7 Worst Foods for Your Skin to Avoid like the Plague ...

I had a feeling salt was going to be one of the worst foods for your skin, I just didn’t want to believe it. Eating too much salt doesn’t just result in adverse effects on your skin, it can also cause hypertension, water retention and dehydration. The reason why salt is bad for our skin is because it can cause tissue to swell which can make us appear puffy. Too much salt in our diet has actually been found to aggravate acne according to esthetician Sinead Norenius.

Another one of the worst foods for your complexion is sugar. Although sugar and salt aren’t actual foods, they’re in so many of the foods we eat every day that I believe it needs to be mentioned. Dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu blames sugar for causing inflammation in skin and impeding your skin’s ability to renew itself.

White bread, pasta and other high glycemic index foods should all be on your list of foods to avoid eating on a regular basis. High GI foods have been linked to acne since they cause an increase in insulin levels and glucose in the body according to dermatologist Bobby Buka. He recommends avoiding these foods for clearer skin and possibly for maintaining weight loss.

Dairy is one of the worst foods for your complexion that’s still under debate. It appears that there isn’t a definitive connection between dairy and acne, but physicians have some theories. In 2008, Dr. William Danby published an article about hormones in milk that are related to testosterone that can stimulate oil production in skin and could promote acne. If you currently consume dairy products, try eliminating them for a week and see how your skin reacts.

I think we’re all aware of the fact that processed foods are devoid of nutrients and unhealthy. But did you know that it’s also one of the foods to avoid for dewy, fresh skin? Dr. Ashley Koff states that processed, packaged foods have little to no nutrients and if you frequently eat these types of foods, it can result in a nutritional deficiency which can show in your skin. If that wasn’t convincing enough, did you know that the FDA allows 19 maggots and 74 mites in a 3.5 oz. can of mushrooms?

I know, you can’t take any more bad news. It’s bad enough that we need to watch our salt and sugar intake, but we have to be careful with alcohol, too. According to Dr. Neal B. Schultz, alcohol dehydrates your body and skin cells which can make fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced. It’s also been found to trigger rosacea outbreaks.

So we’ve all heard that the myth that fried foods leading to breakouts was debunked, but that doesn’t give us the green light to fill up on fried food! Dr. Ashley Koff states that the problem with fried foods is that they’re fried in very hot oil which makes the oil and fats oxidize. Foods that are fried in oils that have been reused are even worse since the fat is denser and our bodies don’t detox it which can lead to poor circulation or heart disease. Since our skin requires healthy blood circulation, these fats can ultimately lead to a breakdown of collagen and elastin which are essential for youthful, glowing skin.

What do you think of these seven worst foods for your skin? Were you surprised to see any of them on this list? You don’t have to completely eliminate any of the foods out of your diet for the sake of your skin. Just be sure that you eat a nutritious, well-rounded diet for the most part and indulge once in awhile; your skin will be none the wiser!

Sources: webmd.com, stylelist.com, totalbeauty.com, shape.com, livestrong.com, huffingtonpost.com