First things first… You do NOT have to restrict your diet forever to have clear skin!
If you’re like most people with acne though, you probably have tried cutting foods out of your diet to clear your acne.
When I had acne, I noticed that a handful of food groups triggered my breakouts. So I eliminated them.
But this was SO HARD to stick to 100% of the time. I was often overwhelmed and frustrated that even though I cut out these foods, I was still getting breakouts.
And I wasn’t able to enjoy eating out anymore!
While it’s true that certain foods can trigger breakouts (I list some of them below)…
…and it’s also true that eliminating those foods for a short period of time may benefit some people and can give their skin some time to heal…
…it’s totally NOT true that you need to cut out 20 different food groups or avoid foods forever.
There’s a reason why certain foods trigger acne, but these foods shouldn’t cause breakouts if eaten in moderate amounts once those deeper reasons have been addressed.
(Else why can your friends with clear skin eat those same. exact. foods. without breaking out?!?)
It’s because the foods generally aren’t the root issue. They’re just a trigger reflecting deeper imbalances, like nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar imbalances, poor gut health, or a hyper-responsive nervous system.
And it’s those deeper imbalances that explain why you’re still getting some breakouts even though you may be avoiding the foods that flare up your skin.
With that being said, it’s sometimes necessary to cut out common dietary triggers or food sensitivities when you’re first trying to heal your skin, but just for a short period of time.
It’s more like how most people do the Whole30 as a “cleanse” rather than a forever diet.
Removing dietary triggers is like removing the “fuel” to your inflammatory “fire”—when the fire’s put out, the fuel can’t start any more fires.
Put out the “fire”, heal those deeper root causes, and you will be able to eat your favorite foods without breaking out!
Focus on real foods
To clear your skin, stop worrying about which foods are breaking you out. Instead, focus on a whole foods diet, free of processed foods and anything that doesn’t come straight from Nature. So really, it’s simply about eating real foods, the way Nature intended!
When you start focusing on restricting food groups rather than nourishing yourself with nutrient-dense foods, that can actually stress your skin out more.
I often see my patients come in on super restrictive diets that are actually contributing to their acne because they lack key nutrients and the restriction is stressing them out!
I typically spend much more time discussing ways to eat MORE food with my patients with acne, because of how limited their diets have become.
When it comes to acne and diet, the focus should always be on nourishment.
Dietary triggers vs. food sensitivities
Now let me clarify something: food sensitivities are different than other dietary triggers for acne.
For example, you may be sensitive to gluten and break out when you eat it, but maybe you also break out when you eat gluten-free donuts.
The gluten is your food sensitivity, while the sugar-loaded, high-carb gluten-free donuts are your dietary trigger.
You’re not sensitive to anything in that donut. It’s all the sugar and processed ingredients that are stressing out your skin.
Now that we’ve got that straight, I want to share with you the most common dietary triggers when it comes to acne.
The Most Common Dietary Triggers
- Trans fats and inflammatory seed/vegetable oils (this is one of the only “food groups” I recommend avoiding 100% of the time, or as much as humanly possible)
- Processed and refined foods, including white breads, white pastas, breakfast cereals, pastries and other baked goods
- Sugary beverages, like soda and sweetened teas
- Desserts, candy, and foods high in sugar (most processed foods)
- Conventional meat and dairy products (these contain much higher amounts of inflammatory compounds like glyphosate and are lower in omega 3 fatty acids than organic options)–opt for organic meat and dairy instead, or organic goat/sheep/A2 dairy
- Excessive intake of caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks)
Once you address the root causes of your acne, enjoying some sugary treats or chocolate every now and then won’t cause you to break out anymore. Yet while you’re clearing your skin, stick to the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time, keep these dietary triggers out of your diet, and then live a little 20% of the time (if they’re not contributing to significant breakouts). If you do notice these foods leading to breakouts, it’s best to avoid them for a short period of time while you work on those deeper root causes.
In my Naturally Radiant Skin program, I help you find a nutritional plan that works best for you and your needs, while being conscious of dietary triggers but without a super-restrictive diet.
Because if eating is stressing you out, you’re going to have a harder time clearing your skin–and that’s not what we’re going for!
