7 Foods To Avoid That Are Toxic To The Skin

Ever heard the famous saying, “we are what we eat”? The skin is the largest organ of the body, and if we are what we eat, then the skin gets affected mainly by the food we consume—as humans, being mindful of what we take in every day can be exhausting. Our emotions can have us craving something different tomorrow, no matter how healthy our diet plans are. Stress eating and comfort foods have also become a routine. As much as we all crave a cup of ice cream or a glass of whisky after a rough day, it has more effect on our skin than we know. Since we are what we eat, this article contains seven bad foods to avoid for the body and healthier options.

FOODS TO AVOID THAT ARE TOXIX TO SKIN

1. Alcohol and Skin Health: The Impact of Excess Consumption

Ranging from a glass of whiskey to a bottle of wine, alcohol can be bad for the skin when taken in excess. Alcohol is one of the major factors responsible for hormonal imbalance. When the hormones in the body are not stable, it can cause acne and other skin conditions. Alcohol is responsible for reducing the bacteria in the body, and this affects the immune system.

You ever noticed that a week of constant intake of alcohol leaves your skin clogged? This is because alcohol dehydrates the skin and shrinks your pores. Alcohol leads to breakouts. Instead of chugging on a bottle of wine to relieve stress, find an alternative or have half a glass of wine.

2. Sweet Tooth Warning: How Excess Sugar Can Lead to Acne

Sugar puts you at a greater risk of having acne than someone who consumes less of it. Scientifically, people who take more sugar are at a 30% risk of getting more acne. Sugar leaves the skin constantly dry and wrinkly. It can also be the reason why your skin is scaling. Sugar that is bad for the skin can be found in carbohydrates and grains. Whole grain food like rice, pasta, bread, sodas, sweetened beverages, and other refined carbohydrates clog the skin.

Excessive taking of sugar causes the insulin level of the body to rise; when this happens, the chances of having acne become higher.

3. Ditch Dairy for Clear Skin: How Milk and Dairy Can Cause Acne

Milk is one of the most absorbed liquids that isn’t water. As teenagers and adults, it’s easy to open up the fridge and grab a can of milk to quench your thirst. Milk contains amino acids that lead to the development of acne on the skin. Other dairy products like cheese and ice cream can also cause damage to the skin. Instead of gulping down on that can of milk straight from the fridge, why not replace it with water? It’s more hydrating and keeps your skin glowing.

Dairy products also increase the production of oil from the sebum gland; when this happens, the pores get blocked and it leads to breakouts on the face.

4. Chocoholic Woes: Excess Chocolate and Skin Breakouts

If you wonder why the sweetest things in life cause damage to the skin, that makes all of us too. Chocolates can be healthy to the skin but, when taken in excess, leads to an acne breakout on the skin. Dark chocolates make the spread of acne worse. When you have a craving for chocolates, maybe it would be best to replace them with healthy fruits or other options. Cocoa powder has also been listed as one of the causes of acne lesions on the skin. Chocolates can cause wrinkles and damage the collagen in the body. It triggers the production of sebum in the body. Did you know that chocolate is also anti-inflammatory? Yes, chocolates increase the risk of breakouts in the body.

5. Salty Skin Woes: How Excess Sodium Leads to Dehydration

There is a high component of sodium in salt and this is also found in salty food and snacks. When the salt intake for the day is high, it leads to water retention on the body. This is to say that the salt found in food can lead to dehydration if consumed in excess. Salt clogs the skin and makes it hard for moisture to be locked in no matter the product we use. If you find your skin getting wrinkled, consider reducing the amount of sodium/salt intake.

6. Sugar Snacks: How Excess Carbs and Trans Fats Affect Your Skin

It is easy to grab a donut out of the box or stuff our mouths with cookies on days when we feel like snacking. These foods cause trans fat to the body and it also clogs the skin. When we eat food high in carbohydrates in excess, it reduces collagen production in the body. If the body isn’t producing extra collagen, then aging and wrinkles become more visible. Donut and other baked sugary snacks can cause premature aging because they stiffen the skin. Rather than eating a whole box of donuts, why not have one a week to keep your skin in check.

7. Caffeine: Friend or Foe? Its Impact on Skin Hydration

Most skin care products contain caffeine as it helps the skin function properly. We take coffee to stay alert and awake; this suppresses some hormones in the body and leads to stress. Also, caffeine has the same effect on the body as sodium and alcohol. It is a dehydrator and does not let moisture stay locked in the body.

Coffee does nor cause acne and break outs, but it increases it. As that cup of coffee can make you stay alert, it triggers the stress hormone in the body. While the stress hormone is activated, the production of oil becomes increased, and that leads to acne.

Now that we know the toxic food for our skin, here is a list of some food that can give you healthy and glowing skin.

1. Fatty fish: Food that contains omega 3 fatty acids help to keep the skin in check. Fatty fish helps in the production of new skin cells and reduces inflammation.

2. Avocado: It is good as a body butter and also as food. Avocado is rich in vitamin E and C which gives you a healthy and glowing skin.

3. All kinds of nut eaten in adequate proportion keep the skin healthy.

4. Tomatoes

5. Sweet potatoes

6. Vegetables

For your skincare products to work better, focus more on what you eat. Always remember, you are what you eat!