The Super-Dehydrating Processed Foods Doctors Say You Should Avoid Eating Because They’re So Bad For Your Skin

1. Sweet Treats Made With Refined Sugars

It is likely, Sethi says, that your favorite sweet treats are drying your skin out the most, especially if they’re eaten in excess. Refined sugar often derives from cane, sugar beets, and corn (which are all heavily processed to isolate the sugar). You might know it by its other names, such as sucrose, glucose and high-fructose corn syrup.

Excess refined sugar consumption, Sethi says, causes intrinsic damage to collagen and elastin proteins in skin by the formation of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). "This reduces the integrity and elasticity of skin, making it prone to dehydration and wrinkling," she explains.

When you’re craving something sweet, she notes that "alternatively, fruits can satisfy a sweet tooth and also hydrate the skin due to their high water content." Even if you've heard this advice before, she stresses, it's worth repeating and truly considering for glowing, brighter skin this spring.

2. Salty Snacks

Whether you love packaged pretzels, bagged potato chips or frozen french fries, many of these snacks have super high salt content which Sethi notes won’t help hydrate your skin (and this can contribute to that awful cracking and peeling).

"Due to osmotic pressure, salt draws water out of cells, including skin cells, leading to dry skin,” says Sethi. Instead of salt, she suggests to try "seasoning foods with lemon, black or red pepper and dried herbs." Sethi adds that "over time, the body will stop craving higher levels of salt while remaining more hydrated." Noted!