Your diet is one of the essential factors in maintaining healthy skin. Certain foods can cause acne, while others can keep your skin looking young and healthy. In this article, we will explore the effects of different types of food on the skin!
Contents
Acne
A diet high in refined sugars and processed carbohydrates, like bread, pasta, and cakes, can lead to acne. These types of food are very inflammatory. When the body processes these foods, it starts a chain reaction that leads to inflammation throughout the entire body. Even though this inflammation is not directly on your skin, it has been found that the digestive tract connects to the oil glands. This can cause an increase in the production of sebum by these glands, which can increase acne.
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
Foods rich in antioxidants can help fight the aging process caused by free radical damage. Free radicals are cells that bind together to form other molecules. These molecules create harmful effects like weakening your immune system and speeding up signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. Foods such as blueberries, cherries, kale, and carrots contain very high antioxidants, which will help neutralize free radicals before they can harm your cells and cause visible changes to your skin.
Greasy Skin
Though this is a rare symptom that many people do not experience during their dieting process, eating foods with a high-fat content or overeating protein can cause oily or greasy-looking skin. In addition to fish and vegetable oils, nuts and seeds are responsible for some people experiencing this symptom since they contain a mixture of protein and fats. Therefore, it is essential to remember that a balanced diet with various foods is the key to maintaining healthy skin!
Dry Skin
Foods high in fiber can help promote healthy skin, reduce the appearance of dry skin, and prevent constipation. Fiber is critical because it adds moisture to your digestive system, leading to more hydrated cells throughout the body. Foods high in fiber include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and seeds, so be sure to incorporate them into your diet every day!
Puffy Skin
If you experience puffy-looking skin, you may think it is best to completely cut out salt from your diet, but this is wrong! Salt consumption does not directly cause puffiness to the face. However, like sugar consumption, high salt levels can lead to inflammation throughout the entire body and excess water retention in specific areas such as under your eyes and on your cheeks. When too much sodium is present in the body, it triggers a mechanism that holds onto excess fluids for dear life so your cells don’t dehydrate.
However, these fluids collect around areas like under your eyes and contribute to that puffy look we all know so well. In addition, foods like chips and fries contain large amounts of sodium, so be sure to cut down on them if puffy-looking skin is something you are dealing with!
Sagging Skin
When the body is deficient in specific nutrients, it will break down old proteins and use them for new ones. This process can be seen in our skin and cause sagging and wrinkles because older proteins (which are present in most people) cannot function as efficiently as newer ones. Foods containing high levels of AHA’s (alpha-hydroxy acids), such as mangos and papayas, help the body break down old proteins so they can be replaced with newer proteins, giving you a more youthful look.
Skin Tags
Although not the most common skin problem, anything that encourages high insulin levels in the blood can lead to skin tags, skin tags are small fleshy growths on your body’s surface layer, which appear similar to a mole or freckle. They usually appear “thicker” than moles because there are many skin cells closer to the topmost portion of your skin. Foods like bacon and sausage contain high levels of low-quality proteins like saturated fat and cholesterol, which trigger the body to release more insulin. The higher your insulin levels are, the faster these old proteins will break down and be replaced with new ones!
Dark Spots On Skin
Some people experience dark spots on their skin due to an excess of melanin production in the body. Melanocytes produce different melanins throughout the entire body, which gives us our natural pigment (which determines our skin color). When there is too much melanin present in cells closer to the surface layer of our skin, this causes dark spots. Foods containing high levels of carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), such as carrots and sweet potatoes, help decrease melanocytes in the skin, making it harder for them to produce excess melanins in certain areas!
Conclusion
A diet that contains specific nutrients such as AHA’s, carotenoids, and other vitamins can keep skin looking young and healthy. These foods help the body remove old proteins, promoting new ones to be produced faster! While also helping your skin to look as youthful as ever! If you are not currently incorporating these types of food into your daily diet, it is important to start now so you can get a head start on a healthier overall lifestyle.
