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We are what we eat — and when it comes to maintaining glowing, healthy skin, the foods we choose matter. While there’s a lot we’ve learned since the days when we erroneously assumed enjoying some fries or piece of chocolate would lead right to an acne breakout, there is still some truth in the notion that certain foods can ramp up oil production or lead to inflammation, which will show itself in the state of your skin.
If keeping your skin free of pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads is a major concern, this is the one food you should never have before bed because it clogs pores.
Skim Milk
Dairy continues to be a controversial food group — one that many experts link to inflammation, but also an important source of calcium and vitamins B12 and D. Even if milk and milk products sit well in your stomach and lactose does not cause you discomfort, cow’s milk can cause inflammation, reports Men’s Health. And inflammation can cause redness in the skin and pimples.
“The hormones in milk can react with the testosterone in your own body,” reports Men’s Health. “This increases the production of sebum in your skin, the oily substance that clogs your pores. It’s a bit of a double whammy: Not only does the bacteria living in your pores cause inflammation, but what you ingest, like milk, can also promote inflammation, making your skin even worse.”
Low-Fat Ice-Cream
You may think enjoying a cup of low-fat ice-cream made with skim milk is the way to go because you’re shaving calories and fat from your diet. But skim milk and products made with skim milk can be problematic. The milk proteins whey and casein are present in milk, but are added in large doses to skim milk to keep it watery and thin, Board-certified Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe told Men’s Health.
“But both whey and casein release a hormone similar to insulin called IGF-1, which is known to trigger breakouts,” Bowe said. “In fact, research has shown that bodybuilders and athletes who use whey supplements like shakes and protein bars can suffer from severe acne.”
A Better Alternative: Almond Milk
Almond milk is a dairy and lactose free alternative to cow’s milk that is also lower in calories and completely free of the proteins casein and whey, so it won’t cause inflammation or clog pores with sebum that causes pimples. Almond milk is also a great source of vitamin E, a fairly decent source of calcium, and most brands are fortified with vitamin D.
Greek Yogurt Starter Culture ($14)
A Dairy Alternative: Greek Yogurt
For some mysterious reason, milk and ice-cream has been associated with causing acne, but yogurt and cheese do not have the same link. In fact, the probiotics in yogurt have the opposite effect: they can curb inflammation by introducing good bacteria into your gut to balance out the bad bacteria responsible for inflammation and clogged pores.
Make sure you read the labels on your yogurt, though, because many contain far more sugar than you may suspect. This Greek Starter Culture packet provides everything you need to make healthy Greek yogurt at home.
