Acne And The Food We Eat – Is There A Link?

Acne can be such a difficult thing to deal with, both as a teenager and an adult.  One of my teenagers is struggling through as we speak and I am finding that this common skin issue can have a deep and lasting impact on self-confidence and esteem and can be a tricky thing to deal with.

We know that there are medications, topical washes and creams that can be used alongside good skin hygiene.  

But what about the link between what you eat and acne?

Food, Food, Food

The role of food, diet and acne has been the subject of research for some time. Most of this research has shown that the link between the two has been tenuous.

Despite this, a  study conducted by researchers at the RMIT University in Melbourne showed some promising findings.  They investigated the effect of diet on two groups of men aged 15-25 years over 3 months.  One group ate a typical Western diet containing highly processed foods, such as white bread, biscuits and potato chips.  The other group ate a higher protein, low glycemic index diet containing fresh fruits, vegetables, lean red meat, chicken, seafood and whole grains.  Processed and takeaway foods were kept to a minimum.  This was known as the Anti-Acne Diet.

The Anti-Acne Diet was found to reduce acne by more than 50% over the 12 weeks. Some of the healthier choices made during this study were:

The Western Diet vs. The Anti-Acne Diet

Protein rich foods such as red meat, poultry, fish and eggs were also part of the package and and should be consumed at each meal for healthy skin. Not surprisingly, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly were important also.

While this study has made some significant findings, further research is required.

For more information on the glycemic index, checkout my post abut the ups and downs of energy here.  

And lastly, although the Teenage Anti- Acne Diet publication is now quite a few years old, it still makes a lot of sense and it can be found right here.