Foods you should avoid if you have oily skin

One of the important factors that is often overlooked when it comes to skin’s health is diet. Your skin becomes oily when your sebaceous glands secrete more sebum, which further leads to blackheads, acne and enlarged pores.

Oily skin can be difficult to handle but by using a good cleanser for oily skin and following healthy diet, you can find improvements in your skin.

Given below are some of the food items that aggravate acne on oily skin, plus there are some healthier alternatives that you should switch to for a healthy and nourished skin.

Food items to avoid

Dairy products – Dairy products like milk, cheese and butter have high levels of hormones, which can lead to increased oil production. Even milk chocolates can aggravate oil production in the skin, though dark chocolate does good to skin as it is rich in antioxidants.

Healthy alternative to dairy products can be vegan products like almond milk and vegan cheese. To keep your calcium levels right, you can eat green leafy vegetables, almonds and oranges.

Refined carbs – Refined carbohydrates lack fibre and other nutrients, which affects the blood sugar levels and lead to an increase in oil production levels. Replace refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and white pasta with brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats and more. These foods keep your blood sugar levels stable and energy levels high.

Saturated fats – Eating a lot of saturated foods can increase the level of cholesterol in your body, increasing the risks of heart disease. These fats also increase the production of oil and inflammation in the skin. Saturated fats are found in red meats, beef, sausages, pizza, cake, pastries and more. Even trans fat can negatively affect your skin. Usually trans fat is found in processed food. You should swap inflammatory fats with lean poultry like chicken, salmon, nuts like walnuts and avocado.

Making changes to your diet can be overwhelming but if incorporated gradually, it can bring significant changes to your skin. Along with following daily skin care regime, i.e. using a cleanser for oily skin, toning and moisturizing your skin, eating healthy diet can certainly transform your skin.