Food Habits that Ruin Your Skin
"You are what you eat." What we eat reflects even in the health of our skin. In fact, the skin is often the first to show signs of poor health.
While a healthy diet promotes inner health and increases your longevity, it also holds the potential to transform your skin. Foods for a healthy skin lead to harmony between bodily fluids, with visible signs reflecting on your skin.
The converse is also true that bad food habits have the ability to affect the skin adversely.
Food items that are routinely consumed by most Indians in metropolitan settings often have harmful food habits that lead to a dull skin and accelerate aging. Some of these food habits that you must change to maintain the natural glow of your skin are listed below:
1. Refined Carbohydrates: Foods like pasta, white bread, and candy are made from refined carbohydrates. These food items heighten blood sugar levels rapidly and increase the likelihood of acne breakouts and wrinkles. The high sugar content triggers the release of hormones that promote oil secretion from the skin’s oil glands. Balance your meals with adequate protein to reverse the effects of refined carbs on your skin. Opt for wholegrain breads and avoid carbs to maintain your waistline as well as skin. Unhealthy food that results in inflammation and blemishes. Cut down on breads made with refined flour like pizzas, burgers, and hot dogs.
2. Excess Salt: Everything in excess is opposed by nature. Increased intake of salt is detrimental for your skin. Salt increases the retention of water in skin cells making them swell. Sodium-rich foods like pickles, chips, cured meats, and sauces can make the skin under your eyes puff and leave one looking tired. A better alternative for good skin would be to include foods rich in potassium e.g. coconut water, bananas, tomatoes, avocados, citrus fruits. The high sodium content of foods is also a recipe for high blood pressure in the long run.
3. Excess Alcohol: High intake of alcohol results in skin damage. Alcoholic beverages cause dehydration of skin cells increasing the dryness of the skin. The collagen fibers in the skin breakdown giving rise to saggy, old looking skin. Furthermore, alcohol affects your skin complexion directly making it look duller. Alcohol is also known to interfere with the uptake of vitamin A, which actively builds new skin cells and causes skin regeneration. High alcohol intake can lead to more serious skin conditions like skin cancer, psoriasis, rashes, and dermatitis. Alcoholism leads to the damage of liver cells, which may cause jaundice in the long run. It is therefore important to limit alcohol intake to one glass for women and two for men per week. Stay sober, stay pretty!
4. Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar: A high-sugar diet can not only result in weight gain, but also produce skin inflammation. Artificial sweeteners bear zero nutritional value and distinctly increase the possibility of histamine reactions and redness i.e. itching. Chemicals present in artificial sweeteners like aspartame get accumulated in the skin cells and result in these reactions. Moreover, sugar is extremely addictive and can give rise to insatiable cravings and dependency. Sipping on fizz soda drinks is a very poor eating habit, something you can easily replace with green tea, black tea, fresh juices or buttermilk.
5. Coffee: There is nothing more comforting than a warm cup of coffee to boost you and ease a day’s worth of fatigue. However, research shows that more than 2-3 cups a day can cause skin damage. Caffeinated beverages induce the production and release of the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone is used to help the body overcome threatening situations, but when released inappropriately, it gives rise to flaky dry skin and premature wrinkling. Not just that, excess of coffee can also give you palpitations and produce addiction and insomnia. So be cautious of the number of cups you are unknowingly sipping at work.
6. Overdose of Dairy Products: Although dairy products, especially milk is
7. Lack of Healthy Fats: Bad food habits also include not maintaining the right level of fats in your diet. Essential fatty acids are not produced in the body; therefore, dietary intake of these fats is an absolute must. Some good sources of healthy fats include salmon, walnuts, and soybeans. Omega-3 fatty acids preserve the water content in the cells and prevent acne. Olive oil is packed with oleic acid that aids in omega-3 absorption as well as fights against skin cancer. So ensure you drizzle some olive oil on your salad the next time and watch your skin sing praises!
Foods for Healthy Skin
Having discussed the effects of diet on skin health, it is important to know the best foods for a glowing skin.
- Fruits such as papaya, guava, pineapple, and tropical fruits rich in vitamin C are good for your skin.
- Fruits can also be used in the form of facials and other treatments.
- Ensure that your diet also has enough sources of antioxidants like berries, tomatoes, and apricots as they promote new skin cell formation.
- Almonds and dried nuts are amazing skin-clearing foods.
- The zinc content in them fights acne breakout.
- One can also try fresh vegetable salads including spinach, beetroots, and sweet potatoes.
- Most importantly, a healthy skin diet would also include drinking ample amount of water so that the skin stays hydrated and clear.
Watch what you’re eating from now on, instead of turning to expensive creams and beauty treatment. Your food choices are the secret to everlasting beauty.
