Health & Medical Diseases & Conditions

Acne Diets – Foods To Eat And Avoid For Better Skin

Overview Of Acne Diets

It seems to be no coincidence that the foods that are considered bad for acne sufferers are generally considered unhealthy by the medical world in general, as the health implications are far reaching and go well beyond skin conditions, if the intake of certain foods is continued without any balance. Modern living has a lot to answer for in this respect, very few people have the time or the inclination to prepare proper meals and therefore buy more convenience foods that require little or no preparation or use less than ideal cooking methods.
 
So with this in mind rather than try and follow some form of complicated dieting plan, which can quickly be forgotten it will be a lot easier to just stop eating foods that are considered unhealthy and to increase the intake of foods that are vital to a healthy complexion. However, it will certainly take a conscious effort by a person to change their eating habits, and in some cases it may require some strong willpower, but if you are really determined to clear your acne then your diet is a good way to start.

Essential Dietary Ingredients

Vitamins are vital elements required for healthy skin.
First is Vitamin A, this vitamin is very important for the skin and it is important that you are getting at least the recommended minimum daily amount, which varies according to your age and sex, the following is a list of Vitamin A rich foods in order of vitamin content.

Carrots feature very high up, but do not make the mistake of thinking that eating 9 pounds of carrots a day will clear your acne, this will not work, every diet must be balanced. It should also be noted, that cooking will considerably reduce the vitamin content of food, especially if it is boiled, therefore it is far better to steam vegetables where necessary, and carrots are best when eaten raw.

Vitamin A rich foods

Liver, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish
carrot, broccoli leaf, sweet potato, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkin, collard greens, Cheddar cheese, cantaloupe melon, eggs, apricot, papaya, mango, peas
broccoli, milk

Vitamin C rich foods

Here is a list of fruit and vegetables that are naturally high in Vitamin C, some of these may not be available in the West as many are tropical, but there is more than enough of our native species to include in your diet.

Kakadu plum, Camu Camu, Rose hip, Acerola, Seabuckthorn, Jujube, Indian gooseberry, Baobab, Chili peppers Guava, Blackcurrant, Red pepper, Parsley, Kiwifruit, Broccoli, Loganberry, Redcurrant, Brussel sprouts, Wolfberry, Lychee, Persimmon, Cloudberry, Elderberry,
Papaya, Strawberry, Orange, Kale, Lemon, Melon, Cauliflower, Garlic, Grapefruit, Raspberry, Tangerine, Mandarin orange, Passion fruit, Spinach, Mango, Cabbage raw green, Lime, Blackberry, Potato, Cranberry, Tomato, Blueberry, Pineapple, Pawpaw, Grape, Apricot, Plum, Watermelon, Banana, Carrot, Avocado, Crabapple, Persimmon, Cherry, Peach, Apple, Asparagus, Beetroot, Chokecherry, Pear, Lettuce, Cucumber, Eggplant, Raisin, Fig, Bilberry, Medlar.

Vitamin B6

Good sources include meats, whole grain products, vegetables, nuts and bananas.

Vitamin Supplements

Many of the other essential vitamins that you need for health are already present in one form another in much of the food you eat, and it is unlikely you will deficient in any, any good diet will provide everything that the body needs for well being, there are also many Vitamin supplements available for those who for reason or another may need to take them, seek advice from a suitably qualified person about these before taking them, excess vitamins are usually excreted from the body in urine, so do not be surprised if your urine changes color when taking some of these supplements, Vitamin B6 supplements for example can turn urine bright green!

Foods To Avoid In Acne Dieting Plans

  • Heavily processed and junk food

  • Salt

  • Refined sugar

  • Certain types of oil and fats

  • Carbonated drinks

  • Caffeine

  • Chocolates and candy

  • Potato chips

  • Cakes

  • Cookies

  • Full fat dairy produce



Salt and Sugar
Salt and Sugar has been the subject of much official medical research and guidelines have been set for the RDA or recommended daily amount. The medical profession has a mass of patient data and extensive research has proven beyond all doubt that an excess of salt and refined sugar is bad for you. Unfortunately both salt and sugar are also natural food preservatives that have been used for centuries, and at present there is nothing better, and until there is it will continue to be used because it makes economic sense to do so.

Caffeine
Is not that good for the skin, so try and cut down on your coffee and tea, or drink decaf instead, after a while you will not notice the difference.
If you really want to keep your skin healthy as possible then it is very important that it is properly hydrated, and this can be achieved by drinking plenty of water, two to three pints a day is what is usually recommended, but it may be more if the weather is very hot, the water may be bottled or out of a tap it makes no difference as long as you drink enough.

Spicy Food
This is a tricky one, certain traditional native dishes are in themselves very healthy food, but certain ingredients such as Chili or Curry powder may play havoc with your acne and cause a breakout almost overnight, of course it may be different for people that have been brought up on traditional dishes as their systems will be accustomed to it.

Certain types of oil and fats
There are certain types of natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic oils and fats used in food that are not good for you at all, whether you have acne or not, it would be best to avoid them and use alternatives where you can for your long term well being as they can most certainly cause problems later in life.
Trans fatty acids, more commonly called trans fats, are made by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called hydrogenation.

Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to spoil. It also converts the oil into a solid, which makes transportation easier. Partially hydrogenated oils can also withstand repeated heating without breaking down, making them ideal for frying fast foods. Fully hydrogenating a vegetable oil creates a fat that acts like a saturated fat

Full Fat Dairy Produce
If you have oily skin then it would be wise to cut out most full fat dairy produce from your diet and replace it with low fat varieties, you will notice little difference.

Alcohol And Tobacco
Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the body, especially spirits such as Gin and smoking will age the skin prematurely.

Acne Diets €" Summary
In summary then, eat a natural well-balanced diet, drink plenty of water and avoid excessively eating all the things mentioned above that people have become addicted to in modern life. Once you get used to changing your eating habits you will no doubt look and feel a lot better for it as a proper diet will give you more energy and vitality and will certainly be beneficial to your long term health.

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