soybean oil are also suspected to cause acne. In this modern era, some people are more inclined to eat foods high in omega-6 and less omega-3.

This imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids encourages the body to experience inflammation which can worsen acne, leading to acne infections.

Meanwhile, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation and has been shown to help treat acne. However, of course further research is needed to prove this.

7. Trans fats

Apart from clogging the arteries in the heart, foods that contain trans fats can also trigger acne growth.

Trans fats usually come from vegetable oils that have been used for cooking and are commonly found in processed foods, such as biscuits and butter. If consumed in excess, trans fats can cause inflammation that triggers acne.

This also applies to foods with other saturated fats, such as red meat, cheese and butter. Foods that are high in saturated fat are often associated with increased insulin.

Unfortunately, insulin increases dramatically can stimulate the production of sex hormones which also increase the risk of acne.

8. Certain foods with different sensitive reactions

In some cases, the body can react more sensitively to certain foods. This sensitivity occurs when the immune system mistakenly recognizes food as a threat. As a result, the immune system produces a response to it.

If this happens, the body will trigger inflammation and circulate throughout the body. As a result, the existing acne conditions get worse and new ones appear.

Other people may not experience this problem, but in bodies that tend to be sensitive, these foods can cause acne.

You can find out what foods trigger acne by adopting an elimination diet that is supervised by a dietitian or nutrition specialist.

Start to be observant about choosing food from now on

Regardless of diet, it can be difficult to determine what causes acne. Eating one food or limiting one other food may not have a direct impact on your acne.

This is because there are many factors that affect someone prone to acne, from genetics, mistakes in caring for their skin, to cleanliness. Therefore, more research is needed to look at the relationship between diet and acne.

Even so, there are several ways you can do to prevent acne that may be caused by acne, namely as follows.

• Get enough fruits and vegetables.
• Fulfill your fluid needs by drinking water.
• Limit foods that are high in sugar and milk.
• Choose foods that are high in antioxidants.

In essence, maintaining healthy skin by carefully choosing the foods to be consumed is also important so you don't have to bother getting rid of inflamed pimples.