Having and maintaining spotless skin is something on everyone’s minds, men, and women alike. The last thing we want is a face full of acne that is highly embarrassing to walk around with, if not painful.
These days, acne is blamed mostly on heredity and hormones. During puberty, a surge in male hormones called androgens (women have them, too) stimulates an increase of sebum, responsible for keeping skin moist, and keratin needed to make hair. When too much of either clogs a hair follicle, acne can result.
To be safe, always ensure you're eating whole and healthy foods year round — especially during cold winter months.
Below are 10 health Food That Prevents acne...
1. Brazil Nuts
These are rich in selenium, a powerful antioxidant that appears to help improve acne, probably by protecting cells from inflammatory damage and preserving skin’s elasticity. Selenium works particularly well when it’s accompanied by vitamins E and A, so eat your Brazil nuts with some almonds and perhaps some red bell peppers.
Aim for: One Brazil nut delivers a full day’s supply. Other foods rich in selenium are meats, fish, poultry, onions, garlic and whole grains.
2. Avocado
This tasty green fruit, rich in vitamin E, can also increase your skin's vitality, Wood says. Avocado is also a good source of vitamin C, which can reduce skin inflammation and naturally moisturize the skin.
3. Brown Rice
Brown rice is a rich source of vitamin B, protein, magnesium, and several antioxidants, Wood says. For acne, vitamin B acts as our skin's stress fighter, which will help regulate hormones levels and prevent the likelihood of breakouts.
4. Garlic
Garlic contains high amounts of allicin, a chemical that kills inflammation-causing bacteria. In fact, beauty experts swear by rubbing a clove of garlic on pimples and acne as a form of effective treatment.
5. Broccoli
It may not be your favorite thing to eat, but if you’re trying to fight acne, you may want to turn to this vegetable. It comes packed with vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, and these work together to protect your skin against infection that may lead to a breakout.
6. Fatty Fish
Omega-3 and Omega-6 are natural fatty acids that are very hard to come by in their natural form unless you get them from their original sources like fish. These healthy fats can greatly contribute to fighting inflammation, and in turn, preventing the clogging of pores that causes acne.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli is the perfect skin clearing food. It contains health building properties like vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K. "These antioxidants fight radical damage which will assist with the luminosity of your skin."
8. Alfalfa Sprouts
Yes, they may look a little like grass, but these sprouts are packed with valuable, skin-clearing nutrients. Alfalfa sprouts contain live enzymes which help fight inflammation.
9. Artichokes
Yet another food that’s rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, artichokes are also chock-full of healthy dietary fiber. This helps improve your metabolism and digestion process, thus helps in effectively ridding your body of toxins. This makes artichokes a great dietary option for healthy, glowing skin.
10. Red Grapes
And yes, you can eat the seeds. "The fruit and seed contain powerful natural chemicals and antioxidants that have been shown to treat inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema," Wood says.On top of this, grapes can also help to control the side effects of allergic reactions on the skin.
