Eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables can give your skin a fresh glow.
But some foods and drinks, while delicious, can lead to breakouts, dry skin, and even wrinkles.
“There are certain foods or ingredients that I recommend reducing in your diet for optimal skin health,” says London-based dermatologist, nutritionist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, Dr Thivi Maruthappu.
Here, she’s shared five items that she suggests can ruin your skin.
Experts say glycation is where sugar molecules attach to other molecules, such as proteins and fats. One of these affected proteins is collagen and it can cause a loss of skin elasticity, causing wrinkles
Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol not only gives you a hangover, it is also disastrous for your skin.
The diuretic effect of alcohol – which encourages the body to excrete more fluid as urine – leads to the loss of moisture and nutrients vital for healthy-looking skin.
As a result, within 24 hours of drinking, the skin can look dull, ashy, bloated and swollen, as well as wrinkled due to loss of elasticity. In addition, alcohol inflames the body tissues, leading to red, blotchy and reddened skin.
Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink or drinking water between alcoholic drinks can help prevent these effects, as well as hangovers.
“In general, I recommend keeping alcohol to a minimum whenever possible, especially leading up to a big event when you want your skin to look its best,” says Dr Maruthappu.
“I know it’s boring, but it really helps with redness, fine lines, and skin issues like eczema and rosacea.”
Refined sugar
It’s common knowledge that eating too much sugar can cause weight gain and tooth decay, but scoffing at too many slices of cake and bags of candy might not be good for your complexion either.
Too much refined sugar can trigger aging processes in the body’s cells, Dr. Maruthappu warns.
She says: ‘Of course we can enjoy refined sugars such as cake, biscuit or candy in moderation and I myself love a scoop of ice cream.
“But excess refined sugar in our diet can accelerate skin aging through a process called glycation.”
Glycation is where sugar in the bloodstream attaches to proteins and fats to form harmful compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
With age, these compounds accumulate in the dermis – the second layer of skin – and destroy collagen, reducing skin elasticity and causing wrinkles.
According to Dr. Maruthappu, sugar can also cause breakouts in some people.
Instead of eating sugary snacks, she suggests eating a few pieces of dark chocolate, which contains skin-friendly antioxidants called acanthocyanins, which are thought to fight premature skin aging.
Skim milk
Often thought of as the “healthier” option, low-fat milk can be the cause of breakouts.
Although not everyone suffers from it, the low-fat milk can cause pimples.
Dr. Maruthappu says, “Some studies have shown that low-fat milk can contribute to breakouts, especially if you drink more than a few glasses a day.
“It’s not a problem for everyone with pimples, but it can be a trigger for some.”
A study of 225 teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2016 suggested that the amount of low-fat or low-fat milk consumed by participants with acne was significantly higher than those without acne.
But this turned out not to be the case with whole milk.
While there is no evidence that skimming caused acne in participants, the researchers state speculated it might have to do with the hormones in skim milk.
Dr. Maruthappu advises people who suffer from breakouts to swap low-fat milk for a fortified non-dairy alternative, such as soy milk, for four weeks to see if they notice any improvement.
Whey protein powder
It can help you build muscle in the gym.
But whey protein powder can be a trigger for acne, experts say.
Dr. Maruthappu says, ‘This is not for everyone.
“But if you’ve seen an increase in breakouts since starting on a whey protein powder, try swapping for a plant-based alternative.”
Whey protein contains higher levels of IGF1, a growth hormone found in dairy products that can be a trigger for breakouts and oily skin, experts say
This is believed to be because whey protein increases the production of a hormone called Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1), which promotes bone and tissue growth.
But IGF1 can also be a trigger for pimples and oily skin in some cases.
However, plant-based protein powders do not cause this effect, says Dr. Maruthappus.
Excessive caffeine
A cup or two of coffee a day is fine, but if you have a serious coffee addiction, it can affect your skin.
This is because drinking too much caffeine can cause premature skin aging.
“Excess caffeine can contribute to dehydration because it acts as a diuretic, making you urinate more,” says Dr Maruthappu.
“The domino effect can be dehydrated skin.”
Caffeine can also increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which Dr. Maruthappu says can contribute to eczema and breakout outbreaks.
She says, ‘Swap [coffee] instead, green tea contains lower levels of caffeine, in addition to incredible antioxidants that support skin health by neutralizing free radicals that contribute to premature skin aging.
“Focus on what foods are good for your skin — vibrant colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains to support gut health and the gut-skin axis, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats from oily fish to keep skin smooth and supple.” .’