10 Worst foods to eat for your skin

Complexion Reaction: 10 Worst foods to eat for your skin

Lim Han

11 Apr 2017

1/10
Dairy
When it comes to skincare, let’s just say we should leave the milk in the cow’s udders. Dairy is loaded with hormones and growth factors that don’t sit too well in your bloodstream, igniting breakout-causing inflammation and ramping up oil production. Aren’t you glad you grew out of your childhood ritual of drinking a glass of milk every night before bed?
2/10
Shellfish & crustaceans
Seafood lovers, we hate to burst your bubble but your prawns and lobsters just aren’t cut out for your skin. Storing a wealth of iodine, you'll leave yourself prone to inflamed skin and clogged pores, resulting in red splotchy skin, reminiscent of a cooked prawn itself. But, not to fear, seafood such as fish are yours to keep.
3/10
Caffeine
While caffeine keeps you energised and refreshed, that’s definitely not the case for your skin. Caffeine serves to severely dehydrate you, which makes room for the build-up of toxins. These toxins spark off inflammation and premature aging, not to mention, a bad case of acne. So, save the Starbucks cappuccinos for just the weekends.
4/10
Alcohol
It’s no question that alcohol livens up gatherings and amps up the party. But, for the sake of your skin, ditch the beers and margaritas. Not only do alcoholic drinks dehydrate your skin, they also raise your body temperature and cause you to sweat, which clogs your pores and encourages greasy skin. You’ll be waking up with not just a hangover, but a breakout as well.
5/10
Fried food
Golden and alluring, their appearance is the exact opposite of our future complexion if we constantly indulge in fried food. The oxidized fats and oils lead to poor blood circulation and heart disease, which rob our body of the necessary oxygen for collagen and elastin formation. Are those crispy nuggets and fish fillets really worth the drab complexion?
6/10
Candy
Wow, shocker. Bah, as if. Your iridescent gummy bears and luscious chocolate bars, packed with refined sugars, cause your insulin levels to rocket to the sky, releasing spurts of acne-causing inflammation. Willing to trade your clear skin for a decadent treat? Well, that’s not all you’ll be trading. Add supple youthful skin to your list of trade-offs, as sugar is known to degrade collagen and elastin which will engender a saggy complexion.
7/10
Chips
Ingest enough potato chips and your skin will soon take on the same appearance as them – bumpy and lined with ridges. Paper-thin as they are, chips are chockful of refined carbs and salt, which definitely do not bode well for your skin. Say hello to clogged pores and an aged appearance with every bag of Lays you demolish.
8/10
Soda
Sure, it packs a punch with its fizzy tang, but it’s also packed with insane amounts of sugar - not just any sugar though, we’re talking high fructose corn syrup. As bad that sounds, it is. If you want to continue down the road of carbonated drinks, you’ve got to bid farewell to your dearest collagen and elastin, as you walk the winding road of wrinkles and dull complexion.
9/10
Rice cakes
Did I just make all you fitness freaks choke on your kale salad and spit out your berry smoothies? Yes, rice cakes have officially called it quits in the health department. These unassuming crisp circles are appallingly loaded with high amounts of refined sugars. And you know how the story goes. Spoiler alert: The narrative ends with dreaded wrinkles and fine lines.
10/10
Fast food
Envision thick juicy patties slathered in creamy sauces and smushed between crispy plump buns, paired with crispy golden fries. Is this making your mouth water? Well, they’ll make your face drip with oil too. Fast food, high in glycemic index (GI), will wreck havoc on your skin. You’ll be served a tray full of acne and a side of oleaginous complexion.

You are what you eat, and your skin can attest to that.

If there’s anything that could bind the world together in every Miss Universe’s bid for world peace, it’s mankind’s epicurean nature. We all have foods that we enthrone at the top of our gastronomic lists and those that we gladly let sink to the bottom. Well, our skin is no different either. There are foods we eat which leave our skin salivating for more, while those that promise to trigger a distressing tantrum. This time, we’re focusing on your skin’s most detested grub.

We’ve scoured the expanse of the food realm to compile together the top 10 foods that will ignite sheer pandemonium on your complexion. From intoxicating alcohol to apocryphally healthy rice cakes, these foods will drop your jaws and, hopefully, turn your diet around. Head on down to our gallery to get started on lessening the burden on your skin in terms of what you’ve been feeding yourself.

Lim Han

Photos: Getty Images

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