5 Food Swaps For Healthy Skin

Some healthy foods can actually make problem skin worse by triggering breakouts or redness. Find out if your diet is damaging your complexion...

Could your daily diet and food intake be damaging your complexion? Surprisingly, even some foods that we consider to be healthy’ can aggravate problem skin and make it worse by triggering break outs in spots of redness or rosacea. In general, good foods for healthy skin contain high water content and will hydrate and refresh your skin. Of course, drinking lots of water as well as following these dietary guidelines of foods to avoid, will also work wonders. If you make a conscious effort to drink more and increase your intake of foods for healthy skin you can keep your skin hydrated and hopefully keep your complexion clear.

Eating food for healthy skin and steering clear of foods with high salt content or containing damaging substances as they can cause any problematic skin conditions to flare up, will improve your skin condition rather than worsen it.

In this gallery we have pulled together some of the facts, exposing certain healthy’ foods to actually be aggravators of problem skin rather than aid it to good condition. For all of the named and shamed foods to avoid, we offer an alternative Why not try? solution, finding another source of nutrients that will help resolve problem skin rather than aggravate it.

We also explore the facts behind food and drinks that we know aren’t particularly good for us, investigating why. If you can learn to swap foods that worsen your problematic skin condition with foods for healthy skin, your skin will become hydrated, and hopefully less problematic.

One of our top foods to avoid? It's the ultimate comfort food, but pasta is one of the worst culprits for causing breakouts. Any increase in the body's glucose and insulin levels puts stress on the liver which prompts the release of a regulating hormone called IGF-1. Dermatologists have linked this hormone with acne.

Why not try? Quinoa, which is packed with protein to replenish and rebuild the skin.

Pineapple

Not all fresh produce is as good for your skin as you might think. Strawberries, mangoes, pineapple and spinach may be packed with vitamins, but they can also stimulate histamine in the body which results in an itchy, red complexion. Why not try? Cooling foods such as apple, celery, cucumber and coconut. All have a high water content which soothes inflammation.

Grilled chicken

Ditched the frying pan for the grill? Unfortunately eating too much grilled food can have an adverse effect on the skin thanks to high levels of advanced Glycation End products. These damaging proteins or lipids can impact on collagen production, causing sagging. Why not try? Baking that chicken breast for 20 to 25 minutes instead. Just go easy on the oil.

A rosacea flare-up can knock your confidence. Alcohol and spicy food aren't the only triggers though, hot drinks like tea and coffee can also make the blood vessels dilate, causing redness on the skin's surface. Why not try? Swapping your morning latte for a glass of water flavoured with a squeeze of lemon. This refreshing drink will not only wake you up, but kickstart your metabolism too.

Seaweed

Sushi has become an easy option for a healthy lunch on the go. The seaweed (or nori) it contains could be to blame for dark circles and skin puffiness though due to high levels of iodized salt. Why not try? Making your own using soy wrappers as a substitute.