Having acne-prone skin means that creating a healthy and well-balanced diet for yourself is vital. Apart from using the right skincare products (your dermatologist can help with that!), drinking enough water and eating more nutrient-rich food and less sugar can help you combat and prevent breakouts.
We checked in with dermatologists and skincare experts to learn more about canned fruit, and how this sugary food can lead to acne due to its sugary syrup content. Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Dr. Elaine F. Kung, MD, board-certified dermatologist and creator of Future Bright Dermatology, and Dr. Crystal Dinopol, DPDS, board-certified dermatologist and writer at Pay It Forward Fertility.
How Canned Fruit Can Lead To Acne
If you're prone to breakouts, adding sugary, sweetened food to your diet will likely exacerbate the problem, Kung says. "America's favorite canned foods contain ingredients that are on the hit list of the worst foods for acne-prone skin," she explains. Although Kung notes that "eating fruits and vegetables is good," canned fruits and corn are "high in sugar content since they are floating in sugar water or syrup."
Sugar and preservatives are sometimes added during the canning process, she points out. "This is because salt and sugar are used to preserve food because they create a hostile environment for microorganisms." Highly processed foods with added sugars and salt, she adds, have been "linked to acne in epidemiological studies."
Dinopol agrees, and says that although food is considered a "controversial factor" for acne, "in my experience, canned dairy products and canned fruits in sweetened syrup can probably cause worsening breakouts," she continues. While Dinopol stresses that "excess sugar and fats in dairy and sugar syrups may cause excess sebum production and hormonal imbalances," which in turn can lead to acne, blackheads and breakouts.
Kung emphasizes that eating vitamin-rich fruit itself will not lead to acne, but rather, choosing a sugary, syrupy and processed can option might. She concludes that "eating fresh fruits and vegetables" is the way to go if you have acne-prone skin and are reevaluating your diet, as these foods are "high in antioxidants and minerals for healthier skin and body in general."
