Almost all of us know that there are certain foods which are amazingly beneficial for our skin. Eating such skin-friendly foods can truly nourish the skin from the inside out, making it look smooth, glowing and young. However, it is also a fact that there are certain foods which are just bad for the skin. In fact, these foods can cause you to have bad skin, leading to various skin problems like premature aging, acne, tired looking skin, and many more. So, if you really want a healthy and glowing complexion, you must avoid consuming all those "bad skin foods". Now, here’s a list of foods that are considered to be the worst foods for skin. Try to avoid these food items as much as possible or consume them only in moderation.
1, Caffeine
Excessive intake of Caffeine, a stimulant present in beverages like tea, coffee & soft drinks, can actually have a negative impact on the overall appearance and health of your skin. According to health experts, too much of caffeine dehydrates the skin, and this in turn can make your skin look dull, tired and aged. Of course, caffeine in moderation is not at all a problem. So, if you can’t cut out caffeine completely, simply try to reduce your caffeine intake by having coffee only once a day or few times a week. Similarly, it is highly recommended to limit your intake of other caffeinated beverages including energy drinks, cola, etc. for keeping skin healthy and hydrated.
2, Fried Food
If you want healthy, acne-free flawless skin, then just say ‘NO’ to fried foods. Yummy French fries and delicious chips are definitely a treat to the taste buds, but these foods contain fractionated oils that can harm the free radicals in your skin, leading to the problem of premature aging. Plus, the fat content of these foods also makes it difficult for the nutrients to be absorbed by the membranes, which ultimately leads to poor circulation in your skin. Above all, the excessive fat content could lead to excess oil build-up on the skin as well. That’s why people who consume excess fried foods have higher risks of skin break outs too.
3, Sugar
Excessive intake of sugar can not only lead to health problems like weight gain, diabetes and heart disease, but it can also have a negative impact on your skin. Having excess sugar on daily basis destroys collagen and elastin that makes your skin look radiant and firm. Eventually it causes your skin to become wrinkled and more susceptible to sun damage. Furthermore, too much of sugar also weakens the immune system, and this directly contributes to a bad breakout. Thus, having a diet rich in sugar content can result in several negative side effects on your body - both internally and externally. So, try to limit your daily sugar intake and if you love the taste of sugar then go for naturally sweet foods like honey or fruit. These natural alternatives to table sugar actually contribute to healthier looking skin.
4, Processed Meat
Certainly, there are many people who eat a lot of red and processed meat. It’s actually not surprising, as processed meat like sausages, hot dogs, bacon, ham, are indeed convenient to prepare and yummy to eat. However, it is vital to note that these processed meats contain high content of salt and dangerous preservatives that can have detrimental effects on your skin. The moisture absorbing property of these preservatives causes the skin to become dull & dry and provoke acne & wrinkles. Moreover, all the processed meats often have saturated fats and nitrates, and these things can make your skin appear puffy. Apart from this, the worst thing about these processed meats is that they contain nitrate which are known to cause the deadly disease of cancer.
5, Dairy Products
Many researchers believe that consumption of milk and dairy products can actually lead to various skin problems including acne breakouts and pimples. This is because most of the cows are fed hormones to keep them producing year round. These hormones are strongly linked to acne and estrogen imbalances in both men as well as women, which in turn can lead to a range of weird effects. In addition, such dairy products have been linked to excess mucus production in our systems, making our skin a perfect breeding ground for inflammation-causing bad bacteria. Hence it is highly recommended, especially for those people having acne-prone skin, to avoid hormone-laden dairy products including milk, curd, cottage cheese, etc. at all costs.
6, Salt
Obviously your body needs a certain amount of sodium to function properly, but at the same time if your diet is too high in salt then your skin may begin to suffer. Too much salt can cause bloating (leading to puffy and tired looking skin) and dehydration of skin (leading to formation of wrinkles and fine lines). Plus, some table salt also contains high levels of iodine which directly contributes in acne breakouts. In worst cases, your skin may even become dry and cracked. Processed, canned and ready-to-eat packaged food often contains a very high content of salt, and hence all these stuffs must be avoided to protect your skin from increased sodium levels. Moreover, try other seasonings like fresh/dried herbs, fresh lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar, instead of salt to flavor food.
7, Alcohol
Only few people are aware of the fact that drinking too much of alcohol can have distinctly harmful effects on the skin. Drinking in excess amount can cause your skin to become dehydrated, bloated, and dull. Not only that, alcohol is also known to cause the blood vessels to dilate, making fine blood vessels visible. This is the reason why heavy alcohol drinkers look red and if the alcohol intake is not controlled, then most likely these capillaries will remain dilated. Another dangerous thing about the alcohol usage is that several drinks like margaritas and daiquiris contains plenty of refined sugar which results in insulin imbalances and inflammation.
8, Foods with High Glycemic Index
A high glycemic index number is found in those foods that contain simple carbohydrates, for example white bread, white rice, and nearly all desserts. These high GI foods are easily digested by our body and are readily converted into sugar/glucose. Now, a high level of glucose in the blood stream significantly triggers many hormonal activities which in turn may cause acne. Plus, the sugar molecules also get attached to collagen and damage it through a process called glycation. The collagen depletion eventually results in loss of the skin’s elasticity, leading to premature aging. To stay away from all these skin problems and to keep your skin healthy & glowing, eat whole grain pasta, whole grain breads, and brown rice. Likewise, choose healthy desserts like fruit compote prepared with unsweetened yogurt, or cookies and cupcakes made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with honey.
