Adult acne is completely common, and treating adult acne with the right topical ingredients can help you kick acne to the curb. But alongside following the right anti-acne treatment plan, it’s also important for adults with acne to put the right ingredients INSIDE their body, too. What you eat can definitely make an impact on your skin, and so these are the foods all adults with acne should stay away from.
First, try to avoid cow’s milk and dairy (Including cheeses made from cow's milk). Milk proteins are full of growth hormones. These hormones promote the clogging of the skin's oil glands. Try a dairy-free milk alternative like almond milk or coconut milk instead.
The other big food group to avoid are foods that rank high on the glycemic index. Foods with a high glycemic index are rapidly absorbed, and as a result, there’s an increase in sebum levels and a release of more insulin. This can cause breakouts. No one wants that! Wondering specifically which foods are high on the glycemic index? Here they are:
Most breakfast cereals
Snack chips
Croutons
Flour tortillas
Pastries, like muffins
Desserts rich in sugar and made with white flour can cause breakouts, too. Be careful with:
Pies
Cakes
Cookies
Sugar-sweetened candies
Ice cream
Processed and concentrated fruit products can trigger acne breakouts as well. Which foods are these, exactly? They include:
Raisins
Fruit juices
Fruit "leather" strips
It's not just food that can trigger adult acne breakouts — drinks that are super-sugary can do the same thing. These sugar-sweetened drinks may cause you to breakout:
Sports drinks
Soda
Lemonade
Iced tea
So, what should you eat to keep your adult acne under control? Good alternatives to the high-glycemic foods and drinks listed above are fresh fruits, fresh veggies, lean meats and fish.